Walter Weston (1861-1940) was an English clergyman and an Anglican missionary who helped popularise recreational imountaineering in Japan at the turn of the 20th century. Ordained a deacon in 1885,priest in 1886, he was appointed curate at St.John’s Readng, Berkshire in 1885. He was already a mountaineer and in 1886/7 he had spent time climbing in the Alps. Walter went to Japan as a Missionary of the C.of E. Church Missionary Society (CMS) in 1888. he worked first in Kumamoto then in Kobe. Alternating between posts in the UK and Japan between 1888- 1915 he spent 15 years in various ministries of the Anglican Church in Japan. In 1896 he published Mountaineering and Exploration in the Japanese Alps He was instrumental in establishing the Japanese Alpine Club in 1906. In 1917 the Japan Society of London ( he served on the council) and The Royal Geographical Society awarded him its Back award. The Weston Park of Mount Ena was made in October 2001

Charles William Pearson (1847-1917) was a merchant seaman for 8 years before he attended the Church Missionary Society(CMS) College in 1876. He was an Anglican Missionary in Uganda. In his journey to Uganda he was also a significant early traveller in the Sudan, He was later a parish priest in England. In 1878 he led a party of 4 missionaries to Uganda to replace 4 who had died- 2 killed in a skirmish, 2 died of fever. The 4 travelled by ship to Suakim on the Red Sea. 3 reached Rubage in Uganda on 14th February 1878, it had taken over 9 months to arrive. Charles was mainly involved in translation work, After 2 years he returned to UK for health reasons. He studied theology at Oxford and was ordained deacon in 1886 and priest in 1887. He worked as an assistant curate at St. Ebb’s in Oxford for 4 years , then for 3 years the Church Pastoral Society for 3 years. In July 1893 he became vicar of Walton ,Aylesbury. He was there for 24 years. he died on 20th June 1917. He continued to translate throughout his life. He gained knowledge of 17 languages and served several publishers and missionary organisations in that capacity .

William Mitchell (1803-1970) was a C.of E. priest and a missionary. He spent 10 years in India, 20 years in the Swan River Colony, Australia, then the next 12 years in Perth Gaol. William was born in County of Monaghan in Ireland. He apprenticed to an apothecary for 1 year and studied at Trinity College, Dublin before deciding to become a missionary. He trained with the Church Missionary Society (CMS) at Olney in England. He was ordained as a priest in 1825. In 1826 he married Mary Anne Holmes and they left for India. They returned to the UK in 1831 due to Anne’s failing health -she died in March. He married Frances Tree Tatlock in 1832 and they returned to Bombay in India. He returned to the UK in 1835 due to his failing health. He recuperated on the Isle of Wight. After a disagreement with the CMS he sort alternative work. The Western Australian Missionary Society ( which became the Colonial and Continental Society) were recruiting missionaries for colonies in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Louis Giustiniani was appointed before William. In Australia he started a church at Woodbridge in Guildford and .established the Middle Swan native mission which would later be the site for St. Mary’s church. His tenure proved unpopular and he left the colony in 1838. William was appointed as his replacement. The Mitchell family Left Portsmouth with Anne Breeze - a governess- on 1st April 1838 and arrived at Fremantle, Australia on 4 th August. (Read daughter’s description of arrival) . A school was immediately established with Anne Breeze assisting. There was no church in the Swan River colony and services were conducted in the Courthouse by Revd. John Wittemoom, the first colonial chaplain. On August 5th 1839 foundation stone for St. Mary’s church laid - opened on 29th November 1840. Within 3 years 3 permanent church buildings built. 1842 William was reclassified by the governor from missionary to chaplain and first rector of Swan parish In 1858, after 20 years at Swan River, he was transfered to Perth Gaol where he worked with convicts and prisoners. His position was chaplain of the Gaol as well as chaplaincy duties at various hospitals in Perth.He was there for 12 years. William in 1870, aged 66, became ill and died on 3rd August. He is buried with his youngest son Andrew (died 31st May 1870) and his wife Francis (died 11st July 1879) in St.Mary’s graveyard.

Henry Martyn (1781-1812) was an Anglican priest and missionary to the peoples of India and Persia. He was ordained as a priest in C. of E. and became a chaplain for the East India Company (EIC). He arrived in India in April 1806 where he preached and occupied himself with linguistics. He translated the whole of the N.T. into Urdu, Persian and Judaeo-Persic He translated the Psalms into Persian and the Book of Common Prayer into Urdu. He was seized with fever in Tokat in the Ottoman Empire. On October 16th he died. Henry is remembered for his courage, selflessness and his religious devotion.

Samuel Marsden (1765-1838) was an English born priest of the C.of E. who went to Australia to work in the Colony of New South Wales. He was prominent member of the Church Missionary Society (CMS) It is believed he introduced Christianity to New Zealand. He was a prominent figure in early New South Wales Australian History. !. through his ecclesiastical offices as the colony’s senior C.of E. cleric, 2. as a pioneer of the Australian wool industry 3. employment of convicts for farming 4. his actions as a magistrate at Parramatta- named as ‘Flogging parson’ When he moved to New Zealand he developed a gentler reputation.

Dr. Charles Stewart Thompson (1851-1900 was the first medical missionary to Kherwara Chhaoniin Rajputana, the Bhils region of Central India. His schools, famine relief centres and medical service transformed care in the region. He was accepted as a missionary by the Church Missionary Society (CMS) and in June 1880 he was ordained a deacon, in October ordained as a priest He was a doctor, reverend, translator and philanthropist who worked to treat cholera. leprosy, the Bubonic plague, ophthalmia, malaria rheumatism and fever. It took him nearly 10 years to achieve his first convert. It was said that many of his Bhil students were Christian at heart but none had the courage to be baptized for fear of social ostracism. On 15th December 1889 Sukha Damor, his wife and their 4 children were baptized. Others followed. He eventually pioneered Christianity in 7 districts. In 1896, after 15 years, he took a furlough. He had established primary schools, dispensaries, relief centres and orphanages. He had also translated and published the Gospel, the first grammar and vocabulary book and a prayer book into the Bhili language. While in the UK he desperately attempted to persuade the CMS to send more doctors and nurses. In 1899 he heard about the terrible Chappania Famine afflicting the Bhil region. and returned to India. The men had fled leaving only women and children who were starving. He took matters into his own hands -he set up 7 relief centres - feeding 700 Bhili children and some adults. He set up an orphanage. By April 1900 he had opened 15 relief centres and was feeding 5,500 children, twice daily who would have been either dead or starving. In May 1900 he fell ill with cholera. The Bhil people tried to get him European Aid. He died on May 19th at noon, under a tree. On his death he became a source of inspiration. He was acclaimed as the founding father who had laid down his life for the salvation of the Bhil. Many volunteers came forward to help with the Bhil mission. In Kherwara there is school named in his memory - The Thompson Memorial School. Charles spent nearly 20 years living, working, and ultimately dedicating his life to the plight of the Bhils.

Samuel Lyde (1825-1860) was an English writer and C. of E. missionary who worked in Syria in the 1850s. He wrote a 2 books on the Alawite sect-a secretive mountain sect also known as Nusaytis. In 1856, while riding on his horse, he shot dead a beggar. It may have been an accident but it resulted in anti- Christian riots which went on for months. The testimonies of 3 women witnesses was inadmissible in Ottoman courts. He was acquitted of murder but ordered to pay compensation to the man’s family.

Francis Le Jau (1665-1717) was a missionary to South Carolina (1706-17)with the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (SPG). He was a Frenchman from the La Rochelle region of France. He fled to the UK during the persecution of Huguenots after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685. He converted to Anglicanism and eventually graduated from Trinity College Dublin. In 1700 he moved to St. Christopher’s island for 18 months. From 1706 until his death in 1717 Francis served as a missionary to South Carolina based in Goose Creek. He was a dedicated missionary but he compromised with slave owners. The slave’s baptismal vow read You declare in the presence of God and before this congregation that you do not ask for baptism out of any design to free yourself from the Duty and Obedience you owe to your master while you live, but merely for the good of your soul and to partake of the Grace and the Blessing promised to the members of the church of Jesus Christ. They were still slaves to their earthly masters.

Richard Johnson (1756-1827) was the first an English Christian cleric in Australia. In 1786, aged 30, he was appointed prison chaplain of the prison Colony at new South Wales, Australia. John Newton and William Wilberforce, 2 notable men,wre keen for a committed evangelical Christian to take the role of chaplain in the colony. He arrived in Australia, with his wife Mary in 1788. Governor, Arthur Phillip,was more concerned with dealing with the convicts than having a church built. For 4 years Richard held services in the open air. June 1793 he began to build a church himself. At a cost of £67 he completed a building by September capable of holding 500 people. The Revd.Samuel Marsden arrived in 1794 as assistant chaplain.The church was burnt down in 1798. Richard took leave of absence in 1800 and did not return. He continued to show interest in Australia - in 1815 he recommended John Youl tobe chaplain at Port Dalrymple. he died on 13th March 1827. Source Wikipedia

William Duncan (1832-1918) was an English born Anglican Missionary who founded the Tsimshian Communities of Metlakatla, British Columbia,in Canada and the Metlakatia, Alaska in the USA. In 1854 he joined the Church Missionary Society (CMS)and in 1856 he was sent to the North Pacific coast of Canada. He began to work with the Tsimshian community and learned their language. He Initially led 60 Tsimshians to found a new utopian Christian community, Matlakatla. He exerted his own brand of low church Anglicanism in the community. He created his 16 rules (See list)- communion was deliberately omitted. The community grew and was successful. Economic self-sufficiency was a core tent of Duncan’s vision. He split from the C.of E.on doctrinal differences and the CMS expelled him in 1881. He transformed his mission into a non-denominational ‘Independent Native Church’ which was quite evangelical and under the strict doctrinal control of William himself… With the government’s permission he established a second utopian community on Annette island, Alaska - which became an Indian reservation. In 1887 he led approximately 800 Tsimshians in a canoe voyage from ‘Old’ Metlakatla to’New’ Metakatla, Alaska. William died aged 86, he was with the Tsimshian community for over 60 years. He was often referred to as ‘Father Duncan’ but he was never ordained. He remains an extraordinarily controversial figure in Tsimshian communities today. Source Wikipedia

James Blair (1656-1743) was a C.of E. . He was a missionary and an educator.He was the founder and president of the College of William and Maryin Williansburg, Viginia.USA. (1693-1743)

Geoffrey Cyril Bingham (1919-2009) was an Australian author and cleric in the Anglican Church of Australia. He was founding principal of the Pakistan Bible Training Institute in Hyderabad, Pakistan (1957-67). He was also one of the founding members of the Austri-Asian Christian Church (AACC). From 1967-73 he was principal of the Bible College of South Australia after which he formed New Creation Publications. He was a gifted writer and NTCM published close to 300 of his books- they were mostly theological.

16 British females who were explorers and /or travellers. Lady Hester Lucy Stanhope (1776-1839) was one of the most famous travellers of her age - she visited many countries in the near and Middle East including Egypt and Syria. Isabella Lucy Bird FRGS (1831-1904) born in England. From early childhood she was so frail an open air life was recommended. Aged 16 she began her writing career. In 1854 she went to the USA. In 1872 to Australia and moved on to Hawaii and climbed 2 mountains. In 1873 she covered 800 miles on horseback in the Rockies. In 1880 she went to Asia, Japan, China, Korea, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaya.In 1889 went to India. 1891 to Persia and Armenia - explored the Karun river. 1904 visited Morocco. She died in Edinburgh on 7 October 1904. Elizabeth Sarah Mazuchelli (1832-1914) English traveller and writer. She is said to be the first western woman to see Mount Everest. Mabel Virginia Anna Bent (1847-1929) spent 2 decades travelling, collecting and researching remote regions of the eastern Mediterranean,Asia Minor, Africa and Arabia. Mary Henrietta Kingsley (1862-1900 was a writer and explorer.She travelled throughout West Africa and helped shape the European perception of both African cultures and British colonialism in Africa. her 2 books gained her respect and prestige with her peers. Annette Mary Budgett Meakin (1867-1959) was the first English woman to travel to Japan on board the Trans-Siberian railway. Gertrude Emily Benham (1867- 1938) was a explorer who hiked and climbed mountains across the world. . She climbed mountains on almost every continent, her boots are displayed in Plymouth’s Museum. Gertrude Margaret Lowthian Bell CBE (1868-1926)was a traveller, writer, and an archaeologist. She travelled, explored and mapped Syria-Palestine, Mesopotamia, Asia Minor and Arabia. Gabrielle Maud Vassal (1880- 1959) was a naturalist. With her husband in 1903 she moved to Vietnam and later to French colonies in Africa. For a period of 30 years she supplied numerous specimens from Vietnam, Gabon and the Congo to the Natural History Museum in London. Charlotte Mansfield (1881-1936) known for her planned 1909 ‘Cape to Cairo’ journey which she never completed - she only reached as far as Lake Tanganyika before returning to South Africa. Enid Gordon- Gallien (1885-1931) was an adventurer and pilot who was awarded the Back Award in 1930 for her expedition in Tanganyika. Grace Marguerite Hay Drummond-Hay (1895-1946) the first woman to travel around the world by air in a zeppelin. Beryl Markham (1902-1986) she was the first person to fly solo ,non-stop across the Atlantic from GB to N.America. Beryl Smeeton (1905-1979)and her husband Miles tried everything! (see list) Felicity Ann Dawn Aston MBE FRGS (born 1977) she has raced across both the Arctic and Antarctic. First to ski solo across the Antarctic (2011). Laura Bingham (born 1993) best known for leading the first descent of the Essenquibo River in Guyana

Having explored the coastline of Africa they then began to explore the interior. Mungo Park (1771-1806) was a Scottish explorer who in 1796 explored the upper Niger River. In his popular book he theorized that the Niger and Congo merged into one( (In 1830 it was proved they were 2 separate rivers.) . He was killed during his second exploration. Bain Hugh Clapperton (1788-1827)and his servant Richard Lander set out with Walter Oudney from Tripoli in 1822 to see if the Niger passed through the Muslim Kingdom of Kanem-Bornu around Lake Chad. In Murzuk Major Dixon Denham found them in a wretched condition. Clapperton and Denham quickly disliked each other. The 3 eventually arrived at Kuka (now Kuawa in Nigeria)… They separated - Clapperton and Oudney to explore the course of the Niger, Denham to the rivers Waube, Logone and Shari. Oudney died in Murmur. Clapperton and Denham returned together to the UK. In 1825 Clapperton returned with Lander but died. Lander then returned to UK, collected his brother John and returned. They were captured and held for ransom. Richard, as a slave, completed the journey to the mouth of the Niger! James Bruce of Kinnard (1730-1794) was a Scottish traveller and travel writer who confirmed the source of the Blue Nile. In 1770 he was the first European to trace the origins of the blue Nile from Egypt and Sudan. He spent 12 years in North Africa and Ethiopia. Auguste Rene Caillie (1799-1838) was a French explorer and the first European to return alive from the town of Timbuktu. May 1828 he crossed the Sahara with 1,400 camel caravan. Johanna Heinrich Barth (1821-1865), a German scholar, is thought to be one of the greatest European explorers of Africa. He published a 5 volume account of travels in English and German which has been invaluable of his time and since. Sir Richard Francis Burton (1821-1890) and John Hanning Speke (1827-1864) were set the task of finding the source of the River Nile. Burton was famed for his travels and explorations and spoke 29 languages, In 1858 they discovered Lake Tanganyika - the second largest lake in Africa. Speke headed north and in July 1858 discovered Lake Victoria. Speke was convinced others were not. Speke with James Grant (1827-1892) set off in 1860. Speke in July 1862 found a waterfall on the northern end of the Lake Victoria -it led down to a river- this was the start of the Nile Burton was not convinced so they agree to a debate. On the day of the debate, Speke accidentally killed himself with his gun. David Livingstone (1813-1873) was first and foremost a doctor and missionary but also an explorer. ( See map journeys and separate try). Henry Morton Stanley (1841-1904) was Welsh-American explorer, journalist, soldier. Remembered for his search for David. Also for his search for the source of the Nile. Mary Henrietta Kingsley (1862-1900) wrote 2 books which gained her respect and prestige with her peers. Encyclopedia of Great Explorers

In the 16th century explorers set out across the Pacific Alvaro de Mendana de Neira (1542-1595) was a Spanish navigator and discover. he best known for his expeditions in 1567 and 1595 when he discovered the Marqueasa, Cook Islands and Solomons. Pedro Fernandes de Queiros (1563-1614) was a Portuguese navigator in the service of the Spanish He worked with Neira. In 1605-6 led expedition that crossed the Pacific in search of Terra Australia. Luis Vaz de Torres (1565-1607)took over Queiros expedition. He was the first European to navigate the strait that separates Australia mainland from the island of New Guinea. (Torres Strait named after him Abel Tasman (1603-1659) was Dutch seafarer,explorer and merchant. Working for the Dutch East india Company (DEIC) he was the first European to reach New Zealand and the islands of Fiji and Tasmania. by circumnavigating Australia he proved that the fifth continent was not joined to any other larger continent. (Read legacy for the many place named after him.) Captain James Cook (1728-1779) was a British explorer, navigator, cartographer in the British Navy. Between 1768-79 he made 3 voyages to the Pacific Ocean and Australia ( first to see kangaroos ) recorded first circumnavigation of New Zealand. He was the first to cross the Antarctic Circle and sailed right round the South Pole. At the end of his third voyage he returned to Hawaii where he was killed. (Read Death and Aftermath)) Jean-Francois de Galaup, comte de La Perouse (1741-1788) was a French naval officer and explorer. In 1785 he was appointed to lead a scientific expedition around the world using the ships Boussole and Asrolabe. He visited 8 countries before being wrecked on the reefs of Vanikoro in the Solomon Islands. He had earlier material back to Europe which resulted in pictorial atlas (1798). ( Wrecks of the 2 ships found in 1828 on the Santa Cruz Islands) Charles Napier Sturt (1795-1869) was a British officer and explorer. led several expeditions into the interior of the Australian continent starting from Sydney and later Adelaide. Edward John Eyre (1815-1901) was an English land explorer he went on 2 expeditions - north to the Flinders Ranges and west beyond Ceduna, plus reaching a lake that was later named Lake Eyre in his honour. With Wylie, an aboriginal. he traversed the coastline of the Great Australian Bight and the Nullarbor Plain in 1840-1 John McDouall Stuart (1815-1866) was a Scottish explorer. He led the first successful expedition south to north and return of Australia. Burke and Wills expedition 1860-1 task was to cross Australia - 3,250 kms with 19 men and 26 camels The expedition was a disaster ( read notes and legacy). Thor Heyerdahl (1914-2002) is noted for his Kon-Tiki expedition in 1947 when he travelled 8,000 kms in a hand built boat raft.

Having discovered the Americas explorers now needed to explore the new lands they had found. Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) crossed the Atlantic 4 times. His voyages opened up the new continent to European explorers and conquerors. Vaco Nunez de Balboa (c,1475-1519) a Spanish explorer, governor and conquistador (adventurer and conqueror) was the first European to reach the Pacific from the New World. Juan Ponce de Leon (1474-1521) was a Spanish explorer, and conquistador known for leading the first official European expedition of Florida and being the first governor of Puerto Rico. Alvar Nunez Cabeza Vaca (c.1488- c.1560) a Spanish explorer. In 1540 became governor of Rio de Plata in Argentina. Francisco Pizarro (c,1478- 1542) was a Spanish conquistador is best known for his expeditions on the conquest of Peru Hernan Cortes (1485-1547)a Spanish conquistador,led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire ( Moctezuma 11 was their defeated leader) and brought large areas of Mexico under the rule of King of Castile. Jacques Cartier (1491- 1557) was a French-Breton maritime explorer. He was the first European to describe and map the Gulf and shores of the St.Lawrence River which he named The country of the Canadas. Hernando de Soto (1500- 1542) was a Spanish conquistador involved in expeditions in Nicaragua and Yucatan Peninsula. He also played an important role in Francisco Pizarro’s conquest on the Inca Empire in Peru. Francisco Vazquez de Coronado (1510- 1554) a Spanish conquistador and explorer led an expedition from Mexico to Kansas. He had the first European sightings of the Grand Canyon and the Colorado River. Samuel de Champlain (1567- 1635) was a very talented and well travelled Frenchman. He made between 21-29 trips to Canada. In 1603 he began his exploring of N.America under the guidance of his uncle Francois Grave Du Pont. He created the first accurate coastal maps during his explorations and founded various colonial settlements. He is remembered as the Father of New France. Rene -Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle (1643-1687) was a French explorer and fur trader. He is best known for canoing the lower Mississippi River from the mouth of the Illinois River to the Gulf of Mexico (9.4.1682) Louis Jolliet (1645-1700+) -a French Canadian Explorer and Jacques Marquette (1637-1675) a French Jesuit missionary, were the first non-natives to explore and map the Upper Mississippi River. Pierre Francois Xavier de Charlevoix (1682-1761) a French Jesuit priest often considered the first historian of New France. Captain Merriwether Lewis and Second Lieutenant William Clark between 1803-6 *crossed the Continental Divide of the Americas before reaching the Pacific. * John C. Fremont (1813-1890), aided by Christopher Houston Carson - Kit Carson (1809-1868), led 5 expeditions into the Western United States. I mainly highlighted exploration. Sources Encyclopedia of Great Explorers - Parragon Wikipedia

Explorers wanted to find an alternative route to Asia by Sea. They decided to go west. Instead of finding Asia they found the North and South America. Christopher Columbus ( c.1451-1506) an Italian set out in 1492 to find Cipangu in Japan instead he found America. John Cabot (c.1450-1500) in 1497 decided to take a shorter route and landed at Newfoundland or Nova Scotia - both are in modern Canada. 4 Europeans in 1499-1500 went south and found South America. Americo Vespucci went with Alonso de Ojeda. The other 2 were Vincente Yanez Pinzon - who found the estuary to the mighty River Amazon- and Pedro Alvares Cabral - who is celebrated as the discover of Brazil by the Brazilians Giovanni da Verrazzano (1485-1528) is renowned as the first European to explore the Atlantic coast of North America between Florida and new Brunswick in 1524, including New York Bay. William Adams (1564-1620) was an English navigator who in 1600 was the first Englishman to reach Japan when leading a 5 ship expedition for a private Dutch Fleet (only 1 ship reached Japan). He was known in Japan as 'the pilot of Miura’and became a key advisor to the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. Henry Hudson (c.1565-23rd June 1611) was an English explorer and navigator best known for explorations of Canada and the northeastern USA in his ship Half Moon. In 1607 & 1608 tried to find the Northeast Passage to Cathay. In 1611 most of his crew mutinied - he with his son and 7 others set adrift- they were never seen again.Hudson River,/Strait/Bay named after him. Martin Frobisher (c.1535-1594) was an English seaman and privateer who made 3 voyages to the New World looking for the North-west Passage. In 1576 he sailed past Iceland and Greenland across the Davis Strait to the south of Baffin Island. On his voyage he thought he had found gold - brought tons back to UK only to find it was a worthless rock. Richard Chancellor (died 10th November 1556) was an English explorer and navigator. He was the first to penetrate to the White Sea and establish relations with the Tsardom of Russia. Returning to UK in a fleet of 4 ships, with the first Russian ambassador on board, the ships met bad weather off the coast of Norway which eventually cost Richard his life and many others. ( Read extract). Willem Barebtsz (c.1550-1597) was a Dutch navigator, cartographer and Arctic explorer. He went on 3 expeditions- on the third they discovered Spitsbergen and Bear Island. They ended stranded on Novaya Zemlya for almost a year. Died on return voyage in 1597. Sir John Franklin (1786-1847) was a British Royal Navy officer and Arctic explorer. Led 2 expeditions into the Canadian Arctic in 1819 and 1825. In 1845 his ships were icebound off King William Island. He died on 11th June 1847, all crew died later. Adolf Eric Norden Skiold (1832-1901) Finland- Swedish ( Read long lists of expeditions) Roald Amundsen (1872-1928) in 1903-6 first to successfully navigate the Northwest Passage on the Gjoa

Today there are solo races around the globe. Joshua Slocum,an American, between 1895-8 was the first to sail solo around the world - circumnavigation. This is a brief history of how man ( men and women) have speed up the circumnavigation over the last 200 years Joshua Slocum(1844-1909) spent a year !891-2) rebuilding his gaff rigged sloop oyster boat Spray. which was capable of self-steering. His book Sailing Alone (1899) won him widespread fame. Sir Francis Chichester (1901-1972) a British businessman, pioneer aviator and solo sailer. In his* Gypsy Moth 1V* he was the first person to sail singlehanded around the world by the clipper route and the fastest circumnavigator in 9 months and one day in 1966-7. In 1958 he had been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer! Sir William Robert Patrick Knox-Johnson (born 1939) better known as Robin Knox-Johnson, in 1969 became the first person to complete a single-handed non-stop circumnavigation of the globe. His entered his small Suhaili * in the* Sunday Times Golden Globe Race. There were 9 in the race the others dropped out. The race had started on 14th June 1968 and finished on 22nd of April 1969. Francis Joyon (born 1956) is a French professional sailboat racer and yachtsman. In February 2004 he became the new record holder setting a time of 72 days 22 hrs 54mins 22 secs. on IDEC formerly known as Sport Elec a boat not designed for single -handed sailing. Dame Ellen MacArthur (born 1976), an English sailor, in 2005 broke the world record. In her trimaran B&Q/Castorama in a time of 71days, 14hrs 18mins and 33 secs. Francis Joyon on 23 November 2007 set off in his IDEC2. He achieved a time of 57days 13 hrs 34 mins & 6secs breaking the old record by nearly 2 weeks. he held the record from 2008-2016 ( He holds many records -see list of Achievements) Clarisse Cremer (born 1989) a French professional sailor in the 2020-21 editon of the Vendee Globe set a world record, for a woman, of 87days 2hrs & 24 mins for a single-handed, non-stop, monohull circumnavigation. (see list for other results) Sources Encyclopedia of Great Explorers Wikipedia

The race to get to be first to the North Pole and then the South Pole. The American Charles Francis Hall (1821-71) made 3 expeditions and sailed further north than anyone else - he was the first person to visit the north shore of Greenland. Fridtjof Nansen (1861-1930) was a Norwegian explorer, inventor, scientist, diplomat and humanitarian. In 1888 led the first crossing of the Greenland interior traversing the island on cross-country skis… They reached 86 degrees 14 in his Fram expedition (1893-6). The Fram was specially built using wood reinforced with metal. He sailed his ship into the pack ice and hoped the Arctic currents would ‘float’ him to the North Pole. It remained frozen for 2 years. With a companion he tried unsuccessfully to walk the rest of the way. ( read Death and legacy) Sir James Clark Ross (1800-1862) was a British Royal Navy Officer and polar explorer was known for his 6 polar explorations of the Arctic. 2 with his uncle Sir John Ross, 4 with Sir William Parry and his own of the Antarctic (1839-1843). On June 1st 1831 a small party located the North magnetic Pole. Robert Edwin Peary Sr. (1856-1920) made 3 expeditions to the Arctic 1898-1902, 1905-6 and 1908/9. During the last one he claimed he had reached the North Pole. He paid for his trips by writing about his adventures in books and magazines. Matthew Alexander Henson (1866-1955), an African American, accompanied Robert Perry on 7 voyages to the Arctic spread over 23 years- 18 on expeditions. In the 1908/9 expedition he claimed that on April 6th 1909 he was the first of party of 6 to reach the North Pole. (Wally Herbert in 1989 published research that suggested they could have fallen 48-97 kms short due to navigational errors.) Carsten Borechgrevink (1964-1934) was an Anglo-Norwegian polar explorer and pioneer of modern Antarctica travel. The race to be first to the South Pole between Captain Robert Falcon Scott (1868-1912) and Roald Engelbregt Gravning Amundsen 91864-1934) is in most history books. Amundsen was more organized and reached the South Pole on 14 December 1911 and went on in 12 May 1926 to be one of 16 men to reach the North Pole by the airship Norge ! Scott had already led 1 expedition to the Antarctic. Scott with his 5 friends arrived on 17 January 1912, less then 5 weeks later. They all died on the return journey. Scott kept a Diary. The diary revealed that on 17 March the sick Captain Oates walked out of the camp to die in the snow. Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton (1874-1922)was an Anglo-Irish explorer who led 3 British expeditions to the Antarctica. The Imperial Trans-Antarctica Expedition (1914-17) to cross the Antarctica from sea to sea struck disaster when the Endurance became trapped by packed ice and crushed. Lifeboats were launched to reach Elephant Island and ultimately South Georgia Island - a voyage of 720 nautical miles - his most famous exploit. In 1921 he returned to Antarctica but died of a heart attack.

The beginning on the 16th century saw explorers setting off around the world in search of trade and plunder. Ferdinand Magellan (1480-1521), a Portugese explorer, is referred to being the first explorer to navigate around the earth. He never made it! He was killed on Mactan island in the Philippines. First Joao Lopes Carvalho became their leader. Then Juan Sebastian Elcano took over and successfully completed the first circumnavigation of the Earth on the *Victoria. Sir Francis Drake (1540-1596) an English explorer, sea captain, privateer, slave trader, naval officer and politician, completed the circumnavigation of the world in a single expedition from 1577-80. Received knighthood from Elizabeth 1 in 1581. He went on to become vice-admiral , second in command during the Spanish Armada in 1588 Spain branded him a pirate Sir Thomas Cavendish (1560-1592) was an English explorer and privateer known as The Navigator. Like Drake he raided the Spanish towns and ships in the Pacific and completed a circumnavigation of the globe. His major prize was the 600 ton Manila galleon Santa Ana which made him very rich - Elizabeth1 knighted him on his return. (read the notes). He died at sea while on his second global trip. William Dampier (1651-1715) was an English explorer, privateer, navigator and naturalist. He was the first person to do it 3 times. He was the first Englishman to explore parts of Australia. He was among the first to identify names of new plants, animals, foods and cooking techniques for a European audience .(read his Legacy) George Anson,1st Baron Anson ( 1697-1762) was a Royal Navy officer who rose to the rank of First Lord of the Admiralty (1757-62). He under took his global trip during the War of Jenkins’ Ear. As admiral he carried out many reforms including tightening discipline throughout the Navy. Vice-Admiral John Byron (nickname Foul Weather Jack) (1723-1786) a British Navy officer. He sailed with George Anson but his ship was wrecked in Chile. It was not until 1764-6 as a commodore of his own squadron, did he complete the globe trip.officer. Louis Antoine de Bougainville, was a French admiral and explorer who did a circumnavigation of the globe in a scientific expedition in 1763 which included the first recoded settlement on the Falkland islands. Charles Wilkes (1798- 1877) - an American naval officer, ship’s captain and explorer led the United States Exploring Expedition (1838-42), which completely encircled the globe, it was the last all-sail naval mission to do so. Sources Encyclopedia of Great Explorers. wikipedia