MY HISTORY HERO
Robert FitzRoy
1805–65
BroadcasterMichael Buerkchooses
Michael Buerk has worked as both a news presenter and a foreign correspondent during his distinguished BBC career. He has hosted BBC Radio 4’s
Moral Maze since 1990
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IN PROFILE
Robert FitzRoy, pictured here in 1860, captained HMS
Beagle
. Michael Buerk sees few parallels between FitzRoy’s life and his own
ALAMY
Robert FitzRoy was an officer in the Royal Navy, best known for being the captain of HMS
Beagle
during Darwin’s famous voyage. FitzRoy, later promoted to vice-admiral, was also a pioneering meteorologist and in 1854 founded what would later be called the Met Office. He served as governor of New Zealand from 1843–45. The father of five struggled with depression and died by suicide, aged 59.