Galton Centenary 2011
2011 is the 100th anniversary of the death
of Francis Galton, the “father of eugenics” and a key figure in the history of
science and of UCL (University College London). UCL is marking the centenary of Galton, an
often controversial academic, with a number of exhibitions over the year –
including the unveiling of a recently discovered photograph of Galton on his
deathbed.
Kantsaywhere
Francis Galton's eugenic novel Kantsaywhere has been published for the first time with an introduction considering its literary and social context by writer and broadcaster Dr Matthew Sweet. This novel was rejected for publication shortly before Galton's death. Parts of it were destroyed by Galton's niece due to fears about the reaction to the love scenes, ideas of a 'eugenic marriage' and eugenics in general. UCL has decided it to make it publicly available for the first time as part of this centenary year.
Exhibition
Events
An Enquiring Mind: Francis Galton 1822-1911
UCL Main Library, Wilkins Building: March - December 2011.
See below for a series of lunch time talks exploring Francis Galton through this exhibition, starting on 22 November.
From baby hair to death mask, exhibits from the Galton Papers held by UCL Special Collections and the Galton Collection display Francis Galton’s life, many diverse interests, investigations and associations. His handprint, hand writing, travel journals, family photographs, statistics from his laboratory, a stuffed wallet, all combine to illustrate the timeline of his life.
This exhibition also includes an exciting
new find of a photograph of Galton on his deathbed, which will soon enter the
Galton Collection.
Lunchtime Exhibition Talks by UCL Library Services Staff
Tuesday 22 November (Fred Bearman, Preservation Librarian)
Thursday 24 November (Gill Furlong, Head of Special Collections)
Tuesday 29th November (Gill Furlong)
Thursday 1st December (Fred Bearman)
Meet in the Flaxman Gallery at 1.15pm
Visit the Online Exhibition.
Typecast: Flinders Petrie and Francis Galton
Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology: 29 March – 22 December 2011
In 1886 Francis Galton commissioned Flinders Petrie to take photographs of different ‘racial types’ on monuments from Ancient Egypt. This was part of Galton’s research into human and racial difference as well as a lifelong friendship and influence between Galton and Petrie.
This exhibition displays some of those photographs and explores their contentious legacies in the Petrie Museum’s collection, examining and inviting comment on Galton, Petrie and the impact of racial theory on archaeology.
The exhibition is now online. http://petriemuseum.com/blog/category/typecast_petrie_galton/
A Question of Breeding? Francis Galton and Florence Nightingale
Thursday 17 November 6-7.30pm (Doors open at 6pm and talk begins at 6.30pm
Petrie Museum, Malet Place
Talk by Natasha McEnroe, Director of the Florence Nightingale Museum, on the relationship between Francis Galton and Florence Nightingale.
An Enquiring Mind: Francis Galton 1822-1911
Lunchtime Exhibition Talks 1.15 - 1.55pm by UCL Library Services Staff
Flaxman Gallery, UCL Main Library, Wilkins Building
Tuesday 22 November (Fred Bearman, Preservation Librarian)
Thursday 24th November (Gill Furlong, Head of Special Collections)
Tuesday 29th November (Gill Furlong, Head of Special Collections)
Thursday 1st December (Fred Bearman, Preservation Librarian)
Estateface by patricia shrigley
Tuesday 13 December 6 - 7.30pm
Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology
Screening
of Estate face by artist patricia shrigley. A darkly humorous look at
prevalent stereotypes of white working class women inspired by Francis
Galton's anthropometric measuring.
The film will be playing on a loop throughout the evening. It is a
response to the exhibition Typecast: Flinders Petrie and Francis Galton
and assumptions around genetics and ‘types’ of class and race in this
centenary year of the death of Francis Galton.
Stills from the film will be on display in the Petrie Museum from
Wednesday 16 November next to the scrapbooks of contemporary 'eugenic
related' articles.
Images © Patricia Shrigley.
More on Galton and Eugenics
This year also marks the beginning of a major project to digitise the Galton archive and collection with a view to making the material accessible to the public. Preparatory work will begin in 2011 as part of a programme generously supported by the Wellcome Trust.
Steve Jones on Galton, Science and Eugenics
A chance to hear Professor Steve Jones on Radio 4 through iPlayer here.
Steve Jones reflects on the legacy of the father of eugenics,
Francis Galton, and warns against the danger of overstatement by
geneticists.
Four Thought is a series of taks which combine thought provoking ideas
and engaging storytelling that is recorded live in front of an audience at the
RSA (the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and
Commerce) in London.
A version of this talk is also published in the online BBC Magazine.
Dr Debbie Challis, curator of Typecast: Francis Galton and Flinders Petrie exhibition, argues that eugenics has a persuasive and hidden influence in society today in a UCL Youtube Mini Lecture 'Legacy of Eugenics' .
