Alfred Russel Wallace
Natural Gin Selection
Natural Gin Selection Ltd is an Usk-based company dedicated to creating premium gins that celebrate the life and work of Alfred Russel Wallace, who was born in Usk, Monmouthshire, in 1823.
Most significantly, and independently of Charles Darwin — with whom he shared a life-long friendship — he developed the theory of evolution by natural selection.
“There is no more admirable character in the history of science” said Sir David Attenborough of Wallace in 2011.
Who was Alfred Russel Wallace?
Alfred Russel Wallace (1823–1913) was arguably one of the most famous scientists of his generation, his name and work recognised worldwide. Through his travels — first in the Amazon, then in the Malay Archipelago — he became known as the father of evolutionary biogeography.
Not only was he an explorer, geographer, and collector, but he was also active in a wide range of subjects, including land reform, politics, slavery, vivisection, law, astrobiology, epidemiology, and spiritualism. His prodigious writings include more than 20 books and over 1,000 letters and articles. Many species were discovered by, or named after, Wallace — and some, like the birds of paradise, remain favourites for many of us.
The Wallace Line
The Wallace Line refers to the boundary in the Malay Archipelago that Wallace identified, marking the division between Asian and Australian animal life.
