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Erasmus Darwin and his literary and philosophical friends were inspired by trees which Darwin believed were essential for economic utility, horticultural improvement, productive estate management and ecological vitality. In his Lichfield botanical garden and other gardens, Darwin strove to unite as his friend and biographer Anna Seward claimed, practical botany with picturesque prospects by creating and...

The poet, Anna Seward (1742-1809), lived in Lichfield, had a close friendship with Erasmus Darwin, and knew other members of the Lunar Society. She travelled widely across the West Midlands, and one result was the poem, ‘Colebrookdale’, written in fact in two versions, which provides an insight into environmental and atmospheric pollution at a time...

As William Strutt left no journals or diary, we need to look at contemporary, third party, accounts of his work and legacies, to understand why he was so respected by his peers, including his appointment as a Fellow of the Royal Society. This talk traces his life, both personal and work, with the progression of...