Francis Tanfield
Sir Francis Tanfield(born 1565, date of death unknown) wasProprietary governorof theSouth Falklandcolony(in present-dayNewfoundland and Labrador,Canada) ofHenry Cary, 1st Viscount Falkland,his cousin's husband. Tanfield was to establish acolonyatRenewsand leftEnglandin 1623 with an unknown number of colonists. The settlers were harassed by migratory fishermen who used the harbour. He was the leader of the colony of South Falkland from 1623 to 1625. The colony was still in existence in 1626 when it was visited by SirRichard Whitbournebut the settlers likely returned to England shortly afterwards. By 1630, Tanfield was back in England about to embark toIrelandon a mission forKing Charles I.
The most probable identification of Tanfield is that he was the son of Clement Tanfield and his wife, Anne, ofGayton, Northamptonshire,born 1565. He was knighted in July 1603 and, in September, accompanied the new ambassador, Lord Spencer, to the court of the Duke ofWürttemberg,Frederick I,who was duke over what is now part ofGermany.
External links
[edit]- Government HouseThe Governorship of Newfoundland and Labrador
- Biography at theDictionary of Canadian Biography Online