FitzRoy: The Remarkable Story of Darwin's Captain and the Invention of the Weather Forecast [Hardcover]

Dr. John Gribbin (Author), Mary Gribbin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 11, 2004

The name of Robert FitzRoy, captain of the Beagle, is forever linked with that of his most famous passenger, Charles Darwin. This exceptionally interesting biography brings FitzRoy out of Darwin’s shadow for the first time, revealing a man who experienced high adventure, suffered tragic disappointments, and—as the inventor of weather forecasting—saved the lives of countless fellow mariners.
John Gribbin and Mary Gribbin draw a detailed portrait of FitzRoy, recounting the wide range of his accomplishments and exploring the motivations that drove him. As a very young and successful commander in the British navy, FitzRoy’s life was in the mold of a Patrick O’Brian novel. Later disappointments, including an unpopular tenure as governor of New Zealand and a sense of dismay over his own contributions to Darwin’s ideas of evolution, troubled FitzRoy. Even his groundbreaking accomplishments in meteorological science failed to satisfy his high personal expectations, and in 1865 FitzRoy committed suicide at the age of sixty. This biography focuses well-deserved attention on FitzRoy’s status as a scientist and seaman, affirming that his was a life which, despite its sorrowful end, encompassed many more successes than failures.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

History has not looked favorably on Robert FitzRoy (1805–1865), who captained the Beagle on Charles Darwin's famous trip around the globe. FitzRoy shared an inclination toward mental instability with his uncle Lord Castlereagh, one of the architects of post-Napoleonic Europe, and ultimately slit his own throat. He became a Bible-quoting literalist on the creation of the world and famously broke with Darwin after the publication of On the Origin of Species. However, the Gribbins (Stardust) show that FitzRoy was dedicated to public service. As governor of New Zealand he offended colonists in his zeal to be fair toward the native Maoris, which got him quickly recalled. As head of the Meteorological Office he helped put the young field of meteorology on firm scientific foundations by setting up observation stations all around the British Isles, linked to London by telegraph. His network of storm warnings and uniform system of storm signals for use aboard ships were highly successful. Fitzroy was also the first to use the term "weather forecast." The Gribbins successfully pull their subject out of Darwin's long shadow and portray him as a notable figure in his own right. Readers interested in Darwin, meteorology or 19th-century seagoing life will all find this a delightful read. B&w illus.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Robert FitzRoy was the captain of the Beagle, the ship that carried Charles Darwin to the Galapagos and other islands in the Pacific in the years between 1832 and 1836. A member of an aristocratic English family, he also served in Parliament for two years, and in 1843 he was appointed governor of New Zealand, a post in which he made himself unpopular with the British colonists by trying to uphold the rights of the Maori people. He later became a bitter and outspoken opponent of Darwin's theory of evolution. But FitzRoy's claim to fame was that he developed the fundamental techniques of weather forecasting, designed a standard barometer and thermometer (a prototype weather station), invented the system of storm warnings and signals that saved countless lives in the ensuing decades, and issued the first daily weather forecasts. Gribbins' meticulous biography is important in helping to establish the captain's place in history. George Cohen
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Yale University Press (August 11, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0300103611
• ISBN-13: 978-0300103618
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #797,500 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Voyages of the Beagle, May 8, 2005

By 

John C. Landon "nemonemini" (New York City) - See all my reviews

This review is from: FitzRoy: The Remarkable Story of Darwin's Captain and the Invention of the Weather Forecast (Hardcover)

The figure of Fitzroy lurks in the background of the Darwin saga and it is actually quite refreshing to draw him out on this score, both because of the interest in his life and work on its own terms and also for the light it throws on Darwin's early explorations in biology. Fitzroy's achievements in weather forecasting are little known, and his contribution to Darwin's education no doubt proceeds indirectly from the context of disciplined and meticulous scientific work in the Beagle's prime mission.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A man who gave so much and deserved so much more., June 15, 2005

By 

Shawn Marchinek "McDonald" (Washington State, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: FitzRoy: The Remarkable Story of Darwin's Captain and the Invention of the Weather Forecast (Hardcover)

The father of weather forecasts and explorer of South America. Robert FitzRoy will be remembered by me. This book tells us about a great British aristocrat who gave more than he took. I love Patrick O'Brian and this could have been his but it is real story about a real person. FitzRoy was a remarkable man who history has pushed back to the shadows and labeled Darwin's Captain. FitzRoy, whose family is descended from Charles II, becomes a beloved British Man-o-war Captain, explorer, politician and eventual Vice Admiral. Mr. Gribbin gives us a picture of one of the last explorers and scientific innovators who charts South America, tries to support native rights in New Zealand and gives the world weather forecasting, yet is forgotten. His end did not justify his life. He was an amazing man who deserved more. He was faithful to his family, his country and religion. A good man and a great read.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Robert FitzRoy: One of the nineteenth century's greatest seamen, April 27, 2007

By 

J. Cameron-Smith "Expect the Unexpected" (ACT, Australia) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: FitzRoy: The Remarkable Story of Darwin's Captain and the Invention of the Weather Forecast (Hardcover)

This work, by John and Mary Gribbin, combines a deep respect for Robert FitzRoy and his achievements with sound research. The end result is a book that is accessible to anyone with an interest in this complex and multi-faceted man.

Described by Charles Darwin as being 'A very extraordinary person', Robert FitzRoy served Britain as a naval captain (most famously as Captain of HMS Beagle), as a Governor of New Zealand, and in the field of weather forecasting.

While covering the voyages of HMS Beagle, this book provides information on FitzRoy's governorship of New Zealand as well as his achievements in weather forecasting. Along the way, we obtain glimpses of the struggle between a greater understanding of science and a deep innate religious conservatism. Robert FitzRoy tragically took his own life a few months before his 60th birthday.

A fascinating book about a fascinating man.

Highly recommended

Jennifer Cameron-Smith