Christopher Middleton (navigator) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Christopher Middleton
|
|
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | Unknown date, c. 1690 Newton Bewley, England |
| Died | 12 February 1770 (aged 79–80) Norton, Durham, England |
| Occupation | Explorer, navigator |
| Employer | Hudson's Bay Company |
| Works | "The Effects of Cold" (1743) |
| Awards | |
| Military service | |
| Branch |  Royal Navy |
| Service years | 1741–1770 |
Christopher Middleton (born around 1690 – died February 12, 1770) was a brave British explorer and navigator. He worked for the Hudson's Bay Company, a famous trading company, and was also an officer in the Royal Navy. He was known for his scientific observations and his search for the Northwest Passage.
Contents
Exploring the World
Early Sailing Adventures
Christopher Middleton started his sailing career early. He served on a ship called a privateer during a big war called Queen Anne's War. This war happened between 1701 and 1713. Privateers were private ships allowed to attack enemy ships during wartime.
Working for the Hudson's Bay Company
In 1721, Middleton joined the Hudson's Bay Company. He started as a second mate on a ship called the Hannah. By 1725, he became the captain of the ship. He made 16 trips over many years, bringing supplies to the company's outposts in Hudson Bay.
Middleton was a very scientific sailor. He carefully watched how his compass worked on his voyages. Hudson Bay is very close to the North Magnetic Pole. He wrote down his observations and shared them with the Royal Society. This is a famous group of scientists. His hard work earned him a special membership in the Royal Society.
The Search for the Northwest Passage
<mapframe text="Middleton's Northwest Passage expedition showed Wager Bay was just a deep bay, not a way to the Pacific Ocean." width=242 height=180 zoom=6 latitude=65.5 longitude=-89/> In 1741, Christopher Middleton was given command of a Royal Navy ship called HMS Furnace. This ship was a special kind of vessel called a bomb vessel. It was made ready for a long journey. He also had a smaller ship, HMS Discovery, with him.
They left England in May and sailed to Hudson Bay. Their main goal was to find the legendary Northwest Passage. This was a sea route through North America that would connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Middleton and his crew spent the winter at a place called Fort Churchill. Then, they sailed north into Roes Welcome Sound. They discovered Wager Inlet, where ice trapped them for three weeks. At the end of the sound, they found their way blocked by ice. He named this place Repulse Bay.
Middleton returned to England in 1742. For his important scientific work, he received the Royal Society's Copley Medal. This is a very important award for scientists. He also presented a paper about his findings. It was called "The effects of cold; together with observations of the longitude, latitude, and declination of the magnetic needle, at Prince of Wales's fort, upon Churchill-River in Hudson's Bay, North America."
Later, Middleton commanded another ship, HMS Shark, from 1745 to 1748. After that, he lived on half-pay from the Royal Navy. He tried to get another command with the Hudson's Bay Company, but he was not successful.
See also
