Category Archives: Geographical heroes

Geographical Heroes: Do you have any?

Posted on February 12, 2013 by

So, with a little more time to spare to my own geographical interests I am going to be reviving the Geographical Heroes series which I started on this blog some time ago. This began as an inspiration from a history … Continue reading →

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Geographical Heroes: Henry Morton Stanley

Posted on February 12, 2013 by

Henry Morton Stanley was often written about for his mission to find David Livingstone in Africa, however, Stanley himself led several subsequent expeditions which earned him a knighthood and made substantial contributions to the charting and subsequent colonization of the … Continue reading →

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UNESCO World Heritage Sites Challenge: Monastery of the Hieronymites and the Tower of Belém

Posted on January 27, 2013 by

While in Lisbon (Portugal) recently, I got to tick off another Unesco world heritage site. Physically this is two sites, but they are in short walking distance of each other but they classed as one. First the Monastery of the … Continue reading →

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Geographical Heroes: John Hemming

Posted on October 15, 2011 by

I was made aware of the activities of John Hemming when he came to give a lecture at the University of Manchester entitled: Conversations in/with Latin American and Caribbean Studies which covered the history of Amazon exploration and current deforestation. … Continue reading →

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Geographical Heroes: David Livingstone

Posted on August 10, 2011 by

David Livingstone is considered one of the greatest explorers of the African continent.  At a young age David Livingstone was inspired to become a medical missionary upon reading pamphlets printed by British and American churches asking for Christians to come … Continue reading →

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Geographical Heroes: Richard Francis Burton

Posted on August 9, 2011 by

Sir Richard Burton studied at Oxford University where his passionate temperament earned him the name ‘Ruffian Dick’. He followed his fathers footsteps and joined the army,spending eight years in India. During this time he mastered Arabic, Hindi, ad six regional … Continue reading →

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Geographical Heroes: John Hanning Speke

Posted on August 7, 2011 by

John Hanning Speke, a British explorer, and the first European to reach Lake Victoria in East Africa, and which he also correctly identified as the source of the Nile. John served as an army officer in India, where he developed … Continue reading →

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Geographical Heroes: Hugh Clapperton

Posted on August 3, 2011 by

Hugh Clapperton, famous for identifying the final course and termination of the River Niger. He was the first European to chart every degree of latitude between the Mediterranean and and the Gulf of Guinea, and his discoveries led directly to … Continue reading →

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Geographical Heroes: Alexander Von Humboldt

Posted on July 31, 2011 by

Alexander Von Humboldt stated “Everything is interconnected”. The work of Humboldt has been praised across the globe and is one of the most important scientists and geographers of the 19th Century. Humboldt’s travels in  South America provided him with material … Continue reading →

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Geographical Heroes: Mary Kingsley

Posted on May 10, 2011 by

Mary Kingsley (1862-1900) was the first European to visit several parts of West Africa. She was the daughter of the Doctor, naturalist and writer George Kinglsey, and many of her fathers interests became her own. She was self-taught, using her … Continue reading →

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