This week our Camden 60 blog is by Camden Guide Jane V.
During our training to become a Camden Guide, we explore the borough through a mix of classroom lessons and training walks, where we learn the practical side of guiding. It’s nerve wracking at first, standing on the street, with a TVP (top visual priority) to point out, we have to present 5 minutes in front of our classmates and then receive feedback from the tutors. (Yes, it is daunting, but you get used to it!).
By the way, a five-minute talk is roughly 650 words – this post is definitely longer! So, you can see where our training comes in; we have to get across the key information, keep it interesting, and (hopefully) not be boring!
One of my favourite ‘stops’ was about Matthew Flinders. This week we’ll look at his extraordinary life, and next week we’ll continue the Flinders family legacy by exploring the story of his grandson, another notable Camden resident.
Captain Matthew Flinders
Just outside Euston Station, you might have noticed a life-sized statue of a man, poised on one knee, peering intently over a map with cartography tools in hand. Passers-by often rest on the plinth, perhaps unaware that they’re sitting beside a figure who left an indelible mark on history. This bronze statue depicts Captain Matthew Flinders, a Royal Navy officer, navigator, cartographer, and the man who named Australia.
While many Australians are familiar with Flinders, his name is etched in the country’s geography and institutions, his legacy isn’t as prominent in the UK. Yet, there are still traces of him here. Just around the corner from Euston, on Eversholt Street, you’ll find The Captain Flinders, a Weatherspoons pub. Not far away, a blue plaque at 56 Fitzroy Street marks where he briefly lived.
But Flinders’ profile was raised recently. In 2024 it was the 250th anniversary of his birth, and, intriguingly, his body was rediscovered in 2019 during the HS2 railway excavations near Euston.
Born in 1774 in Donington, Lincolnshire, Flinders came from a humble yet respectable background. His father and grandfather were surgeons, and it was expected that young Matthew would follow in their footsteps. However, Flinders had other ideas. Captivated by tales of adventure, particularly “Robinson Crusoe” and the exploits of Captain Cook, he dreamed of a life at sea. Little did he know that his own adventures would eclipse those of his heroes.
But there was a problem: Flinders wasn’t born into the upper class, which made it difficult to secure a commission in the Royal Navy. Undeterred, he sought out connections, no matter how tenuous. Through a distant cousin, he met Captain Thomas Pasley, who was impressed by the young man’s determination and manners. At just 14 years old, Flinders found himself with a sponsor, and by 15, he was in the Navy.
Flinders quickly proved himself, serving on various ships, including a notable stint under Captain William Bligh on a voyage to Tahiti in 1791. He also saw action against the French in the naval battle of the Glorious First of June in 1794. But it was the following year, in 1795, that would set the course for his legacy.
Sailing to Australia, Flinders became fast friends with the ship’s surgeon, George Bass. Together, they explored the Australian coast in a tiny vessel called the Tom Thumb, mapping the coastline and proving that Tasmania was separate from the mainland. This three-year adventure laid the groundwork for what would become Flinders’ most significant achievement.
Upon his return to England, Flinders secured a commission to chart Australia, thanks to the support of Sir Joseph Banks, the President of the Royal Academy. Flinders’ ambition was clear in a letter he wrote:
“I have too much ambition to rest in the unnoticed middle order of mankind. Since neither birth nor fortune has favoured me, my actions shall speak to the world. In the regular service of the Navy, there are too many competitors for fame. I have therefore chosen the branch which, though less rewarded by rank and fortune, is yet little less in celebrity. In this, the candidates are fewer, and in this, if adverse fortune does not oppose me, I will succeed.”
Before setting sail on this monumental journey aboard HMS Investigator, Flinders married his childhood sweetheart, Ann. He had planned to take her with him but was warned that he would be replaced if he broke the rules. Reluctantly, he left her behind, not realizing it would be nearly a decade before they saw each other again.
During those years, Flinders charted Australia, survived a shipwreck, and endured a harrowing seven-year imprisonment on the island of Mauritius when he was captured by the French on his return voyage. By the time he made it back to England, he was just 36 years old, but his health was failing.
Two years after his return, his daughter, also named Ann, was born. But Flinders had become obsessed with completing his life’s work, “A Voyage to Terra Australis.” It’s said that as he lay on his deathbed, his wife brought him the first two volumes of his book. He reached out for them, murmuring, “my papers,” before passing away at the age of 40.
Flinders’ life was extraordinary, marked by a relentless pursuit of knowledge and adventure. He was buried in the additional burial ground of St James’s Piccadilly, near Euston. For many years, his final resting place was lost to history until the construction of the HS2 railway line unearthed his remains in 2019.
In a twist of fate, the man who charted Australia was rediscovered through the work of his own grandson, Matthew William Flinders Petrie, a pioneering archaeologist whose methods led to the excavation that found Flinders’ remains.
Following the discovery, there was a public campaign to honour him properly. On Saturday, July 13, 2024, just over 250 years after his birth (as he was born in March), Flinders was reburied in the church of St Mary and the Holy Rood in Donington, where many of his family members are interred.
Today, Flinders is revered in Australia, his name immortalised in places like Flinders Bay, the Flinders Group of Islands, and Flinders University. Even a small iron rod placed near a ship’s compass, known as a Flinders Bar, bears his name. His legacy is a testament to his determination to make his mark on the world.
This blog only scratches the surface of Flinders’ extraordinary life. Hopefully, it has intrigued you enough to explore his story further, because his actions didn’t just speak to the world; they helped shape it.
Sources / further reading:
Australia explorer laid to rest in village
Podcast Matthew Flinders Australia’s real-life Robinson Crusoe
So, stay tuned for next week’s post, when we move from oceans to antiquities and discover the remarkable legacy of Matthew Flinders’ grandson, Flinders Petrie, and his extraordinary contributions to archaeology.
Come and explore Camden with us, our upcoming walks can be found on our website, www.camdenguides.com