Born at Greenway on the Dart, he became a courtier in Queen Elizabeth I's reign and served in France and Ireland. In 1566 he wrote a discourse promoting a north-west passage to China. Sir Humphrey Gilbert 1539-1583 In 1583 he colonised Newfoundland thus founding Britian's Overseas Empire. He was later lost at sea crying out "We are as near to heaven by sea as by land"