Explorer Captain Matthew Flinders was the first man to navigate the entire continent of Australia confirming that it was a continent. His burial site had been lost since the mid 1800s but his remains were discovered during the excavations for HS2 near Euston in 2019. On 13th July this year he was reburied with military honours in the churchyard in the village of Donnington Lincolnshire where he was born. To mark this occasion The Cat and the Captain, a biography for children has been republished by Little Steps Publishing.

During his expeditions Matthew Flinders was accompanied by his mischievous but faithful cat, Trim. His feline friend was almost as intrepid an individual as his owner surviving a fall overboard and a shipwreck on the Great Barrier Reef before his demise in Mauritius where Matthew was held prisoner. Author Ruth Taylor, a cat lover, was researching pest control by ships’ cats when she was handed Matthew Flinders’ Biographical Tribute to the Memory of Trim. Somehow, during his escapades and hardship Matthew had managed to find the time to write a biography of his much loved cat. Ruth Taylor realised that this would appeal to children and has retold Trim and Matthew’s story in modern English. The Cat and the Captain is the result.

This fascinating biography not only details Matthew’s expeditions but also his childhood, family life and the historical background at the time, including references to other explorers, England’s war with France and the colonisation of Australia. Matthew’s strength of character and independent streak is evident in his early years when inspired by his reading of Robinson Crusoe he set his heart on going to sea. He told his father that he wanted to be an explorer rather than follow in his footsteps as a surgeon. At the age of 16 Matthew was assigned to a warship patrolling the English Channel and from then on we follow his fortunes as he takes risks and faces difficulties in his efforts to follow his dream. Ruth Taylor balances the challenge of exploration with the everyday problems of naval life at the time. Young readers will learn about scurvy, dysentery and malaria; the importance of trading routes and navigation; and the conflicts that were taking place around the world. We learn that Matthew was separated from his new wife for many years and that when he eventually returns to England his health had deteriorated although he did live to see his journal describing his expedition to Australia published.

The narrative style of this biography reads like an adventure and this plus the black and white illustrations by David Parkins including two detailed maps ensure that it has appeal to children. The inclusion of Trim who even joins the crew on his own chair at dinner will help too! The publishers have provided some comprehensive teaching notes which you can download here.

The Cat and the Captain: Trim the Cat & Matthew Flinders was published on 13th July in paperback by Little Steps Publishing and I should like to thank Sophia Whitfield for my review copy.

You may like to read the report of his reburial on the BBC News website. The Greenwich Museum also has some background information to the life of Matthew Flinders