John Hanning Speke was a famous explorer from England who explored East Africa and found the source of the River Nile. He was born on this day 4th May 1827 in Somerset, England. Speke went to different private schools before becoming a soldier in the British East India Company's army in 1844. He served for six years before joining Richard Francis Burton on his expedition to East Africa in 1856.
Speke and Burton wanted to explore the Great Lakes region in East Africa. In 1857, they went to Lake Tanganyika, but they could not be sure if it was the source of the River Nile. So, in 1858, Speke went on another expedition with James Grant. They found that Lake Victoria was the real source of the Nile. They followed the River Nile to the Mediterranean Sea.
Some people did not believe Speke, and even Burton thought that Lake Tanganyika was the source of the River Nile. Speke went back to England and told the Royal Geographical Society what he found. Some people did not believe him at first, but later they agreed with his suggestion. Speke got a gold medal from the Royal Geographical Society. But the real source of the River Nile is still being argued over.
In 1860, Speke went back to East Africa with James Grant and some helpers. Unfortunately, Speke accidentally shot himself while hunting. He died, and it was a big loss for English exploration, but his discoveries and records of his travels still live on.
Today, people remember John Hanning Speke as a great explorer of the Victorian era. He is still remembered as there are many landmarks and institutions named after Speke, like Mount Speke, Speke Airport in Liverpool (Before being renamed), and the Speke Hall in Liverpool, England.
Who is your most famous explorer?
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