Captain George Vancouver 1757 - 1798

The Custom House has arranged a surprise birthday party for King’s Lynn’s most famous sailor, Captain George Vancouver.

The event takes place at the Custom House, King’s Lynn on Friday 22nd June from 2.30 to 4pm.

Everyone is welcome to join in the celebrations, and it’s suggested you bring a card or a little cake perhaps!

Captain George Vancouver was a naval officer who, at the age of 14, set sail with Captain James Cook on his ship the ‘Resolution’ on a four-year expedition which took in the South Pacific, the Antarctic and the South Atlantic.

He also led the longest mapping expedition in history. In four-and-a-half years, Vancouver and his crewmen sailed about 140,000 kilometres and mapped the North American west coast from northern Mexico to southern Alaska.

It was George Vancouver who proved that Vancouver Island, off British Columbia was truly an island. It was named in his honour. As was the City of Vancouver in British Columbia and Fort Vancouver in Washington state.

A bronze statue of George can be seen at the quay in King’s Lynn as a tribute to the great explorer. The Vancouver Shopping Centre in the town is also named after him.