Returned ‘Tree of Life’ Notebooks go on public display in major new Darwin exhibition  

Lydia Becker (1827 – 1890), sitter: Tori Blakeman

Lydia Becker, an early member of the women’s suffrage movement, was born and lived in Manchester.

She encouraged the study of science by girls, believing that the ethos of science provided valuable life skills.

Between 1863 and 1877, Becker, an accomplished botanist, corresponded with Charles Darwin, providing him with specimens of plants and sending observations for Darwin's work on plant dimorphism.

In return, Darwin responded to her questions, gave feedback on her writing, and advised on where best to publish her articles.

He also provided material for an education initiative at Becker’s local women's scientific organisation, the Manchester Ladies’ Literary Society

John Edmonstone (dates of birth and death unknown), sitter: Miranda Lowe

John Edmonstone was a taxidermist and teacher of taxidermy in Edinburgh, Scotland. Previously he was enslaved on a timber plantation in Demerara, British Guiana (present-day Guyana, South America), and given the surname of his slave-owner, Charles Edmonstone.

Around 1812, the plantation was visited by the naturalist Charles Waterton, who taught John taxidermy. Edmonstone came to Scotland with his master in 1817, and as slavery was illegal on the British mainland John became free.

In 1823 he set up shop as a "bird-stuffer" at 37 Lothian Street, Edinburgh. From this shop, John taught taxidermy to students attending the nearby University of Edinburgh.

In 1826 amongst Edmonstone’s students was the 16-year-old Charles Darwin who was a medical student in the city. Darwin used the skills taught by Edmonstone on the Beagle voyage.

Christian Ngqika, (1831-year of death unknown), sitter: Brian Knight

Christian Ngqika was born in Burnshill, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. His father was a chief of the Xhosa tribe and was succeeded by Christian’s half-brother.

Christian was educated by missionaries and employed by the colonial government as a constable and interpreter.

Ngqika did not correspond directly with Darwin. Instead, he completed a questionnaire which Darwin had sent out through his worldwide network.

Ngqika was the only Indigenous person to respond. His information was cited in Darwin’s book The Expression of the Emotions (1872).

Henrietta (1843-1927) and George Darwin (1845-1912), sitters: Lydia and Ayla Levy

Henrietta Darwin (Etty) was Charles Darwin’s third daughter but both her older sisters died in childhood, her sister Annie when Henrietta was eight.

Darwin valued Etty as a critic and editor, recognising in particular her contribution to both the style and reasoning of his work on human evolution, The Descent of Man (1871). Her own diary for the year reveals her deep intellectual engagement and thoughtful scepticism.

She helped edit her father’s Autobiography (1887) and published a collection of her mother’s letters and papers

The fifth child of Charles and Emma. George was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, then trained as a barrister before returning to science.

A gifted mathematician, his research focused on planetary physics and astronomy. Like Henrietta, George was heavily involved in his father’s research and writing. From 1885 he lived in Newnham Grange, now part of Darwin college.

Caroline Kennard née Smith (1827-1907), sitter: Gina Rippon

Caroline Kennard was an American advocate of women’s rights and botanist. She was born into a wealthy New Hampshire family, and lived in Brookline, Massachusetts.

In 1881, Kennard wrote to Darwin to ask whether he had stated that women were inferior to men. Darwin replied referencing his Descent of man (1872), where he argued that women had superior moral qualities, but intellectually they were inferior.

He suggested this might change if they became active as “bread-winners” but worried that this would be socially damaging.

Kennard responded that as homemakers women were already breadwinners, but were denied opportunities to develop their intellects.

Thomas Whitelegge (1850-1927), sitter: Jamal Kinsella

Whitelegge was born in Cheshire to a destitute working-class family. After leaving school at the age of 8 he worked in factories and at a hatters.

Whitlegge was an indentured apprentice but broke his indenture and lived as a fugitive on a farm where he became interested in natural history.

In 1874, he joined the working-class Ashton-under-Lyne Linnaean Botanical Society and began to study botany.

In 1878, having made a discovery about the cross-fertilisation of plants, he corresponded with Darwin, who had published on the subject. In 1882, Whitelegge emigrated with his family to Sydney, Australia.

He eventually gained a post with the Australian Museum and the National Herbarium at the Botanic Gardens

Camilla Ludwig (1837-1874), sitter: Emma Darwin

From 1860-3 Camilla Ludwig was the Darwin children’s governess. Born in Hamburg, Camilla translated German scientific works and correspondence for Charles both while with the family and after she left.

She married Reginald Saint Pattrick, vicar of Sellinge, Kent, in 1874. The Pattrick’s were not well-off: Charles’s wife, Emma, is known to have helped Camilla by passing on her old gowns – which is how Camilla is imagined here.

Mary Treat (1830-1923), sitter: Sandy Knapp

Mary Treat was a naturalist from New Jersey who made significant contributions to the fields of entomology and botany.

Over the period 1871–1876, she exchanged fifteen letters with Darwin - more than any other woman naturalist. Her most notable research was on the anatomy and behaviour of harvesting ants and on carnivorous plants