Robert FitzRoy

Admiral Robert Fitzroy

I came across Robert Fitzroy whilst researching an article about the origins of the Shipping News.  I thought he warranted an article all to himself as he seemed such an accomplished gentleman.

TW: Mentions of suicide.

Robert Fitzroy was born on 5th July 1805 at Ampton Hall, Nr Euston, Suffolk to aristocratic parents.  At the ripe old age of 12, he joined the Royal Naval College in Portsmouth.  This was to begin his life as a career officer in the Royal Navy.  After a year he joined the Royal Navy and then became a “College Volunteer” on board HMS Owen Glendower.  This frigate left for South America in the summer of 1820 and returned in January of 1822 with the young Robert having earned the post of Midshipman.  He graduated from college in 1824 having passed his course with distinction and was promoted to Lieutenant soon after.

Robert Fitzroy and HMS Beagle

Robert Fitzroy spent several years serving on HMS Hind and HMS Thetis until a change of events occurred. The year was 1828 and HMS Beagle, The Royal Navy’s survey barque, was in South America on a hydrographic survey of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego.  Captain Pringle Stokes, was finding the voyage very difficult and sank into a deep depression off Tierra del Fuego.  After locking himself in his cabin for 2 weeks he then shot himself and died of complications a few days later.  HMS Beagle was ordered, by Rear-Admiral Sir Robert Otway, to make for Montevideo under the command of Lieutenant W.G. Skyring for refitting and provisioning.  On arrival in Montevideo Otway announced his decision to place Flag Lieutenant Robert Fitzroy in command of the Beagle. Robert Fitzroy was now captain of HMS Beagle and proved to be a very able commander and meticulous surveyor.

The Beagle’s Second Voyage

Fitzroy was confident of a second voyage in 1831 but the Admiralty abandoned the plan.  After some intervention from his uncle, the Admiralty agreed and Fitzroy could start preparing for the voyage.  The Beagle was taken to Devonport for refitting and Fitzroy ordered the deck to be raised to improve the handling and safety of the ship.  When all work was completed Fitzroy wanted to find a companion for the voyage.  Commanding a ship in the 1800s was a lonely and stressful occupation so a companion of intellectual equality would help to stave off the depression suffered by many captains and officers.  His friend Captain Francis Beaufort set about inquiring and it wasn’t long before the geologist and naturalist Charles Darwin was suggested.  The discoveries made on the Beagle’s second voyage led Darwin to contribute to evolutionary theory and to enable him to write  On The Origins of Species.  This book was to become the foundation of evolutionary biology.

Meteorological Statist

In 1854 FitzRoy was appointed to the Board of Trade.  This was a new department set up to collect weather data at sea.  His title was Meteorological Statist to the Board of Trade.  The Board of Trade was the forerunner to the Meteorological Office (Met Office) that we have today.  One way he collected the weather data was to provide the Ship’s Captains with measuring instruments onboard the ships to record the weather wherever their voyages took them.  The data was compiled and soon charts were produced.   These nautical charts became very popular with the maritime industry and often saved lives by warning of particular weather patterns in various parts of the world.  Fitzroy didn’t just rely on the captains for their data.  He set up fifteen land stations that would transmit weather data using the new telegraph system that had been created by Samuel Morse.  It wasn’t long before the news publications began printing these ‘weather forecasts’ on a daily basis for their readers. The data was no longer just for seamen.

Fitzroy was also responsible for introducing barometers to every port around the country.  He wanted all seamen and fishermen to be able to check the barometric pressure before setting off.  They could then tell if a storm was brewing.  He also introduced a signalling system of hoisting cones that would give warning of an approaching gale.  The gale warning cones were situated at all major ports, but despite its success, many of the fishing fleet owners did not support it.  If the cones went up then the fishing fleets were not allowed to leave port.  This of course impacted their businesses and so the system was abandoned for some years after Fitzroy’s death.

Despite achieving a huge amount during his life (we have touched on just a few in this article), and greatly improving safety in the maritime industry, Vice Admiral Robert Fitzroy’s failing health and struggle with depression meant he took his own life on 30th April 1865.  Fitzroy was given very little praise during his life for his achievements and was over-shadowed by Charles Darwin for many years.  After his death, his name fell into obscurity.  Happily, he was later recognised for his work that improved the safety of shipping and he is now thought of as one of the pioneers of weather forecasting.

Related Articles: The Shipping News, HMS Beagle