1864day.year
John Hanning Speke
(1827 - 1864)
English soldier and explorer
English soldier and explorer
John Hanning Speke was an English explorer who became the first European to reach the shores of Lake Victoria, identifying it as the Nile's source.
John Hanning Speke (1827–1864) served as a British army officer before joining the expedition led by Richard Francis Burton in search of the Nile's source.
In 1858, Speke became the first European to see Lake Victoria and proposed that it fed the White Nile, sparking intense debate among geographers.
He later conducted a solo expedition to confirm his hypothesis, marking a significant milestone in African exploration.
Speke's detailed journals and maps advanced Western understanding of East Africa’s geography and ethnic groups.
Despite controversies over his conclusions, his pioneering spirit helped open the region to further scientific and cultural study.
1864
John Hanning Speke