George Francis Lyon

George Francis Lyon

George Francis Lyon (1795-1832) was a rare combination of Arctic and African explorer. By all accounts a fun loving extrovert, he also managed to be a competent British Naval Officer, Commander, explorer, artist and socialite. While not having a particularly distinguished career, he is remembered for the entertaining journals he kept and for the watercolour paintings he completed in the Arctic.

Career

He was, in 1818, sent with Joseph Ritchie by Sir John Barrow to find the course of the Niger River and the location of Timbuktu. The expedition was underfunded, lacked support and because the ideas of John Barrow departed from Tripoli and thus had to cross the Sahara as part of their journeyClarifyme|date=March 2008. A year later, due to much officialdom they had only got as far as Murzouk where they both fell ill. Ritchie never recovered and died there, but Lyon survived and travelled a little further around the region. Exactly a year to the day he left, he arrived back in Tripoli, the expedition being a complete failure.

Having been promised a promotion on his return, he now set about trying to pester the Admiralty into fulfilling their promise. He irritated enough people that his reward was, in 1821, to be given the command of "HMS Hecla" under William Edward Parry on his second attempt at the Northwest Passage. The lieutenants included Francis Crozier, James Clark Ross, and Henry Parkyns Hoppner. [cite web |url=http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/Arctic12-2-98.pdf |title=Sir William Edward Parry |accessdate=2008-10-03 |last=Brown |first=R. |publisher=ucalgary.ca |pages=p. 104]

An aspect of his personality rare at the time was his genuine interest in the "Natives" of the countries he visited. Wearing Arab/Muslim dress and learning fluent Arabic he managed to blend in with the inhabitants of North Africa; he was tattooed by the Inuit in the Arctic, using needle and sooty thread, and ate raw caribou and seal meat with them. The expedition achieved little, spending two years in the Arctic and getting only as far the Fury and Hecla Strait before being stopped by ice.

Lyon received his promotion to Captain on his return, and in 1824 was given sole command of "HMS Griper" for another voyage to the Arctic. Unfortunately the Griper was badly built and Lyon also met with some of the worst weather yet seen in the Arctic. The expedition was a disaster, Lyon limping home after only 5 months.

While he was well known in society, this last failure effectively saw him blacklisted in the Royal Navy. He never had another command.

He died on October 8 1832, [Marquis of Ruvigny and Raineval, Melville Henry Massue. "The Plantagenet Roll of the Blood Royal Being A Complete Table of All the Descendents Now Living of Edward III, King of England". London, England: T.C. & E. C. Jack, 1905-1911. Page 475.] en-route from South America to Britain to be treated for eye problems.

Personal life

Lyon had at least one child, a daughter, Isabella Alice Lyon. [cite web |url=http://thepeerage.com/p23454.htm#i234531 |title=Person Page - 23454 |accessdate=2008-10-04 |last=Lundy |first=Darryl |coauthors= |date=2008-10-01 |work= |publisher=thepeerage.com]

Publications

He published at least three books about his adventures:
* "A Narrative of Travels in Northern Africa in the Years 1818, 19, and 20...", London (1821)
* "The Private Journal of Captain G.F. Lyon, of" H.M.S. Hecla, "During the Recent Voyage of Discovery under Captain Parry" (1824)
* "A Brief Narrative Of An Unsuccessful Attempt To Reach Repulse Bay In" His Majesty's Ship Griper, "In The Year MDCCCXXIV", London (1825)

Notes


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • George Francis Lyon — (1795 1832) est un officier britannique de la Royal Navy et explorateur de l Arctique et de l Afrique. Œuvres A Narrative of Travels in Northern Africa in the Years 1818, 19, and 20…, Londres (1821) The Private Journal of Captain G.F. Lyon, of… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • George Francis Train — (* 24. März 1829 in Boston, Massachusetts; † 5. Januar 1904 in New York) war ein US amerikanischer Kaufmann, Schriftsteller, Autor und exzentrischer Reisender. Seine Weltreise im Juli 1870 war Vorbild für Jules Vernes Roman …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Richard Francis Lyon — (born 1952), is an American inventor,scientist, and engineer, noted for having invented the optical mouse.He has worked in many aspects of signal processing and was a co founder of Foveon Inc.,a digital camera and image sensor company.LifeLyon… …   Wikipedia

  • Claude George Bowes-Lyon, 14. Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne — KG, KT, GCVO (* 14. März 1855 in Chelsea; † 7. November 1944 auf Glamis Castle) war ei …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Francis Rawdon Moira Crozier — Francis Crozier Pour les articles homonymes, voir Crosier. Francis Rawdon Moira Crozier (septembre 1796 vers 1848) est un explorateur britannique qui participa à six expéditions polaires. Sommaire 1 Biographie …   Wikipédia en Français

  • George Back — Sir George Back, né à Stockport (Royaume Uni) le 6 novembre 1796 et mort à Londres le 23 juin 1878, est un amiral de la Royal Navy, explorateur de l Arctique …   Wikipédia en Français

  • George W. DeLong — George Washington De Long Pour les articles homonymes, voir Long. Lieutenant Commander George W. DeLong, USN George Washington DeLong ( …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Francis Crozier — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Crosier. Monument élevé à Crozier dans sa ville natale, Banbridge. Entouré d ours polaires, Crozier …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Francis Leopold McClintock — Pour les articles homonymes, voir McClintock. Francis Leopold McClintock Francis Leopold McClintock …   Wikipédia en Français

  • George Hubert Wilkins — Sir George Hubert Wilkins et Carl Ben Eielson. Sir George Hubert Wilkins (31 octobre 1888 30 novembre 1958) est un pilote et géographe australien, explorateur de l Arctique et de l A …   Wikipédia en Français

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”