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The Flinders papersletters and documents about the explorer Matthew Flinders (1774-1814)
 

Between 1796 and 1803 the English navigator and chartmaker Matthew Flinders surveyed the Australian coastline in his ship the 'Investigator'. He was the first known European to circumnavigate the continent.

Printed chart of Terra Australis by Flinders (Repro ID F0109)
Printed chart of Terra Australis by Flinders (Repro ID F0109). Click the image to enlarge.

Ship plans of the 'Investigator' (Xenophon) (Repro ID E7020)
Ship plans of the 'Investigator' (Repro ID E7020). Click the image to enlarge.

The Flinders papers contains transcripts of over 150 documents about Flinders's life and work. Many are love letters from Flinders to his wife Ann, some written while imprisoned on Mauritius. There are also letters to and from Sir Joseph Banks and the explorer Sir John Franklin. Other documents include journal entries, legal and naval papers, receipts and inscriptions.

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Featured manuscript
Flinders's tribute to Trim the cat, FLI/11 (excerpt). Click the image to read the transcript.

Flinders's tribute to Trim the cat, FLI/11 (excerpt)

Featured letter
Matthew Flinders to Ann Flinders, FLI/25, Isle of France August 26 1804:

A second opportunity of writing to my dear friends now presents itself, the first occurred about five weeks since. I yesterday enjoyed a delicious piece of misery in reading over thy dear letters, my beloved Ann. Shall I tell thee that I have never before done it since I have been shut up in this prison.
(Read full letter)