Philip Parker King, Aet. 32

C.19th small engraved portrait of Phillip Parker King (1791-1856), son of Governor Philip Gidley King, was born at Norfolk Island and became one of Britain’ leading hydrographers, adding considerably to the charting of the Australian continent. In 1817, King was given command of the cutter Mermaid to complete the exploration and survey of the northwestern coast not already examined by Matthew Flinders. During his four subsequent voyages, King named Port Essington and Buccaneer’ Archipelago, proved the insularity of Melville Island, surveyed the west coast from Rottnest Island to Cygnet Bay and the entrance to Macquarie Harbour, Tasmania. He was made a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1824.