Frank Thomas Bullen

Frank Thomas Bullen (1857–1915), British author and novelist, was born of poor parents in Paddington, London and was educated for a few years at a dame school and Westbourne school, Paddington. At the age of 9 he left school and took up work as an errand boy. In 1869, aged 12, he went to sea and travelled to all parts of the world in various capacities from ship's boy to chief mate. In 1883 he became a clerk in the relatively new Meteorological Office where he served until 1889 becoming a Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society. His first love was always the sea; and his primary respect was always for the common seaman. As a result, he spent the last years of his life writing books and lecturing in an attempt to better the health, safety and living conditions of those men. His reputation was made over the publication of The Cruise of the " Cachelot" (1906). He died at Madeira.