The Golden Hinde: Diego the Circumnavigator

Bankside was once a bustling dock, where ships offloaded spices, bananas, pepper, cinnamon, and other exotic goods. In the 18th century, the river was so crowded with vessels that locals could reportedly cross by jumping from ship to ship. Sailors came from across the globe, and crews included people of all colours and backgrounds.

The Golden Hinde, celebrating its 30th anniversary at St Mary Overie Dock in 2026, is a faithful recreation of the ship Sir Francis Drake captained to circumnavigate the world between 1577 and 1580. During the voyage, Drake claimed parts of modern California for England and raided the Spanish fleet, bringing wealth to the crown and his investors.

One notable crew member was Diego the Circumnavigator, likely from Senegal, who had previously been enslaved by the Spanish. He escaped his masters in Panama, saving the English from a planned Spanish attack, and sailed with Drake back to England in 1573. Diego sailed again in 1577, surviving a severe attack off the coast of Chile in 1578, though he died a year later. His remarkable story is detailed in Miranda Kaufmann’s Black Tudors (2017).