Frederick Beechey
| Frederick William Beechey | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
17 February 1796 London |
| Died | 29 November 1856 (aged 60) London |
| Service/branch | Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1806–1856 |
| Rank | rear-admiral |
| Commands held |
HMS Blossom Marine Department of the Board of Trade |
| Awards | president of the Royal Geographical Society |
Frederick William Beechey (17 February 1796 – 29 November 1856) was an English naval officer and geographer.
He was the son of two painters, Sir William Beechey RA; and Lady Anne Beechey. He was born in London in 1796. In 1806, he entered the Royal Navy, saw active service during the wars with France and America.
In 1818, he served under Lieutenant (afterwards Sir) John Franklin in David Buchan's Arctic expedition, of which at a later period he published a narrative. In the following year he accompanied Lieutenant W. E. Parry in HMS Hecla. In 1821, he took part in the survey of the Mediterranean coast of Africa under the direction of Captain, afterwards Admiral, William Henry Smyth. He and his brother Henry William Beechey, made an overland survey of this coast and published a full account of their work in 1828 under the title of Proceedings of the Expedition to Explore the Northern Coast of Africa from Tripoly Eastward in 1821-1822.
In 1825, Beechey was appointed to command the HMS Blossom. His task was to explore the Bering Strait in concert with Franklin and Parry operating from the east. In the summer of 1826, he passed the strait and a barge from his ship reached 71°23'31" N., and 156°21'30" W. near Point Barrow which he named, a point only 146 miles west of that reached by Franklin's expedition from the Mackenzie river. The whole voyage lasted more than three years and in the course of it Beechey discovered several islands in the Pacific, and an excellent harbour near Cape Prince of Wales.
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