Wiggins, Joseph, 1832-1905

Joseph Wiggins was born in Norwich in 1832. He joined his uncle Joseph Potts in Sunderland in 1847 where Potts was a ship owner. At the age of 27 Wiggins was master of Victoria the second largest steamer in the world.

Wiggins became interested in the possibilities of opening up a northern sea route to Russia. From 1874 onwards he sailed north in a variety of vessels with this in mind. He commanded the British Kara Sea Expedition, 1874, 1875, 1876-1877, the British Kara Sea Trading Expeditions, 1878, 1887, 1888, 1889, and 1894-1895, 1895-1896 and the British Russian Kara Sea Trading Expedition, 1893. He died in September 1905