Person    | Male  Born 4/5/1827  Died 15/9/1864

John Hanning Speke

Categories: Exploring

Countries: Africa

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.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
John Hanning Speke

Commemorated ati

Speke

'Victoria Nyanza' means 'Lake Victoria'.

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Other Subjects

John Wilson

John Wilson

Role on the lost expedition: Petty officer on SS Terror. See John Franklin.

Person, Exploring, Tragedy

1 memorial
Josephus Geater

Josephus Geater

Role on the lost expedition: Able seaman on SS Erebus. See John Franklin.

Person, Exploring, Tragedy

1 memorial
Charles Best

Charles Best

Role on the lost expedition: Able seaman on SS Erebus. See John Franklin.

Person, Exploring, Tragedy

1 memorial
Harry D. S. Goodsir

Harry D. S. Goodsir

Role on the lost expedition: Officer on SS Erebus. See John Franklin.  A skeleton was found which is thought to be his.  See the picture source for how they did that.

Person, Exploring, Tragedy

1 memorial
William Orren

William Orren

Role on the lost expedition: Able seaman on SS Erebus. See John Franklin.

Person, Exploring, Tragedy

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Bill Kenwright

Bill Kenwright

Born Liverpool. West End theatre producer and chairman of Everton Football Club.

Person, Cinema, Sport / Games, Theatre

1 memorial
Josiah Wedgwood

Josiah Wedgwood

W1, Wedgwood Mews

Charming plaque, in the Wedgwood blue pottery style.

1 subject commemorated
Fire station - West End Green

Fire station - West End Green

NW6, West End Green, West Hampstead Fire Station

J. D. Gilbert Esq. Chairman of the Fire Brigade Committee of the London County Council laid this stone on the 24th day of June 1901.

2 creators
Edward Bates
War dead, WW1
1 memorial
National Portrait Gallery - Fuller

National Portrait Gallery - Fuller

WC2, Charing Cross Road

This building, 1896, designed by Ewan Christian, has 18 busts contained in medallions around the top of the facades. Starting at the east...

1 subject commemorated