George Vancouver

#English_explorers
#English_explorers_of_the_Pacific
#English_explorers_of_North_America
#Explorers_of_British_Columbia
#Explorers_of_Oregon
#18th-century_English_people
#1757_births
#1798_deaths
#Burials_at_St_Peter's,_Petersham
#People_from_King's_Lynn
George Vancouver

Captain George Vancouver (22 June 1757 – 10 May 1798) was a British officer of the Royal Navy, best known for his 1791–95 expedition, which explored and charted North America's northwestern Pacific Coast regions, including the coasts of contemporary British Columbia, Canada and Alaska, Washington, and Oregon, United States. He also explored the Hawaiian Islands and the southwest coast of Australia.

Vancouver Island and the city of Vancouver, British Columbia are named for him, as is Vancouver, Washington. Mount Vancouver of Yukon and Alaska, on the Canadian-American border and New Zealand's sixth highest mountain, are also named for him.

George Vancouver was born in the seaport town of King's Lynn (Norfolk, England) on 22 June 1757 as the sixth, and youngest, child of John Jasper Vancouver, a Deputy Collector of Customs, and Bridget Berners.

In 1771, at the age of 13, George Vancouver entered the Royal Navy as a "young gentleman," a future candidate for midshipman. He was selected to serve as a midshipman aboard , on James Cook's second voyage (1772–1775) searching for "Terra Australis". He also accompanied Cook's third voyage (1776–1780), this time aboard "Resolution"'s companion ship, , and was present during the first European sighting and exploration of the Hawaiian Islands. Upon his return to Britain in October 1780, Vancouver was commissioned as a lieutenant and posted aboard the sloop initially on escort and patrol duty in the English Channel and North Sea. He accompanied the ship when it left Plymouth on 11 February 1782 for the West Indies. On 7 May 1782 he was appointed fourth Lieutenant of the 74-...