Jørgen Jørgensen (1780-1841) - explorer and convict
The ‘Viking of Van Diemen’s Land', Jørgen Jørgensen is without a doubt the most colourful and (in)famous Dane to have come to Australia. He was once called one of the most interesting human comets ever recorded in history.
In his 61 years of life, he was a sailor, diplomatic agent, convict, self-proclaimed king of Iceland, police officer, gambler, convict, naval captain, writer, explorer and the list goes on.
In his 61 years of life, he was a sailor, diplomatic agent, convict, self-proclaimed king of Iceland, police officer, gambler, convict, naval captain, writer, explorer and the list goes on.
First voyage to australia
Jørgen Jørgensen (later anglicised to Jorgen Jorgenson) was born on 29 March 1780 in Copenhagen as the second son of royal clockmaker Jürgen Jürgensen and wife Anna Leth Bruun, a very well-respected family.
At the age of 14, Jorgen took his first job as an apprentice on an English coal ship sailing mainly in the North Sea and the Baltic. In the next years he worked on several Danish and English ships, including a whaling ship bound for South Africa. In 1800, he was taken on as a second-mate on the Lady Nelson, an English brig commissioned by New South Wales Governor King to discover whether Van Diemen’s Land (now known as Tasmania) was part of the mainland or not (all maps prior to 1800 showed that this was the case).
In January 1801, the brig made its first passage through the Bass Strait. Jorgen served on the survey ship during which time Launceston was discovered, Hobart was founded and a permanent settlement was established at Newcastle. In 1804, Jorgen joined the whaling ship Alexander where, at the age of 24, he became an assistant captain. The large pod of whales, which he had discovered during his voyages around the Bass Strait, resulted in a very successful whaling expedition.
Eventually, this led to a permanent whaling station at Hobart, which played a huge part in the Tasmanian economy right into the 20th century. Jorgen then sailed a cargo of whale blubber back to Europe, and eventually returned to Copenhagen in 1806 where he was hailed as the first Dane to sail around the world.
At the age of 14, Jorgen took his first job as an apprentice on an English coal ship sailing mainly in the North Sea and the Baltic. In the next years he worked on several Danish and English ships, including a whaling ship bound for South Africa. In 1800, he was taken on as a second-mate on the Lady Nelson, an English brig commissioned by New South Wales Governor King to discover whether Van Diemen’s Land (now known as Tasmania) was part of the mainland or not (all maps prior to 1800 showed that this was the case).
In January 1801, the brig made its first passage through the Bass Strait. Jorgen served on the survey ship during which time Launceston was discovered, Hobart was founded and a permanent settlement was established at Newcastle. In 1804, Jorgen joined the whaling ship Alexander where, at the age of 24, he became an assistant captain. The large pod of whales, which he had discovered during his voyages around the Bass Strait, resulted in a very successful whaling expedition.
Eventually, this led to a permanent whaling station at Hobart, which played a huge part in the Tasmanian economy right into the 20th century. Jorgen then sailed a cargo of whale blubber back to Europe, and eventually returned to Copenhagen in 1806 where he was hailed as the first Dane to sail around the world.
the king of iceland
Jorgen's Flag of Iceland
After Denmark’s declaration of war against England he was appointed captain on a Danish privateer, the Admiral Juul, and sent out to destroy British warships. However, he was quickly captured, and subsequently taken back to England as a prisoner of war. In London he befriended a merchant, Samuel Phelps, and later went with him on a trading expedition to Iceland, which was ruled by Denmark.
Upon arrival in Iceland, the Danish officials refused to let the Icelanders trade with the newly arrived ship. After a week or so with no change, Jorgen, along with Phelps and a dozen British seamen, marched to the governor’s residence and declared him a prisoner of war. Jorgen, at the time 28 years old, subsequently announced himself as His Excellency the Protector of Iceland, Commander in Chief by Sea and Land and soon after his proclamations began “We, Jorgen Jorgensen, Rex”. He designed a flag and built a fort, Fort Phelps. He is still known today by the Icelanders as Jörundur hundadaga konungur (Jorgen the king of the dog-days).
His rule was short-lived. A British war ship arrived and the Captain put an end to Jorgen’s two months as a ‘king’, and took him back to England where he was imprisoned, yet again. Through powerful connections, Jorgen managed to get out of this prison sentence and was sent to Continental Europe as a spy.
Upon arrival in Iceland, the Danish officials refused to let the Icelanders trade with the newly arrived ship. After a week or so with no change, Jorgen, along with Phelps and a dozen British seamen, marched to the governor’s residence and declared him a prisoner of war. Jorgen, at the time 28 years old, subsequently announced himself as His Excellency the Protector of Iceland, Commander in Chief by Sea and Land and soon after his proclamations began “We, Jorgen Jorgensen, Rex”. He designed a flag and built a fort, Fort Phelps. He is still known today by the Icelanders as Jörundur hundadaga konungur (Jorgen the king of the dog-days).
His rule was short-lived. A British war ship arrived and the Captain put an end to Jorgen’s two months as a ‘king’, and took him back to England where he was imprisoned, yet again. Through powerful connections, Jorgen managed to get out of this prison sentence and was sent to Continental Europe as a spy.
the convict
His gambling, drinking and ever-mounting debts, however, were getting the better of him, and the final straw was after he was caught pawning off his landlady’s furnishings and bed linen. He was sentenced to 7 years of exile, caught a month later for still remaining in the country, and sentenced to death, which was then commuted to exile for life. During the next three years, he managed to stay in England, even working as an assistant to the surgeon at Newgate Prison. Antagonised by one of Jorgen’s religious publications, the Home Secretary eventually was forced to send him to Van Diemen’s Land. In 1825 he boarded the convict ship Woodman and arrived on 29 April, 1826, some 22 years after he had first sailed through these waters. The island now had a population of 13,000 (of which 6,000 were convicts) with 5,000 living in Hobart.
Jorgen’s first job was working as a clerk in the local customs office. Here he discovered a suspected forgery of government bonds, which led to the police arresting the forgers and confiscating 4000 pounds worth of forged bonds. In recognition of exposing the forgery, Jorgen was put in touch with the manager of the Van Diemen’s Land Company. Here he was chosen to lead an expedition to the unexplored northwest corner of the island, a journey of 300 km. Together with another convict, they were the first white men to cross the Central Plateau. However, snow, lack of provisions and exhaustion, forced them to turn back.
In July 1827, Jorgen got a conditional pardon and started a new career as a police officer. This involved protecting the white colonists in the village of Oatlands, northwest of Hobart, against the so-called ‘hostile natives’ as well as escaped convicts. He was also made member of a special police corps, responsible for the ‘black wars’, an unsuccessful attempt by the colonial government to drive all the aborigines out of the island.
Jorgen’s first job was working as a clerk in the local customs office. Here he discovered a suspected forgery of government bonds, which led to the police arresting the forgers and confiscating 4000 pounds worth of forged bonds. In recognition of exposing the forgery, Jorgen was put in touch with the manager of the Van Diemen’s Land Company. Here he was chosen to lead an expedition to the unexplored northwest corner of the island, a journey of 300 km. Together with another convict, they were the first white men to cross the Central Plateau. However, snow, lack of provisions and exhaustion, forced them to turn back.
In July 1827, Jorgen got a conditional pardon and started a new career as a police officer. This involved protecting the white colonists in the village of Oatlands, northwest of Hobart, against the so-called ‘hostile natives’ as well as escaped convicts. He was also made member of a special police corps, responsible for the ‘black wars’, an unsuccessful attempt by the colonial government to drive all the aborigines out of the island.
tragic last years
Carving on Ross Bridge, Tasmania
As a reward for his services Jorgen was awarded 100 acres of land. Eventually, Jorgen received his full pardon, and in 1831 he resigned from the police force. A week later, he married an Irish convict, Norah Corbett, who was half his age and an alcoholic. She proved to be the greatest trial of his life and was often seen chasing her husband down the streets of Oatlands. Jorgen wrote several books and contributed regularly to two daily newspapers in Hobart during his last years.
In 1840, Norah died due to alcoholism and malnutrition. The following year, Jorgen himself died of pneumonia on 20 January 1841 at Colonial Hospital. He was 61. It is not known where he was laid to rest as he had no relatives and no money for a decent burial. Most likely it would have been in the ‘poor’ corner of Hobart’s municipal cemetery, which today is a public park. A portrait of him can, however, be found in the carvings on Ross Bridge (which also includes his wife, Norah) south of Launceston. Here, this Viking King of Van Diemen’s Land is depicted wearing a crown.
Despite being an adventurer, a master of several languages and an author of half a dozen books, Jorgen’s predicament was perhaps laid bare by himself in his autobiography from 1835, in which he wrote
In 1840, Norah died due to alcoholism and malnutrition. The following year, Jorgen himself died of pneumonia on 20 January 1841 at Colonial Hospital. He was 61. It is not known where he was laid to rest as he had no relatives and no money for a decent burial. Most likely it would have been in the ‘poor’ corner of Hobart’s municipal cemetery, which today is a public park. A portrait of him can, however, be found in the carvings on Ross Bridge (which also includes his wife, Norah) south of Launceston. Here, this Viking King of Van Diemen’s Land is depicted wearing a crown.
Despite being an adventurer, a master of several languages and an author of half a dozen books, Jorgen’s predicament was perhaps laid bare by himself in his autobiography from 1835, in which he wrote
I have had my full share of days, and little is there in this world to care for. All human wisdom is vanity if not regulated by prudence. One error leads to another, and every deviation from the straight path is sure to lead the strayed sheep into the masses of a labyrinth. |
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