George Anson (1697-1762) was born in Staffordshire to a London barrister. He entered the navy in 1712 rising in the ranks to Captain by 1723. At the outbreak of the war with Spain, Anson was given command of a squadron ordered to attack possessions in South America. Seven vessels left Portsmouth under the flagship ‘Centurion’ in September 1740. They arrived at Santa Catarina in southern Brazil in December where they refitted. They were separated after leaving but managed to find each other again before entering Le Maire Strait in March 1741. Passing by Chiloe, Chile, only four of the vessels made it to Juan Fernandez Island. With only 335 of the original 961 crew left, the ‘Anna’ had to be destroyed. Many of the crew were dying of scurvy at this point and notes taken on who recovered and what they had been eating were noted for future voyages.

Leaving the Juan Fernandez Islands in September 1741 they headed north to Acapulco taking Spanish vessels as they went. In May 1742 he left there striking out into the Pacific Ocean. Only the ‘Centurion’ made it to the Marianas in August 1742. Whilst there they were struck by a typhoon which ripped the vessel from its anchor and nearly wrecked it. After spending five months in Macao he headed for the Philippines where he captured the Manilla galleon treasure ship ‘Nuestra Senora de Covadonga’ before returning to Macao. From there he returned home arriving at Portsmouth in June 1744. The Philippines map records the route of the Spanish galleons was widely copied. Although the voyage lost over 1,000 men to scurvy, 300 to typhoid and dysentery, four in action, others to shipwreck, and 6 of the 7 vessels (Howgego), he returned with vast wealth, amongst which was over a million pieces of eight. Overall it was valued at an estimated £400,000 (about £66 million today).

This resulting official account was compiled from the notes of the ‘Centurion’s Chaplain Richard Walter. It was one of the most popular voyages to be published in the eighteenth century. It is remembered as ‘a classic tale of endurance and leadership in the face of fearful disasters, but to the British public of 1744 it was the treasure of the galleon, triumphantly paraded through the streets of London, which did something to restore national self-esteem battered by an unsuccessful war.’ (ODNB). Anson would go on to become Admiral of the Fleet and fought in the Seven Years War. Anson also captured a Spanish chart recording an archipelago to the west of California attributed to Juan Gaytan who sailed with Ruy Lopez de Villalobos (d.1546) from Mexico to the Philippines in 1542. It has since been used as evidence that the Spanish might have visited Hawaii before Captain James Cook. These are marked on the chart of the Pacific as ‘La Mesa’, ‘Los Majos’, and ‘La Disgraciada’. Provenance: Bookplate inside front cover of ‘Rev. J. Barker, Baslow’ (1761-1824); Jonathan Potter 1997; Juan and Peggy Rada Collection. Hill pp. 1817; Howgego (2003) A100 & V47; ODNB; Sabin (1868-1936) 1625; Shirley (2004) G.Ans 1a; Suarez (2004); Wallis (1992).