Philip Parker King
Encyclopedia
Admiral
Phillip Parker King, FRS, RN
(13 December 1791 – 26 February 1856) was an early explorer of the Australia
n coast.
, to Philip Gidley King
and Anna Josepha King
née Coombe, and named after his father's mentor, Arthur Phillip
, which explains the difference in spelling of his and his father's first names. King was sent to England
for education in 1796, and he joined the Royal Naval Academy
, Portsmouth, in 1802. King entered the Royal Navy
in 1807, where he was commissioned lieutenant
in 1814.
, and made four voyages between December 1817 and April 1822. Amongst the 19-man crew were Allan Cunningham (botanist)
, John Septimus Roe
and the aborigine
Bungaree
. The first three trips were in the 76 tonne cutter HMS Mermaid, but the vessel was grounded in 1820.
The Admiralty instructed King to discover whether there was any river 'likely to lead to an interior navigation into this great continent'. The Colonial Office had given instructions to collect information about topography, fauna, timber, minerals, climate, and the natives and the prospects of developing trade with them. From February to June 1818, the coast was surveyed as far as Van Diemen's Gulf and there were many meetings with Aboriginals and Malay proas. In June the Mermaid visited Timor
and then returned to Sydney, arriving on 29 July. Next December and January King surveyed the recently discovered Macquarie Harbour
in Van Diemen's Land
and sailed in May 1819 for Torres Strait. King took John Oxley
as far as the Hastings River, and continued on to survey the coast between Cape Wessel and Admiralty Gulf. King returned to Sydney on 12 January 1820.
King's fourth voyage was undertaken in the 154 tonne sloop
HMS Bathurst. The ship headed north, through Torres Strait
and to the north-west coast of the continent. Further survey of the west coast was made after a visit to Mauritius
.
Valuable contributions had been made to the exploration of Australia.
King had been promoted to commander
in July 1821, and in April 1823 returned to England. He subsequently commanded the survey vessel HMS Adventure
, and in company with HMS Beagle
, spent five years surveying the complex coasts around the Strait of Magellan
. The result was presented at a meeting of the Royal Geographical Society
in 1831. King owned a property at Dunheved in the western suburbs of Sydney where he entertained Charles Darwin on Darwin's last night in Sydney in January 1836.
, and in April the same year, was appointed resident commissioner of the Australian Agricultural Company
, a position he held for ten years.
In 1855 King was promoted to Rear admiral
on the retired list.
King was a Fellow of the Royal Society
.
of Australia in 1963. The Australian native orchid Dendrobium kingianum
has been named after him.
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
Phillip Parker King, FRS, RN
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
(13 December 1791 – 26 February 1856) was an early explorer of the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n coast.
Early life and education
King was born on Norfolk IslandNorfolk Island
Norfolk Island is a small island in the Pacific Ocean located between Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia. The island is part of the Commonwealth of Australia, but it enjoys a large degree of self-governance...
, to Philip Gidley King
Philip Gidley King
Captain Philip Gidley King RN was a British naval officer and colonial administrator. He is best known as the official founder of the first European settlement on Norfolk Island and as the third Governor of New South Wales.-Early years and establishment of Norfolk Island settlement:King was born...
and Anna Josepha King
Anna Josepha King
Anna Josepha King was the wife of Philip Gidley King who was the Governor of New South Wales from 1800 to 1806.-Early Life and Marriage:...
née Coombe, and named after his father's mentor, Arthur Phillip
Arthur Phillip
Admiral Arthur Phillip RN was a British admiral and colonial administrator. Phillip was appointed Governor of New South Wales, the first European colony on the Australian continent, and was the founder of the settlement which is now the city of Sydney.-Early life and naval career:Arthur Phillip...
, which explains the difference in spelling of his and his father's first names. King was sent to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
for education in 1796, and he joined the Royal Naval Academy
Royal Naval Academy
The Royal Naval Academy was established at Portsmouth Dockyard as a facility to train officers for the Royal Navy. The founders' intentions were to provide an alternative means to recruit officers and to provide standardised training, education and admission.-Training:In 1773, a shore side...
, Portsmouth, in 1802. King entered the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
in 1807, where he was commissioned lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in 1814.
Expeditions
King was assigned to survey the parts of the Australian coast not already examined by Matthew FlindersMatthew Flinders
Captain Matthew Flinders RN was one of the most successful navigators and cartographers of his age. In a career that spanned just over twenty years, he sailed with Captain William Bligh, circumnavigated Australia and encouraged the use of that name for the continent, which had previously been...
, and made four voyages between December 1817 and April 1822. Amongst the 19-man crew were Allan Cunningham (botanist)
Allan Cunningham (botanist)
Allan Cunningham was an English botanist and explorer, primarily known for his travels in New South Wales to collect plants.- Early life :...
, John Septimus Roe
John Septimus Roe
John Septimus Roe was the first Surveyor-General of Western Australia. He was a renowned explorer, and a Member of Western Australia's Legislative and Executive Councils for nearly 40 years.-Early life:...
and the aborigine
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
Bungaree
Bungaree
Bungaree was an Aboriginal Australian from the Broken Bay area, who was known as an explorer, entertainer, and Aboriginal community leader He became a familiar sight in colonial Sydney, dressed in a succession of military and naval uniforms that had been given to him...
. The first three trips were in the 76 tonne cutter HMS Mermaid, but the vessel was grounded in 1820.
The Admiralty instructed King to discover whether there was any river 'likely to lead to an interior navigation into this great continent'. The Colonial Office had given instructions to collect information about topography, fauna, timber, minerals, climate, and the natives and the prospects of developing trade with them. From February to June 1818, the coast was surveyed as far as Van Diemen's Gulf and there were many meetings with Aboriginals and Malay proas. In June the Mermaid visited Timor
Timor
Timor is an island at the southern end of Maritime Southeast Asia, north of the Timor Sea. It is divided between the independent state of East Timor, and West Timor, belonging to the Indonesian province of East Nusa Tenggara. The island's surface is 30,777 square kilometres...
and then returned to Sydney, arriving on 29 July. Next December and January King surveyed the recently discovered Macquarie Harbour
Macquarie Harbour
Macquarie Harbour is a large, shallow, but navigable by shallow draft vessels inlet on the West Coast of Tasmania, Australia.-History:James Kelly wrote in his narrative "First Discovery of Port Davey and Macquarie Harbour" how he sailed from Hobart in a small open five-oared whaleboat to discover...
in Van Diemen's Land
Van Diemen's Land
Van Diemen's Land was the original name used by most Europeans for the island of Tasmania, now part of Australia. The Dutch explorer Abel Tasman was the first European to land on the shores of Tasmania...
and sailed in May 1819 for Torres Strait. King took John Oxley
John Oxley
John Joseph William Molesworth Oxley was an explorer and surveyor of Australia in the early period of English colonisation.October 1802 he was engaged in coastal survey work including an expedition to Western Port in 1804-05...
as far as the Hastings River, and continued on to survey the coast between Cape Wessel and Admiralty Gulf. King returned to Sydney on 12 January 1820.
Sloop
A sloop is a sail boat with a fore-and-aft rig and a single mast farther forward than the mast of a cutter....
HMS Bathurst. The ship headed north, through Torres Strait
Torres Strait
The Torres Strait is a body of water which lies between Australia and the Melanesian island of New Guinea. It is approximately wide at its narrowest extent. To the south is Cape York Peninsula, the northernmost continental extremity of the Australian state of Queensland...
and to the north-west coast of the continent. Further survey of the west coast was made after a visit to Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
.
Valuable contributions had been made to the exploration of Australia.
King had been promoted to commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
in July 1821, and in April 1823 returned to England. He subsequently commanded the survey vessel HMS Adventure
HMS Aid (1809)
HMS Aid was a 10-gun Royal Navy transport ship launched in 1809 at Kings Lynn. She was converted to a survey ship in March 1817, and was renamed HMS Adventure in 1821. The ship was sold in 1853....
, and in company with HMS Beagle
HMS Beagle
HMS Beagle was a Cherokee-class 10-gun brig-sloop of the Royal Navy. She was launched on 11 May 1820 from the Woolwich Dockyard on the River Thames, at a cost of £7,803. In July of that year she took part in a fleet review celebrating the coronation of King George IV of the United Kingdom in which...
, spent five years surveying the complex coasts around the Strait of Magellan
Strait of Magellan
The Strait of Magellan comprises a navigable sea route immediately south of mainland South America and north of Tierra del Fuego...
. The result was presented at a meeting of the Royal Geographical Society
Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society is a British learned society founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences...
in 1831. King owned a property at Dunheved in the western suburbs of Sydney where he entertained Charles Darwin on Darwin's last night in Sydney in January 1836.
Later Life
In February 1839, King was appointed to the New South Wales Legislative CouncilNew South Wales Legislative Council
The New South Wales Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of New South Wales in Australia. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney. The Assembly is referred to as the lower house and the Council as...
, and in April the same year, was appointed resident commissioner of the Australian Agricultural Company
Australian Agricultural Company
The Australian Agricultural Company is a company which serves to improve beef cattle production through responsible natural resource and land use...
, a position he held for ten years.
In 1855 King was promoted to Rear admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
on the retired list.
King was a Fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
.
Legacy
King was honoured on the 2-pound postage stampPostage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
of Australia in 1963. The Australian native orchid Dendrobium kingianum
Dendrobium kingianum
Dendrobium kingianum or Thelychiton kingianum, commonly known as Pink Rock Orchid, Captain King's Dendrobium, or Pink Rock Lily, is a plant of the genus Dendrobium and native to eastern Australia...
has been named after him.
Works
.- Extracts from a letter addressed by Capt. Philip Parker King, R.N., F.R.S. and L.S., to N.A. Vigors, Esq., on the animals of the Straits of Magellan. Zoological Journal London 3:422-32. 1828.
- Notes on birds collected by Capt. King in Chile.Proceedings of the Committee of Science and Correspondence of the Zoological Society of London, 1831: 29–30.1831
- Sailing Directions to the Coasts of Eastern and Western Patagonia, and the Straits of Magellan and the Sea-Coast of Tierra del Fuego, 1832
- King, P.P. and Broderip, W.J.William BroderipWilliam John Broderip was an English lawyer and naturalist.-Life:Broderip, the eldest son of William Broderip, surgeon from Bristol, was born at Bristol on 21 November 1789, and, after being educated at Bristol Grammar School under the Rev. Samuel Seyer, matriculated at Oriel College, Oxford, and...
Description of Cirrhipedia, ConchiferaConchiferaConchifera is a taxonomic term. It is a subphylum of the phylum Mollusca. It comprises all of the shell-bearing classes of molluscs, including the snails, clams, tusk shells, chitons, ammonites, monoplacophorans, and so on....
and MolluscaMolluscaThe Mollusca , common name molluscs or mollusksSpelled mollusks in the USA, see reasons given in Rosenberg's ; for the spelling mollusc see the reasons given by , is a large phylum of invertebrate animals. There are around 85,000 recognized extant species of molluscs. Mollusca is the largest...
, in a collection formed by the officers of H.M.S. Adventure and Beagle employed between the years 1826 and 1830 in surveying the southern coasts of South America, including the Straits of Magalhaens and the coast of Tierra del Fuego. The Zoological Journal, 5: 332–349.1832
See also
- King expedition of 1817King expedition of 1817Phillip Parker King's first exploring and surveying expedition departed Sydney on 22 December 1817 on board the cutter HMS Mermaid. On board were King, his two master's mates Frederick Bedwell and John Septimus Roe, the botanist Allan Cunningham, 12 seamen, 2 boys and the native Boongaree...
- European and American voyages of scientific explorationEuropean and American voyages of scientific explorationThe era of European and American voyages of scientific exploration followed the Age of Discovery and were inspired by a new confidence in science and reason that arose in the Age of Enlightenment...
External links
- King's journals online
- NSW state papers holdings for Phillip Parker King
- NRA records for King
- Godley, E. J., Biographical Notes: Phillip Parker King (1791-1856)
- Phillip Parker King: The great hydrographer of the Magellanic sea. By Mateo Martinic (Spanish)
- Inauguration of Phillip Parker King's memorial in San Juan de la Posesión Bay (Chile)
- Monument to Captain Philip Parker King R.N.: San Juan de la Posesión Bay, Magellan Strait, (Chile)
- The Allan Cunningham Project Allan Cunningham was the botanist on HMS Mermaid and HMS Bathurst with Phillip Parker King
- The Tomb of Phillip Parker King an article from The Allan Cunningham Project