Explorers

One of the 19th century women travel writers, Ida Pfeiffer spent many years travelling extensively. She left some of the first records of some groups of indigenous people in South-East Asia, as well as visiting North and South America, Scandinavia and many parts of Asia.

Her last trip was to Madagascar, where she inadvertently got embroiled in local politics. Pfeiffer also collected natural and geological samples, some of which were displayed in natural history museums. This resource provides an overview of her life and travels.

Isabella Bird suffered from ill health whenever she was home in the UK. From a young age she travelled extensively for her health and her letters home were so enjoyed by family and friends that she was persuaded to publish them as books and thus became a very well-known 19th century woman travel writer. She travelled widely through North America and Asia and also took excellent photographs.

Bird was the first woman invited to join the Royal Geographic Society in London and was also invited to join the Royal Photographic Society. Her last trip was to Morocco when she was in her 70s.

This resource introduces her life and travels and complements the other resources on 19th century women travel writers.

A relatively unknown female explorer was the first woman to circumnavigate the world, Jeanne Baret. Dressed as a man, she sailed on the voyage of Louis Antoine de Bouganville as the assistant of the botanist, Commerson, who suffered from ill health.

Baret was also regarded as an excellent botanist in her own right. After Commerson’s death Baret married an officer of the French Army and returned to France. Her achievements were recognised by the French Government who granted her a pension.

This resource introduces the life of this intrepid woman.