Record

Authorised form of nameBligh; William (1754 - 1817)
Dates1754 - 1817
Place of birthSt Tudy, Cornwall, England
Date of birth04 October 1754
Place of deathBond Street, London
Date of death07 December 1817
DatesAndPlacesBaptism:
St Andrew's Church, Plymouth (04 October 1754)
Burial:
The eastern part of Lambeth churchyard, near the Tradescant tomb, by the side of his wife, Elizabeth Betham
ActivityCareer:
Entered Royal Navy; Accompanied Captain Cook as sailing master in the Resolution on his 2nd voyage round the world (1772-1774) and discovered bread fruit in Otaheite; at the battle of Dogger Bank (05 August 1781); fought under Howe at Gilbralter (1782); appointed to the Bounty (1787) on an expedition to take bread fruit plants from Otaheite to West Indies; he and 18 of the crew were cast adrift after a mutiny, and reached Timor; Bligh finally returned to England (1790); Second expedition more successful and bread fruit brought to West Indies in HMS 'Providence'. Received gold medal from RSA. Commander; Post Captain; commanded Glatton at battle of Copenhagen (1801); Captain General (1805); Governor of New South Wales, but deposed and imprisoned by Major Johnstone; Rear Admiral of the Blue (1811)
Membership categoryFellow
Date of election21/05/1801
SourceSources:
Bulloch's Roll; DNB
CodeNA7421
Archives associated with this Fellow
RefNoTitleDate
MM/8/67Letter from Nevil Maskelyne, Soho Square, to Sir Joseph Banks26 May 1809
MM/19/121Letter from Joseph Banks to George Leonard Staunton15 February 1794
EC/1801/08Bligh, William: certificate of election to the Royal Society
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