Matthew Curling Friend facts for kids

Matthew Curling Friend (born 1792 – died 1871) was an amazing inventor and public servant from Australia. He was the son of John Friend and Mary Curling. He joined the Royal Navy in July 1806 as a Midshipman, which is like a junior officer. He was promoted to Lieutenant in February 1815. After the Napoleonic Wars ended, he was put on "half pay," meaning he received half his usual salary because there wasn't as much work for officers.

Early Life and Scientific Interests

Matthew Friend was born in 1792. His father, John Friend, was from Ramsgate, and his mother, Mary Curling, was from the Isle of Thanet in England. After his navy career slowed down, Friend became very interested in science. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1820, which is a big honor for scientists. He then went to Cambridge University in 1822. In 1826, he married Mary Anne Ford.

Journey to Australia

Like many officers on half pay, Matthew Friend needed to find a way to support his family. He decided to move to the colonies, which were new settlements in other parts of the world. In 1829, Friend sailed with his family to Australia. He was the captain of a ship called the Wanstead. On board were the wife and daughters of Edward Davy Wedge, and one of Friend's daughters, Anna Maria, later married Thomas Wedge.

The Wanstead stopped at the Swan River Colony (which is now Perth) from January 30 to March 19, 1830. While there, Friend collected many different types of mammals and birds. The ship then continued its journey, arriving in Hobart Town, Tasmania, in April 1830.

Contributions to Science

In 1831, Matthew Friend traveled back to England. He presented his amazing collection of plants and animals from Australia to the Zoological Society in England. This was a very important contribution to understanding Australia's unique wildlife. He was also a member of the Royal Society of London, showing his dedication to scientific discovery.

Life in Tasmania

Friend returned to Van Diemen’s Land (which is now Tasmania) in 1832. This time, he sailed on a ship called the Norval with other family members. He was appointed as the Port Officer in Launceston in 1832. This job meant he was in charge of the port and ships coming and going. He also started farming and raising animals.

Matthew Friend was a very active person in the colony. He gave talks about natural history, sharing his knowledge of plants and animals. He also helped organize the very first Tamar Regatta in 1830, which was a boat race. He was a big help to the Launceston Horticultural Society, which focused on gardening and plants. He also assisted the local committee of the Hobart Town Launceston and Port Phillip Steam Ship Company.

Later Life and Inventions

By 1852, Matthew Friend's health was not good. He was also losing his eyesight and becoming blind. Because of this, he had to resign from his job. He and his second wife moved back to England. He passed away in October 1871 in Clevedon, Somerset.

Even in his later years, Matthew Friend continued to be interested in nautical science, which is the study of navigation and ships. He invented two important tools: an indicator compass and the pelorus. These inventions helped sailors measure local magnetism in iron ships, making navigation safer and more accurate.