Darwin in Edinburgh 1825-27, talk by Rosemary Mann

Rosemary Mann will be talking about Charles Darwin's time in Edinburgh at Augustine United Church on Wednesday 17 February 2027. The talk is presented by the Old Edinburgh Club and focuses on the years Darwin spent in the city from 1825 to 1827.

Most of us know Darwin as the author of The Origin of Species, but before that, he was a medical student at the University of Edinburgh. He spent two years here, from 1825 to 1827, and the talk covers that short but influential period of his life. It's a look at a version of Darwin that doesn't usually make the headlines—the young man studying medicine in the city long before the voyage of the Beagle.

Rosemary Mann is a local voice for this one. She grew up in Edinburgh and has lived in the Old Town all her adult life. After sixteen years with Scottish & Newcastle, she moved into running charities focused on built heritage, and since then she's guided at the National Museum of Scotland, the Dovecot Tapestry Studio, and with Edinburgh Festival Guides. She's spent a lot of time working with the city's history, so she's well-placed to talk about Darwin's time here.

If you can't make it in person, the session will be streamed live online and later recorded and added to the Old Edinburgh Club's YouTube channel. For those who do go, the church has an Auracast hearing system. It runs from 7:00pm to 8:30pm, with doors open from 6:30pm, and entry is free.