George Darwin - Biography

Biography

George Darwin was born at Down House, Kent, the second son and fifth child of Charles and Emma Darwin. He studied under Charles Pritchard, and entered St John's College, Cambridge in 1863, though he soon moved to Trinity College, where his tutor was Edward John Routh. He graduated as second wrangler in 1868, when he was also placed second for the Smith's Prize and was appointed to a college fellowship. He was admitted to the bar in 1872, but returned to science. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in June, 1879 and won their Royal Medal in 1884 and their Copley Medal in 1911. He delivered their Bakerian Lecture in 1891 on the subject of "tidal prediction".

In 1883 he became Plumian Professor of Astronomy and Experimental Philosophy at the University of Cambridge. He studied tidal forces involving the Sun, Moon, and Earth, and formulated the fission theory of Moon formation.

He won the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1892, and also later (1899–1901) served as president of that organization.

Darwin married Martha (Maud) du Puy of Philadelphia. They had two sons and two daughters:

• Gwen Raverat (1885–1957), artist.
• Charles Galton Darwin (1887–1962), physicist.
• Margaret Elizabeth Darwin (1890–1974), married Sir Geoffrey Keynes.
• William Robert Darwin (1894–1970)
  • Father of George Erasmus Darwin (1927-)
    • Grandfather of Chris Darwin (1961-) and Sarah Darwin (1964-)

He is buried in Trumpington Cemetery in Cambridge, but his brothers Sir Francis Darwin and Sir Horace Darwin are interred in the Parish of the Ascension Burial Ground. His daughter Gwen (Ravarat) is buried in Trumpington Extension Cemetery, Cambridge.