Thomas Button

Who was Thomas Button?

Sir Thomas Button was a Welsh officer of the Royal Navy and explorer who in 1612–1613 commanded an expedition that unsuccessfully attempted to locate explorer Henry Hudson and to navigate the Northwest Passage. It was, nonetheless, a voyage of discovery and Thomas Button was an explorer as well. Button sailed from England about the beginning of May 1612, in two ships; Resolution and Discovery and reached the mouth of a river which he named the Nelson after a member of the ships company who had died. They wintered at what is now known as Port Nelson and the next year headed north to search for the Northwest Passage. They lost the Resolution to sea ice and continued on to 65° North. He discovered and named Mansel Island and returned to England in September 1613. He is credited with exploring and securing the west coast of Hudson Bay for his country. He named the area New North Wales and New South Wales.

Button was knighted by James I. He continued on to have a successful naval career and became an Admiral, appointed 'Admiral of the King's Ships on the coast of Ireland' for the rest of his career.