Willoughbyland: England's Lost Colony

Not Just the Tudors

History Hit

History

4.8 • 3K Ratings

🗓️ 13 April 2023

⏱️ 39 minutes

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Summary

When Sir Walter Raleigh set out to South America to find the legendary city of El Dorado, he paved the way for a series of adventurers who would struggle against the harsh reality of South America’s wild jungles. Six decades later, when a group of English gentlemen expelled from England chose to establish a new colony in what is now Suriname, they named the settlement in honour of its founder Sir Francis Willoughby.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to author Matthew Parker. His book Willoughbyland: England’s Lost Colony tells the story of how this one-time paradise became a place of terror and cruelty, of sugar and slavery.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Since Columbus's first exploration of the northern coast of South America, Guyana, or
0:14.1	the wild coast as it was named by the Dutch, was seen by the Spanish, French, English and
0:19.6	Dutch as a place of discovery, settlement and wealth.
0:24.8	The early 17th century saw Dutch trading ports, a short-lived French colony and an English
0:30.2	settlement called Marshall's Creek.
0:32.8	Bremmedially following the English Civil War, a colony was formed on the north coast
0:36.8	of South America in what is modern-day Suriname.
0:40.2	It was an area previously visited by the Spanish the French and the English during the 16th
0:44.4	century, many of whom had sought out the golden city of Eldorado.
0:49.0	In 1650, it would become known as Williby Land.
0:53.6	And the story of Williby Land is a perfect microcosm of empire itself.
0:59.0	Joining me to discuss the events surrounding the establishment and surrender of the colony
1:04.0	is a truly wonderful writer, Matthew Parker, author and fellow of the Royal Historical Society,
1:10.3	whose works include Monte Cassino, the story of the hardest fought battle of World War
1:14.3	II, the Sugar Barons and Golden Eye, where Bond was born, in Fleming's Jamaica.
1:21.0	His next book is One Fine Day, 29th September 1923, Britain's Empire on the Brink, which
1:28.6	comes out later this year.
1:30.5	But the book we're going to be talking about today is Williby Land, England's Lost Colony,
1:35.9	which examines the events of this short-lived South American colony and its place in a larger
1:41.5	discussion of the nature of empire.
1:50.8	Matthew, it is an absolute pleasure to welcome you to not just the tutors.
1:54.1	I am delighted to have got you on to talk about Williby Land.
	...

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