On 11 May 1820 the ship that would later carry Charles Darwin to the Galapagos Islands was launched. Rochford District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Enterprise, Cllr Simon Wootton, said: “The HMS Beagle was a trailblazer; a vessel which paved the way for discoveries in the fields of science and meteorology and effectively shaped significant aspects of the world we live in today. The ship’s legacy does not end there, as the Beagle was captained by Commander Robert Fitzroy, founder of the Met Office, a ground-breaking meteorologist who published the world’s first weather forecasts. From this spot, thanks to the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, visitors will be able to immerse themselves in a CGI Tour of the HMS Beagle simply by holding their smartphones or tablets up to the horizon. This FREE entry event will celebrate 200 years since the launch of HMS Beagle. That particular journey proved instrumental in the development of Darwin’s thinking, from which his ground-breaking theories of human evolution were later developed. This prestigious ship circumnavigated the globe with famous passenger Charles Darwin and is synonymous with discovery in the fields of science, meteorology and even space exploration. You are here: Home Discover our stories and collections Museum blog 200 years of HMS Beagle: Charles Darwin, Galapagos, and an enduring legacy. The long journey home took in Keeling Island, Mauritius, South Africa, St Helena, Ascension Island, Brazil and the Azores, finally arriving in Falmouth Cornwall in October 1836. We can trace much of that interest back over the centuries to pioneering explorers like Charles Darwin and his epic scientifically ground breaking voyage on HMS Beagle, which ended its distinguished career in our own county of Essex at Paglesham. Rochford District Council, Council Offices, South Street, Rochford, Essex, SS4 1BW. A host of scientific, social and maritime organisations will be gathering in the Rochford district for an event to celebrate the HMS Beagle and its connection with Rochford District, with the aim of sparking an interest in the world of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) for future generations. Darwin spent the next month exploring the islands, making further studies of the flora, fauna and geology, until October 20th. A cross-section of HMS Beagle showing below-deck arrangements and deck plan as modified for her second survey voyage is shown below: The second voyage (1831-36) introduced Charles Darwin to the story and to Captain Fitzroy, who had overseen a major refit of the Beagle, much of it at his own expense. Woolwich Dockyard in 1790, National Maritime Museum. 200 years of HMS Beagle. There will be contributions from many renowned organisations including the, the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences, the Linnean Society, English Heritage’s Down House (Darwin’s former home), the RSPB, and the Geological Society. As for the ageing Beagle, a different fate awaited: she was broken up in 1870 at Paglesham. The fact that the Beagle voyaged thousands of miles discovering new species links nicely to the fact that some of the species that visit Wallasea Island also travel thousands of miles to be here.’. Find out more about the remarkable legacy of HMS Beagle. This pioneering spirit of adventure will be celebrated in “Discover 2020: 200 years of HMS Beagle”, an event designed to inspire future generations through a host of STEAM activities connected to the history of the ship; her role in combatting smuggling on the Essex coast; and her lasting legacy in the fields of science and engineering. Events and initiatives such as this are central to our desire to support sustainable tourism in the region. For a view of another ex-naval vessel taken on as a stationary Watch Vessel in Essex by the coastguards (HMS Kangaroo) click here. Rachel Fancy, Warden, Wallasea Island & Foulness, RSPB, said: ‘It’s amazing to think that the final resting place of such an important ship in history is so close to our RSPB nature reserve on Wallasea Island. Now renamed WV7 (Watch Vessel 7), Beagle accommodated up to seven officers and their families. “. HMS Beagle and Rochford District. £10,000 lottery grant to create online CGI tour of Darwin’s HMS Beagle. Join us to celebrate 200 years since the launch of the vessel on which Charles Darwin embarked on his voyage of discovery; a journey leading to breakthroughs in science, meteorology and even space exploration. As an airport, we hope to make a similarly important contribution to the economic growth of the region today, whilst doing so in a sustainable and environmentally conscious way.”, June Povey, Essex & South Suffolk Community Rail Partnership Officer, said: “We are delighted to support 200 years of HMS Beagle and to highlight the easy links by train. All we have to do now is find them, not in the riverine mud, but on dry land….. >> Foreshore Favourites: 20 - 26 June 2020, >> Foreshore Favourites: 13 - 19 June 2020, >> Foreshore Favourites: 6 - 12 June 2020, >> Foreshore Favourites: 30 May - 5 June 2020, >> Foreshore Favourites: 23 - 29 May 2020. HMS Beagle was finally decommissioned by the Royal Navy in 1845 when she was transferred to the Coastguard and repurposed as ’Southend watch vessel No 7, stationed at Paglesham in Rochford District, to combat the smuggling that was rife at this time. HMS Beagle was a relatively modest ship with a world changing impact; the year 2020 will mark 200 years since the launch of this vessel upon which Charles Darwin made the discoveries which led to his revolutionary scientific theories. HMS Beagle was finally decommissioned by the Royal Navy in 1845 when she was transferred to the Coastguard and repurposed as ’Southend watch vessel No 7, stationed at A brief history of HMS Beagle can be found attached below. 40 volunteers work on historic tapestry. This is a FREE family-friendly event to be held on May 30 and 31, 2020 – tickets must be booked at. He said this journey had “determined my whole career,” a period during which he collected specimens, made copious notes and observed the geological formations, volcanoes and earthquakes that would shape his future thinking. Built on the Thames, Mapped the world, Educated Darwin . Work began on the project in … When she returned to England, she carried three native Fuegians and had a new captain, the talented Robert Fitzroy. The site of the Beagle’s final resting place is now a Scheduled Ancient Monument. See the route of HMS Beagle’s Second Voyage, which circumnavigated the globe. “I'm really looking forward to photographing the celebrations in May. After many coastal surveys and several inland expeditions, the Beagle sailed to the Galapagos Islands, arriving on 15th September 1835. Join us to celebrate 200 years since the launch of the vessel on which Charles Darwin embarked on his voyage of discovery; a journey leading to breakthroughs in science, meteorology and even space exploration. Work began on the project in June 1817 in the celebrated Woolwich Dockyard, and she was completed three years later at a cost of £7,800. But when she was broken up in 1870, where did all those reusable timbers go? 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