All members of the Hakluyt Society are invited to contribute to this page. Please let us know about any recent activities, appointments, awards, or books published, that you think might be of interest to other members and to the Society in general. Contributions should be sent to the website's editor, Ray Howgego, at
Obituary: Anthony John Farrington (1939-2008), archivist, historian and writer.
Anthony Farrington was born on 9 March 1939 in Chester. After reading history at University College London 1957-1961, he returned to his home town to work at the Cheshire Record Office 1962-1964. He then joined the India Office Library and Records, which was part of the Commonwealth Relations Office (later Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and subsequently British Library). He spent the rest of his career working on the archives of the English East India Company and its successors, and served as Head of the India Office Collections and Deputy Director at the British Library from 1989 until his retirement in 1999. For the last nine years of his life, he continued to work with the India Office Records as an independent archivist and editor. He died after a long illness on 5 September 2008.
Tony served on the Council of the Hakluyt Society from 1992 to 1996, and in 1992 delivered the Annual Lecture ‘The English in Japan 1613-1623’. His many and varied publications include Sir William Foster 1863-1951: a bibliography (London, 1972); The English Factory in Japan 1613-1623 (London, 1991); The English Factory in Taiwan 1670-1685 (Taipei, 1995); Catalogue of the East India Company ships’ journals and logs 1600-1834 (London, 1999); A biographical index of the East India Company Maritime Service officers 1600-1834 (London, 1999); The English Factory in Siam 1612-1685 (London, 2007). He was also the creator of numerous detailed archival catalogues which opened up large areas of the India Office Records to researchers, and curator of a major British Library exhibition ‘Trading Places’ in 2002.
Anthony Farrington will be remembered not only for his scholarship but also for his ebullient personality, charm, and joie de vivre. He was always willing to impart his extensive knowledge to anyone who shared his passion for the historical materials in the India Office Records, and his work will remain an inspiration to those who seek to follow in his footsteps. [Margaret Makepeace]
Awards recently received by members of the Society
On 17 September 2008 our President, Professor Will Ryan, was awarded the degree of doctor honoris causa by the Russian Academy of Sciences for his contributions to Russian history and philology. The presentation was made by Academician A. P. Derevianko at the Academy of Sciences, Moscow.
For his work in recording the life of the indigenous peoples of South America in a series of outstanding books Dr John Hemming CBE has been awarded Peru's highest civil honour - the Gran Cruz de la Orden al Mérito por Servicios Distinguidos.
For his services in navigational matters relating to leisure sailing our Honorary Treasurer, David Darbyshire, becomes a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation.
In 2006 World Hydrography Day was inaugurated in the UN calendar on 21 June. To mark the event in this country, the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office established the Alexander Dalrymple Award, named after the first Hydrographer, to be awarded annually to someone who had made an outstanding contribution to world hydrography. The first recipient, to huge acclaim, was Hakluyt Society member, Rear Admiral Steve Ritchie, Hydrographer of the Navy (1966-1971), President of the Directing Committee of the International Hydrographic Organisation (1972-1982) and distinguished author. In 2007 Captain Mike Barritt RN, a Vice-president of the Society who contributed to IHO capacity building work during the period 2003-2007, was especially delighted to be selected to follow in his footsteps.
New books by members of the Society
The editor of this site, at the insistence of the President, notes the publication this year of the fourth and final volume of his massive prime resource for all interested in the history of exploration of all periods and places: Raymond John Howgego, Encyclopedia of Exploration (Hordern House, Sydney, 2003-2008). The four volumes, which comprise one of the largest unaided single-author works in the English language, include over 4500 articles in approximately 3660 pages, some 3.7 million words. For further details see www.explorersencyclopedia.com
