William Weston

William Weston was a Bristol merchant and explorer, and the first Englishman to lead an expedition to North America.

Weston was of an obscure origin, and therefore, little is known of his early life. His first business activities included trade with the distant island of Madeira. He was also supporter of John Cabot, the explorer from Venice who led in 1497 the expedition from Bristol which resulted in discovery of North America. The following year it is known that he joined Cabot on his second voyage to America. Finally, in 1498 Weston led the third expedition to North America and the first expedition to be launched by the Englishman with the support of the King Henry VII.

Although it is not clear what he achieved, the expedition went as far as the Hudson’s Strait and can be counted as the first Northwest Passage expedition, commencing a centuries-long search to locate a sea-route around North America.