Henry the Navigator
(1394-1460)
Portuguese Prince
Established a school of Navigation after his own extensive voyages.
His pupils discovered Madeira, Cape Verde, The Azores and West Africa coast.
Captain James Cook
(1728-79)
English Navigator
Sailed extensively near the South Pole, mapping Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica and the Pacific Islands.
Was killed by natives in Hawaii.
Charles Darwin
(1809-82)
English Naturalist whose voyage to the Galapagos Islands and his observations of the flora and fauna led to the theory of evolution and the impact of natural selection.
Andre Le Notre
(1613-1700)
French Landscape Architect who was re responsible for the design of the magnificent gardens of the Palace of Versailles near Paris and also St James' Park in London.
Christopher Columbus
(1451-1506)
Genoese explorer who discovered the New World of the South American mainland.
He made several remarkable trips, usually in tiny ships such as the Santa Maria which had a crew of only 50.
Gerardus Mercator
(1512-94)
Flemish geographer and mapmaker who in 1569 produced the familiar map that shows journeys between two points of the globe as a straight line thus aiding sailors and travellers.
Carolus Linnaeus
(1707-78)
Swedish naturalist and physician who was responsible for the classification of plants and animals based on Latin nomenclature which is still used today.
John Parkinson (1567-1650)
English Herbalist who became
apothecary to James I.
He published Theatrum Botanicum which for many yeras was the definitive book on medicinal plants.