Sir John Barham

Sir Johnathan Bertrand Barham was an Midlonian nobleman and Sea Captain who first sighted, logged, and recorded the island that was to become the Freethinker Mainland on the 17th of July 1654 whilst making sail for South America.

Brief Biography

Born into a family of famous adventurers, Barham soon became involved in similar exploits. Learning to sail by himself by the age of seven, he reportedly boasted to have survived no less than 'three shipwrecks' before he turned 20. Making his name transporting colonists to the New World and mapping large parts of the African and South American coast, he soon become a favourite of the Midlonian Court and also wrote a very self-flattering book detailing his adventures. After discovering what was to become Mainland, his return to Midlonia saw his advocacy of returning to establish a base for the navy on the Northern coast. His words were heeded by both the Midlonia and also by the people of Knootoss.

During the course of his career he made no less than a dozen stopovers at Pebble Landing, and soon began to truely like the place, despite the barren landscape, which he slowly began to view as something beautiful rather than desolute, and upon his retirement from the sea in 1667, he settled down on an estate several miles west of the town. However, during the 'War Of The Mainland' between the Midlonian and Knootian colonists, he returned to the ocean to command the small Colonial Navy to some surprising victories in the conflict, and was present at the surrender of Navarre in 1672. He was now a hero in both the Mainland and at home in Midlonia.

Unfortunately, eight years later at the age of 67, on 1st April 1680, Barham fell victim to an outbreak of the Plague after visiting Navarre, now the colony's Capital, on business. He was survived by two sons, Jacob and Joshua, and in his will left a considerable some of money to establish a 'School of the Navy' at Navarre. Ten years later, it was completed, and the building survives to this day as the Freethinker Naval College.

Legacy

Perhaps the greatest legacy of Sir John Barham is his family and descendents. The Barham Family is one of the most successful dynasties in the Freethinker Commonwealth and includes a large host of great military, political and academic leaders. The current Prime Minister, Sir Theodore Barham is a direct descendent of Sir John and benefited greatly from the connection, especially in the early part of his career.

Aside from the dynasty, many great maritime and civil engineering projects are named after him. These include;

FRNS Sir John Barham, the flagship of the Freethinker Royal Navy, a Doujin Class Super Dreadnought.

The Sir John Barham Bridge, a huge three mile span suspension bridge across the mouth of the Navarre Basin.

The Sir John Barham International Airport, one of the main aerospace ports handling Navarre.

Barham House, the classical-style main building at the Freethinker Naval College.