About John Brown
Lived 1797 – 1861 (aged 63–64). John Brown was a British geographer, writer and merchant.
John Brown (2 August 1797 – 7 February 1861) was a geographer, and was particularly interested in Franklin's lost expedition.
Life
Brown was born in Dover in 1797, and served for some time as a midshipman in the East India Company's service. In March 1819 he was forced to leave the sea because of poor eyesight. He went on to become a diamond merchant and made a fortune.
He took a keen interest in geographical exploration, and became a fellow of the Geographical Society in 1837. He presented a portrait of his friend James Weddell (the explorer of the Antarctic) to the society in 1839, with a letter advocating further expeditions. In 1843 Brown obtained a pension for Weddell's widow from Sir Robert Peel. He was a founder of the Ethnological Society of London in the same year.
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Important facts
People in John Brown's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Related people
Same field, nearest in time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped John Brown's
Frequently asked questions
Who was John Brown?
British geographer
When was John Brown born?
John Brown was born in 1797 in Dover.
When did John Brown die?
John Brown died in 1861.
What was John Brown's occupation?
John Brown was a geographer, writer and merchant.
What nationality was John Brown?
John Brown was British.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: John Brown (geographer)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John Brown. https://biography.guide/john-brown-geographer/
MLA: "John Brown." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-brown-geographer/.
Chicago: "John Brown." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-brown-geographer/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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