Just south of that they arrived at an island so beautiful that he named that after his infant daughter who had died a few years earlier.

A beach near Falmouth, Cape Cod

She lies buried in the great churchyard in Bury St Edmunds. Her name was Martha and this island would henceforth be known as Martha’s Vineyard. Today few Americans could tell you who Martha of the vineyard was.

From there they continued to explore the area and it was on this very island Cuttyhunk that the expedition had its headquarters. So now you can see why I had to be here!

It had been hoped that this voyage in 1602 would lead to the first permanent English settlement in this new land.

But it wasn’t to be. Disenchantment set in and with insufficient numbers wishing to stay they set sail for home in June of that year.

It might be worth mentioning here that 12 years earlier Sir Walter Raleigh left a colony much further to the south at a place called Roanoke.

When ships returned with supplies the colony had disappeared. This was probably in the minds of those aboard Gosnold’s Concord when they decided to call it a day.

Bartholomew returned to his home in Bury St Edmunds, Queen Elizabeth the first died, James the first came to the throne and the movement for English colonisation gathered pace with the formation of the Virginia company.

In December 1606 Gosnold was again heading west. One hundred and five men and boys were transported by three ships.

One of them " Godspeed " was captained by gosnold, while the flagship " Susan Constant " was commanded by Admiral Christopher Newport.

It had been Gosnold’s misfortune to find himself in the wrong political camp for without doubt his greater experience would have placed him at the head of the expedition.

Replica ships at Jamestown settlement

Restoration and rebuilding is still continuing

Archaeologists hard at work

Meanwhile, work continues with archaeologists busy digging away to learn what they can of those first settlers.

Some human remains have already been unearthed but probably not those of Gosnold.

People here have overwhelmed me with their kindness and their enthusiasm to assist me with this project. I have spoken with historians, authors, native Americans and ordinary folk who are as keen as I to help give Gosnold his true place in history

Just why he doesn’t get the column inches he deserves is probably down to two things.

A statue of the famous John Smith

Sadly he died relatively young at the age of 36. Secondly and perhaps more importantly he didn’t blow is own trumpet. He is known to have written only one letter of the 1602 voyage and that was to his father.

While the likes of Captain John Smith (Pocahontas and all that ) wrote journals of their exploits and often embroidered their adventures, the Suffolk man remained modest to the end.

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As a North American who thought he knew something of our history, I am wonderfully surprised by this information. Thank you very much. This will lead to several pleasant days finding out more.
Henry Atherton, Sterling, USA

I haved asked countless locals here in Rochester MN USA if they have heared of Bartholomew Gosnold and not a single one had. I also asked how the name Martha's Vineyard came to be. I was given a multitude of answers but all were wrong. I read a report during this past week that the History Lessons in the UK schools should be made compulsary for all ages. I so agree with that report. To go forward one has to look back to learn. No body knows tomorrow but we should all know our yesterdays. The USA is so far behind in the teaching of their history. They should also teach more history and not just the USA, but of the rest of the worlds.
Kevin Dean, Rochester, USA

I agree that Bartholomew Gosnold has been very much neglected, in fact he is almost unknown and in the libraries and bookshops here in Bristol there are only a few references to him. John Cabot, who made a similar voyage over a century before starting from Bristol, is celebrated and yet he was Italian born while Bartholomew Gosnold was an English gentleman. I hope that by the 400th anniversary in 2006 there will be a programme about him on the national network. It is a real "Boy's Own" tale which would appeal to young people, also the Gosnold family are fascinating.

I must declare a personal interest in that I discovered him when typing my own name "DOGGETT" into the search engine and finding a website about the Doggett family in Suffolk in the 16th century, some of whom married into the Gosnold family and I believe he looks rather like my father, he has the Doggett lip and he may have been like in personality as my father was modest and self-effacing and it seems Bartholomew Gosnold was no self publicist. I knew absolutely nothing about him until I searched the internet, all this is very exciting news for me. We only knew the family were from East Anglia.
Rosemary Doggett, Bristol

My daughters Grandmother is a direct descendant of the Gosnold family and we were really excited to see the info on yr recent prog on him (found it on the net). My daughter's Dad has researched the family and would be very grateful for any further info you receive - esp as to whether or not his grave was found.
Nicky Thompson, Bognor Regis

Bartholomew Gosnold: We read about this in the Charlottesville paper and then went to the BBC for this account. Remember the research vessel Gosnold?
Janet & Curt, Gordonsville, Virginia, USA

Great news that they might have found the remains of Bartholemew. Does anyone know about the request for relatives to give blood for DNA testing or is this a hoax. The site for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities seems to be asking.

By the way in the next few weeks my book The Little Red bike is to be published. The first chapter is regarding the colonisation of America; the rest is a story of my life as a doctor, part humerous, part serious! Anyone interested please post me a message and I will respond. Address to correspond for a copy of the book: John K Gosnold Kenelm House Main Street Lelley East Yorkshire HU12 8SN England.
John Gosnold, Hull

I enjoyed the information about Capt. B. Gosnold....timely because of the discovery of what are thought to be his remains in Virginia. Do you have a list of the 32 persons on the ship Concord in 1602? Thank you!
Martha Ehlers, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, U.S.A.