G. E. Richards

Early life

He was the eldest son of Sir George Richards, Hydrographer of the Royal Navy.

On 5 January 1879 he married Emily Rose, the youngest daughter of John de Courcey Bremer, of Rose Bay, Sydney.

Naval career

He was a sub-lieutenant aboard HMS Wolverine (2,431 tons) when it reached Brisbane in August 1877.

While in command of Renard (1878–84) he surveyed the Russell Islands, Rendova Island, part of New Georgia and Pocklington Reef. He also surveyed the Duke of York Islands. The Indispensable Reefs and Bampton Reefs were also visited.

He later commanded HMS Alacrity (1881–82) on hydrographic voyages along the coast of Queensland north of Hinchinbrook Island.

The 1887 voyage named the following places:

• Cid Harbour 1887
• Orpheus Island 1887
• Pioneer Bay
• Acacia Island
• Mausoleum Island
• Combe Island
• Paluma Rock in the Palm Islands

He was later in command of the surveying ship HMS Triton from March 1893 to July 1894, and again from February 1899 to March 1902.

Captain Richards was placed on the retired list, at his own request, in December 1902. He was promoted to rear-admiral on the Retired list on 1 July 1907.

He died in December 1927.

Legacy

He compiled the first volume of, Pacific Islands ... sailing directions (1885).

He was a birdwatcher and collector and a number of tropical birds are named after him.

References

References

1. [http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/duffy/arb/531-542/541.pdf Atoll Research] {{Webarchive. link. (19 September 2009 , retrieved 3 February 2007)
2. [http://www.sailing-whitsundays.com/WhitsundaysPlaces.php?id=18 Place names of the Whitsundays], retrieved 3 February 2007
3. {{usurped
4. [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/13446529?searchTerm=Richards%20bremer ''Sydney Morning Herald'', 29 November 1879, p.1]
5. [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/1365903?searchTerm=“G.E.%20Richards” ''Brisbane Courier'', 21 August 1877, p.2]
6. (1885). "Memoirs of hydrography Vol 2". Oxford University.
7. (1881). "Hydrographical surveys". Nautical Magazine.
8. [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/13493313?searchTerm=“G.E.%20Richards” ''Sydney Morning Herald'', 28 August 1881, p.8]
9. "The Discovery of Australia: Naming Australia's Coastline".
10. {{London Gazette. (30 December 1902)
11. {{London Gazette. (2 July 1907)
12. [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/16435268?searchTerm=“George%20edward%20richards” ''Sydney Morning Herald'', 20 January 1928, p.16]
13. (1885). ["Pacific Islands ... sailing directions, Vol 1"](http://explore.bl.uk/primo_library/libweb/action/display.do;jsessionid=FD7FDE5A56D2FD4BF6B67EC89355D7CB?frbrVersion=423&tabs=moreTab&ct=display&fn=search&doc=BLL01014810070&indx=1&recIds=BLL01014810070&recIdxs=0&elementId=0&renderMode=poppedOut&displayMode=full&frbrVersion=423&query=any%2Ccontains%2C"Pacific+islands+vol+1"+1885&search_scope=LSCOP-ALL&dscnt=0&scp.scps=scope%3A%28BLCONTENT%29&vl(2084770704UI0)=any&vid=BLVU1&institution=BL&tab=local_tab&vl(freeText0)="Pacific%20islands%20vol%201"%201885&dstmp=1618897137020 }}{{Dead link). Hydrographic Department.
14. (2020). "The Eponym Dictionary of Birds". Bloomsbury.