Can anyone help explain why a Darwin photograph ended up in Bermuda,
taken by a Boston photographer (see below?)
------- Forwarded Message Follows - - - - - - -
Priority: normal
Date sent: 30 May 2000 14:16:52 -0400
From: Susan Smith <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Darwin photograph
Dear Sir,
I obtained your address from the BSHS home page. In the late
1960s, my father retrieved an original photograph of Charles
Darwin from a janitor who was in the process of discarding a
large framed series of photo portraits that was being discarded
by the Bermuda Biological Station, St. George's, Bermuda. As he
was passing by, my father recognized the Darwin portrait and
asked if he could have it, since it was being thrown in the trash
bin. He subsequently passed the photograph on to me. Although he
unfortunately did not save the other portraits, he did save the
Boston photographer's label, which included the names of the
other presumed scientists. The names are difficult to discern in
the old script, but one I recognized as Ray Lankester--the others
Mirant(?), Marshall, Flower (Fowler?), Moreley, and Darwin. Can
you or any of your members determine what the original series of
portraits may have represented? A copy of the Darwin photograph
was also donated to the Down House about 15 years ago, and the
curator there was also curious about its origin. It is somewhat
of a mystery since the photographs were taken by a U.S.
photographer and the framed cameos came from Bermuda, both places
Darwin never visited. Any help in solving this mystery would be
appreciated.
Sincerely,
Susan E. Smith, Fishery Research Biologist
National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA
Southwest Fisheries Science Center
P.O. Box 271
La Jolla, CA 92038
ph 858/546-7070
fax 858/546-7003
[log in to unmask]
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