“The Life and Times of Frederik de Houtman 1571-1627”, Dr Howard Gray

Date: 18 November, 2016
Time: 6:00-7:00pm
Venue: WA Maritime Museum, Victoria Quay, Fremantle
Bookings: Essential, please call 1300 134 081 or visit museum.wa.gov.au/ticketing/civicrm/event/register?reset=1&id=4765
More info: http://museum.wa.gov.au/museums/maritime/vaughan-evans-memorial-lecture-dr-howard-gray

Join us at the WA Maritime Museum for The Vaughan Evans Memorial Lecture 2016, presented in association with the Australian Association for Maritime History.

Frederik de Houtman and brother Cornelis were despatched by Dutch merchants as spies to Portugal on a mission to uncover the source of lucrative spices from the East Indies. In 1595 they joined the Dutch first fleet, an almost comical expedition if it wasn’t for the tragedy and havoc left in its wake.

During a second expedition Cornelis was murdered and Frederik imprisoned. Their exploits, however, heralded Dutch domination of the East Indies and the establishment of strongholds that lasted two centuries. Frederik was also a significant astronomer and linguist, charting constellations and writing dictionaries. He was also among the first Europeans to encounter the long-sought Southland.