Charles Darwin’s personal address book, a 48-page artifact filled with roughly 500 entries, is now available online for the first time thanks to the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Darwin Online project. This digitization offers a unique, unfiltered look into the daily life of the famed naturalist, revealing contacts, shopping lists, and even rat poison recipes.
A Treasure Trove of Detail
For decades, archivists have painstakingly cataloged Darwin’s extensive correspondence – over 15,000 letters – resulting in 30 volumes of edited material. Yet, this address book contains previously undocumented individuals, businesses, and oddities.
Unexpected Insights
The entries include pigeon breeders (unsurprising, given Darwin’s work on On the Origin of Species ), addresses for figures like Oscar Wilde’s father and social reformer Octavia Hill, and several recipes for rat poison. The latter was likely practical for maintaining Darwin’s estate in Down, England.
From Wife to Naturalist
The address book’s earliest entries were made by Darwin’s wife, Emma, shortly after their marriage in 1839. Darwin soon took over, using it as a personal resource until his death in 1882.
This newly digitized address book is more than just names and places; it’s a direct line into Darwin’s world. It shows us not only who he knew but what occupied his attention, from scientific pursuits to the mundane realities of estate management.
The digitization of this artifact adds another layer to our understanding of Darwin, offering a rare, unfiltered glimpse into his personal life.
