TELEVISION historian Dan Snow unveiled two memorials in Lyndhurst to commemorate Captain Arthur Phillip, Australia’s first governor.
Captain Phillip, who lived in both Lyndhurst and Lymington, led the First Fleet of convicts in 11 ships from Hampshire in 1787 to set up a new British colony and is widely acknowledged as the founder of modern day Australia.
Dan, assisted by President of New Forest Rotary Club Philip Dinn, unveiled a blue plaque, presented by Rotary Club, on the wall at Vernalls, Goose Green.
He went on to unveil a memorial bench outside the New Forest Centre, with 17th century bricks from Phillip’s former home at Vernalls included in the design.
Dan referred to the skills that Captain Phillip took with him from the New Forest to Australia and how they helped ensure the successful future of the colony.
Lyndhurst Parish Council chairman Mark Rollé thanked all those in both the UK and Australia, who had been involved in this joint project between Lyndhurst Parish Council and New Forest Centre, particularly Denis Smith and the Fellowship of First Fleeters and the Sydney-Portsmouth Sister City Committee in Australia.
The memorials are the final stage of the Heritage Lottery-funded project.
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