Biographical entry Flinders, Matthew (1774 - 1814)

Summary

Matthew Flinders, in company with George Bass, made explorations of the eastern coast of New South Wales 1797-98, and circumnavigated Tasmania 1798-99. In 1801-3 he commanded the "Investigator" on a survey and scientific investigation of the Australian coast.

Details

Born Donington, Lincolnshire, England, 16 March 1774. Educated Horbling Grammar School. Joined the navy 1789;

Archival resources

Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science

• Australian Botanists - Biographies, MS 064; Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science. Details

Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales

• Angus & Robertson - Records, 1824 - 1933, ML MSS 314; Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales. Details
• Louis Henri desaulses de Freycinet - Records, 1803 - 1809, FM 4/1740; Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales. Details
• Matthew Flinders - Records, 1803 - 1810, ML DOC 2644; Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales. Details
• Matthew Flinders - Records, 1789 - 1814, ML DOC 1137; Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales. Details
• Matthew Flinders - Records, 1792 - 1793, A4055; Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales. Details
• Matthew Flinders - Records, 1801 - 1813, B1402; Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales. Details
• Matthew Flinders - Records, 1803 - 1804, ML MSS 2592; Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales. Details
• Matthew Flinders - Records, C247-9; Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales. Details
• Matthew Flinders - Records, 1795 - 1999, FM 3/688; Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales. Details
• Matthew Flinders - Records, 1805, ML DOC 1579; Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales. Details
• Matthew Flinders - Records, 1801 - 1814, ML DOC 2727; Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales. Details
• Matthew Flinders - Records, 1802, ML MSS 204X; Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales. Details
• Matthew Flinders - Records, 1809, ML DOC 2943; Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales. Details
• Matthew Flinders - Records, 1908, ML DOC 3328; Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales. Details
• Matthew Flinders - Records, ML MSS 732; Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales. Details
• Matthew Flinders - Records, 1814, ML DOC 905; Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales. Details

State Library of South Australia, Mortlock Library of South Australiana

• Matthew Flinders - Records, 1774 - 1960, PRG 17; State Library of South Australia, Mortlock Library of South Australiana. Details

State Library of Victoria, Australian Manuscripts Collection

• Matthew Flinders - Records, 1791 - 1803; State Library of Victoria, Australian Manuscripts Collection. Details

Published resources

Books

• Brunton, Paul, Matthew Flinders: the Ultimate Voyage, State Library of New South Wales, Sydney, 2001, 34 pp. Details
• Estensen, Miriam, The Life of Matthew Flinders, Allen & Unwin, Sydney, 2002, 560 pp. Details
• Flinders, Matthew, The Investigator in Port Phillip, April-May 1802, Banks Society Publications, Malvern, 2002, 36 pp. Details
• Toft, Klaus, The Navigators: Flinders vs Baudin: the Race Between Matthew Flinders and Nicolas Baudin to Discover the Fabled Passage through the Middle of Australia, Duffy and Snellgrove, Sydney, 2002, 354 pp. Details

Book Sections

• Cooper, H. M., 'Flinders, Matthew (1774-1814), navigator, hydrographer and scientist', in Douglas Pike (ed.), Australian Dictionary of Biography, vol. 1, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, 1966, pp. 389-391. Also available at http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A010364b.htm. Details

Edited Books

• Brunton, Paul (ed.), Matthew Flinders: Personal Letters from an Extraordinary Life, Hordern House in association with the State Library of New South Wales, Sydney, 2002, 262 pp. Details
• Wege, Juliette (ed.), Matthew Flinders and his Scientific Gentlemen: the Expedition of HMS Investigator to Australia, 1801-05, Western Australian Museum, Perth, 2006, 184 pp. Details

Journal Articles

• Burnby, J. G. L., 'Some Flinders Family History: Connections with Pharmacy', Australian Journal of Pharmacy, vol. 68, 1987, pp. 61-66. Details
• Giblin, R.W., 'Flinders, Baudin and Brown at Encounter Bay', Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania, 1929, pp. 1-6. Details
• Monteath, Peter, 'The Making of Matthew Flinders', Journal of the Royal Historical Society of South Australia, no. 30, 2002, pp. 42-51. Details
• Russell, H.C., 'Astronomical and Meteorological Workers in New South Wales, 1778-1860', Australasian Association for Advancement of Science, vol. 1, 1888, pp. 45-94. Details
• Whitley, Gilbert P., 'Some Early Naturalists and Collectors in Australia', Journal of the Royal Australian Historical Society, vol. xix, 1933, pp. 291-304. Details

Talks

• Brock, John F., Cook-Bligh-Flinders-King: the quadrilogy of master mariners, given in The Discovery Room, Australian Museum, Tuesday 6pm, Australian Science History Club, Sydney, 13 September 2005. Details

Online Resources

• 'Flinders, Matthew', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-465836. Details
• Matthew Flinders Electronic Archives, State Library of New South Wales, 2001, http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/flinders/archive.html. Details

See also

• Federation and Meteorology, 2001, http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/fam/scripts/fam-dynindex.php3?EID=P000412. Details