Robert Fitzroy: Correspondence

Robert Fitzroy (1805-1865), vice-admiral, hydrographer and meteorologist, was the second son of Lord Charles Fitzroy (1764-1829) and Frances Anne Stewart (d. 1810), daughter of the 1st Marquess of Londonderry. He served on several ships in the Mediterranean and South America, and was promoted in 1828 to command of the brig 'Beagle'. He was employed on the survey of Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego and the Straits of Magellan. A second survey voyage, 1831-1836, included Charles Darwin as naturalist. Fitzroy's sister Frances (1803-1878) married George Rice Trevor (1795-1869), who succeeded as 4th Lord Dynevor in 1852.

The collection is comprised of a total of 75 letters. Nos 1-54 are comprised of letters from Fitzroy to his father, his brother George Fitzroy, and his sisters Emily Fitzroy and Frances Rice Trevor, 1816-1843, including some correspondence between his siblings. They include long descriptions of topography, local events and people, naval matters, and progress of the survey. Many were written from ships and ports of call in the Mediterranean and South America, including nos 39-52, written by Fitzroy whilst commanding H.M.S. 'Beagle'. Nos 55-70 consist of correspondence from 1852 exchanged between Fitzroy, his aunt Frances Anne, Marchioness of Londonderry (wife of Fitzroy's maternal uncle, the 3rd Marquis), and his brother-in-law Lord Dynevor, regarding the proposed adoption of Fitzroy's daughter Emily by Lady Londonderry following the death of Fitzroy's first wife and Lord Dynevor's failed attempts to mediate between Fitzroy and the Marchioness. The remaining items, nos 71-75, are miscellanea, undated letters and covers.

Purchased, 1991.

Please cite as Cambridge University Library, Department of Manuscripts and University Archives, Robert Fitzroy: Correspondence, MS Add.8853

The Royal Greenwich Observatory Archives, also held in the Manuscripts Department, contain exchanges of correspondence between Fitzroy as head of the Meteorological Office and George Airy, Astronomer Royal, classmark RGO 6, notably in the sections on magnetism and meteorology, RGO 6/641-704; Royal Astronomical Society, RGO 6/227-244; time balls, RGO 6/612-625; and astrology, chemistry and chronology, RGO 6/462-483. The Archives also contain correspondence of Fitzroy with Thomas McClear, H.M. Astronomer at the Cape of Good Hope, RGO 15.

A full catalogue is available in the Manuscripts Reading Room, including a detailed biographical history of Fitzroy and summaries of the contents of the letters.

This catalogue was written by Robert Steiner, Manuscripts Department, August 2011, with reference to the summary catalogue of the Additional Manuscripts Collection and the full catalogue of this collection.