Hydrographer and meteorologist. Born Ampton Hall, Suffolk. He attended the Royal Naval College, Portsmouth and eventually took command of The Beagle, with Charles Darwin as a passenger. In his later career, he entered parliament, became governor of New Zealand and pioneered weather forecasting, indeed coined the term "forecast". The shipping forecast area Finisterre was renamed after him in 2002. In his later years he became increasingly deaf and despondent. He committed suicide at his home, Lyndhurst, Westow Hill, Upper Norwood.
Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk
