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Capt. Matthew Flinders
The story of the man who gave Australia its name began in Donington on 16th March 1774. The house now occupying the site of Matthew Flinders birthplace (with a plaque to that effect) is situated in the Market Place, diagonally across the road from his statue. The eldest son of the doctor of the village, Matthew was expected to follow the profession of his father and grandfather but in his education at Donington Free School and later at Horbling he excelled in mathematics and classics. A naval cousin suggested he studied trigonometry, astronomy and navigation, perfect requirements for a sea-going life. However, it was Matthew’s cousin Henrietta, nanny to the children of a Captain Pasley of Nottingham, who arranged a meeting with the Captain who was impressed by the 15 year old. Matthew enlisted as a “Lieutenant’s servant” on HMS Alert in 1789 and later on HMS Scipio and eventually as a midshipman on HMS Bellerophon, commanded by Captain Pasley.
In 1791 Midshipman Flinders joined HMS Providence under Captain William Bligh, newly acquitted of the loss of “the Bounty”. The Providence and Assistant were given the task to obtain breadfruit trees in Tahiti and take them to the West Indies, as well as to examine a route through the Torres Strait, separating New Holland from New Guinea. Bligh gave Flinders the task of some of the chartwork and the care of the chronometers. After stopping at the Cape of Good Hope the ships sailed next to Van Diemen’s Land where Flinders was able to construct his first chart of a new land.
Matthew Flinders was responsible for charting much of the Australian Coastline.
In 1791 Midshipman Flinders joined HMS Providence under Captain William Bligh, newly acquitted of the loss of “the Bounty”. The Providence and Assistant were given the task to obtain breadfruit trees in Tahiti and take them to the West Indies, as well as to examine a route through the Torres Strait, separating New Holland from New Guinea. Bligh gave Flinders the task of some of the chartwork and the care of the chronometers. After stopping at the Cape of Good Hope the ships sailed next to Van Diemen’s Land where Flinders was able to construct his first chart of a new land.
Matthew Flinders was responsible for charting much of the Australian Coastline.
Created: Sat, 14 Jan 2012, Updated: Wed, 21 Aug 2024
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