Who was Alfred Russel Wallace? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

British Celebrities Born In January

Died At Age: 90

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Annie Mitten

father: Thomas Vere Wallace

mother: Mary Anne Greenell

siblings: John, William

children: Herbert, Violet, William

Explorers Biologists

Died on: November 7, 1913

place of death: Broadstone, Dorset

discoveries/inventions: Co-discoverer Of Natural Selection

More Facts

education: Hertford Grammar School, Hertford

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1

What is Alfred Russel Wallace known for?

Alfred Russel Wallace was a British naturalist, explorer, biologist, and social activist who independently developed the theory of evolution by natural selection, which he presented alongside Charles Darwin.
2

Where did Alfred Russel Wallace conduct his most famous research?

Alfred Russel Wallace conducted his most famous research in the Malay Archipelago, where he spent eight years exploring and studying the region's biodiversity.
3

How did Alfred Russel Wallace contribute to the field of biogeography?

Alfred Russel Wallace is known for his contributions to the field of biogeography through his work on the Wallace Line, a boundary that separates the ecozones of Asia and Australia.
4

How did Alfred Russel Wallace influence the scientific community?

Alfred Russel Wallace's contributions to the theory of evolution and natural selection played a significant role in shaping the scientific community's understanding of biodiversity and the process of species evolution.

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Childhood & Early Life

He was born on January 8, 1823 in Kensington Cottage near Usk, Monmouthshire, England, to Thomas Vere Wallace and Mary Ann Wallace. He was one among the nine children of his parents.

In 1828, his family moved to Hertford where he received his early education from the Hertford Grammar School for the next six years.

His father inherited some income-generating property but he wasted most of it on a series of poor business decisions. Alfred was ultimately forced to leave school in 1836 as a result of deteriorating financial condition of his family.

He was sent to London to work with his older brother, John, an apprentice builder. While in London, he attended lectures and read books at the London Mechanics Institute, working on his self-education.

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Career

In 1837, he went to work as an apprentice for his eldest brother, William. Their business eventually settled at Neath in Glamorgan in Wales in 1839–40 but after few years, due to harsh economic conditions, the business weakened and Alfred left the job at his brother’s firm.

Later, he found a teaching work at the Collegiate School in Leicester. While working as a teacher, he met an entomologist, Henry Walter Bates, who persuaded him to collect insects for research purposes. In 1845, William died and he resigned from his teaching job to assume control of his brother's firm along with his brother, John.

The business eventually failed and he found work at a firm as a civil engineer. His work mostly involved spending a lot of time in the countryside which permitted him to collect insects, his newly formed passion.

Along with his brother John, he started his own architecture firm and worked on several projects including the Neath Mechanics' Institute, founded in 1843. He was persuaded by the founder of institute to deliver lectures on science and engineering in the institute.

In 1848, he and Bates started their journey to Brazil in search of insects and other animal specimens in the Amazon rainforest. Their plan was to bring them to United Kingdom and sell them to collectors.

After four years of successful expedition and with a wide collection of specimens, on his way back to UK in 1852, the ship’s cargo caught fire and most of the gatherings and precious items were lost. The crew was rescued but he only managed to save a part of his diary and a few sketches from his voyage.

Upon his return, he spent several months living on the insurance money for his lost belongings. He also wrote some books and papers from his experiences of the expedition and made connections with other naturalists such as Charles Darwin.

From 1854 to 1862, he started another voyage through the Malay Archipelago or East Indies to study natural history and collect other specimens.

While on his exploration, he developed his famous insight on theory of evolution through natural selection. In 1858, an article on his insights was published along with a description of the famous Darwin’s theory.

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Upon his return to the UK, he became interested in social activism along with his scientific pursuits, and entered the debates over trade policy and land reform. He also wrote articles on other social and political topics such as women's suffrage, and the dangers and wastefulness of militarism.

In his later years, he met many other prominent American naturalists and viewed their collections. He carried out his further scientific work on Darwinism along with giving lectures on biogeography, spiritualism, and socio-economic reforms.

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Major Works

His most prominent work was conceiving the ‘theory of evolution through natural selection’. It is one of the most celebrated works in the history of evolution.

He also performed pioneering works in biogeography and became a leading expert on the geographical distribution of animal species.

‘The Malay Archipelago’, an account of his studies and adventures, published in 1869, became one of the most popular books of scientific exploration of the 19th century.

One of his notable works was the ‘Wallace Effect’, a hypothesis on how natural selection could contribute to speciation by encouraging the development of barriers against hybridization.

Awards & Achievements

In 1868, he was honored with the Royal Medal by the Royal Society for his efforts in “practical and theoretical zoology".

In 1892, he received the Royal Geographical Society's Founder's Medal as well as the Linnean Society's Gold Medal.

He was awarded the Copley Medal in 1908. The same year he also became the recipient of the ‘Order of Merit’.

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He was also conferred honorary doctorates from the Universities of Dublin (1882) and Oxford (1889).

Personal Life & Legacy

In 1866, he married Annie Mitten, daughter of William Mitten, an expert on mosses. They were blessed with three children: Herbert, Violet and William.

In subsequent years, he made some bad investments in railways and mines which resulted in a financial crisis for him and his family. It was only after the efforts of his friends, especially Darwin, that he was awarded a £200 annual pension in 1881, which stabilized his financial condition.

He died on November 7, 1913 at his home in Broadstone, Dorset, England, at the age of 90. He was buried in the small cemetery at Broadstone, Dorset.

Facts About Alfred Russel Wallace

Alfred Russel Wallace was a self-taught naturalist who developed his own theory of evolution independently of Charles Darwin, known as the Wallace Line.

Wallace spent eight years exploring the Amazon and Malay Archipelago, collecting various specimens of insects, birds, and mammals.

He was a strong advocate for social issues, including workers' rights and land reform, and was a vocal supporter of women's suffrage.

Wallace was an avid collector of human artifacts and cultural items from indigenous peoples, which he believed were important for understanding the diversity of human cultures.

In addition to his scientific contributions, Wallace was also a prolific writer, publishing numerous books and articles on a wide range of topics, including natural history, anthropology, and social issues.

Alfred Russel Wallace Biography

You wanted to know

What is Alfred Russel Wallace known for?

Where did Alfred Russel Wallace conduct his most famous research?

How did Alfred Russel Wallace contribute to the field of biogeography?

How did Alfred Russel Wallace influence the scientific community?