Explorer. Born Devon. The first European, while on an expedition with Richard Burton to East Africa in 1858, to discover Lake Victoria. On a subsequent journey with James Grant in 1862, he confirmed its northern outlet as the source of the Nile. Burton queried whether Speke really had found the source of the Nile and the two fell out. Murchison arranged a debate between them. Two days before this debate Speke left a lunch where Burton was present, to go on a partridge shoot. Climbing over a wall he shot himself. Suicide was suspected but never proved. Since his death there have been suggestions that he was a repressed homosexual, although he is known to have fathered a child in Buganda, and even that he and Burton had had an intimate relationship.
Other Subjects
Charles H. Osmer
Role on the lost expedition: Officer on SS Erebus. See John Franklin.
David McDonald
Role on the lost expedition: Petty officer on SS Terror. See John Franklin.
Willliam Colbeck
Explorer. Born at 8 Myton Place, Hull. He made several expeditions to Antarctica, including one which convinced him of the best route to the south pole. This was later followed by Roald Amundsen, w...
Henry Peglar
Role on the lost expedition: Petty officer on SS Terror. See John Franklin.
William Bell
Role on the lost expedition: Petty officer on SS Erebus. See John Franklin.
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Frederick Bremer
Engineer and inventor. Born in Stepney. A gas-fitter and plumber by trade, in 1892, with his assistant Tom Bates, he built the first British motor car with an internal combustion engine. Died Walth...
St Pancras Housing Association
One of the earlier housing associations. In 1924 Father Basil Jellicoe founded the St Pancras House Improvement Society Ltd which was later named the St Pancras Housing Association. In 2000 it merg...
Joseph Smith
Translated Pepys's diary (written in one of the versions of shorthand used at the time) in 1819 - 22.
T. Dudley
Resident of Willesden who volunteered and died in the Anglo Boer War, 1899-1900.
Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria - Teddington
TW12, Park Road
The new plaque (not shown) is rather brash but we like how the wording refers back to the earlier inscription.
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