History of Science

I’m a historian of science. This category is for posts covering material in this subject area.

Protest by University of London medical students at Brown Dog Statue in Battersea Park (from Ford 1908)
History of Science

Eyewitness to the Brown Dog Affair

Edward K. Ford was an eyewitness to history. In 1907, London medical students protested over a statue raised to a little brown dog. Bonfires burned late into the night. Large groups marched through the streets […]
Charles Darwin Blue Plaque on Gower Street London WC1 | ProfJoeCain
Blog

Darwinian Heritage on Gower Street at UCL

English Heritage commemorates Charles Darwin with a blue plaque located on Gower Street in Bloomsbury, central London. The “Darwin plaque” is fixed to the Darwin Building, one of the substantial science buildings of University College […]
Edward Turner, First Professor of Chemistry at UCL - ProfJoeCain
Blog

Edward Turner was a Creole. So what?

A historian colleague of mine asked if I knew anything about the genealogy of UCL’s first Professor of Chemistry, Edward Turner (1796-1837). My colleague said he had heard a report that Turner was mixed race, […]
Charles Darwin Blue Plaque on Gower Street London WC1 | ProfJoeCain
Blog

Darwin in London

During research concerning Charles Darwin and Emma Darwin’s life at number 12 Upper Gower Street, London, I identified several errors and vagaries in biographical material found in standard reference works. This note communicates corrections and […]
Euston Road at corner of former Euston Grove, showing bus entrance to Euston Station, 2013.
Euston Grove NW1

Euston Grove – History of a London Street NW1

Today, Euston Grove, London NW1 is little more than a roundabout for buses outside Euston Rail Station. Its most noticable feature is Reginald Wynn Owen’s arresting memorial to railway men and women lost in war. One […]