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
Richard Francis Burton
Explorer. Born Devon. He and his wife Isabel, have a very unusual tomb at St Mary Magdalen, Worple Road, Mortlake.
1 memorial
Alexander Wilson
Role on the lost expedition: Petty officer on SS Terror. See John Franklin.
1 memorial
Francis Dunn
Role on the lost expedition: Petty officer on SS Erebus. See John Franklin.
1 memorial
1 memorial
Sir Hugh Willoughby
Sea captain. Looking for a trade route, the North-East Passage, a 3 ship expedition set sail, from Harwich, with Willoughby in charge and captain of the 'Bona Esperanza'. The Esperanza and the 'Bo...
1 memorial
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