Crowd toasts Charles Darwin

Thursday 12th February 2009, 8:59PM GMT.

The toast in Shrewsbury for the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth

Robert Darwin and Mary Darwin Mason, from Virginia, at today’s toast More than 100 people today turned out to toast the 200th anniversary of the birth of “Charlie” Darwin at the Shropshire site which first introduced him to geology.

Charles Darwin’s first introduction to geology was a granite boulder, called the Bellstone, situated in a courtyard at Morris Hall in the centre of Shrewsbury, the town of his birth.

Jon King, Darwin events co-ordinator, led the toast while standing on the steps of the hall at noon today. He read the final paragraph of Darwin’s famous work On the Origin of Species, before offering a toast to “Charlie”.

He said: “Every year since 2003 we have gathered here to offer a little toast to Charlie, but there are one or two people more here than last year. It is quite humbling really to be here where Darwin was born and grew up. It always had a very special place in his heart.”

Among the crowds at the hall were descendants of Charles Darwin’s great-grandfather. They chose to mark the 200th anniversary in Shrewsbury by travelling to the town from Virginia, USA. Robert Darwin, 68, and his wife Diana, 66, were at today’s toast with 62-year-old Mary Darwin-Mason, and her husband Bill Mason, 63.

Mr Darwin said: “We timed this journey to coincide with the celebrations. It is a very special time and we are pleased we can be here.”

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