Sir Francis Drake Commission

Commission History

On September 17, 1973, Assembly Bill 252, Chapter 250, established the Sir Francis Drake Commission as an independent agency. The primary function of the Commission was to organize celebrations for the quadricentennial of Sir Francis Drake's landing in California in 1579. The Commission met approximately six times each year between 1973 and 1980. During these years, two commissioners died and two resigned; four new commissioners were appointed. The final meeting of the Commission was held on December 13, 1980. See appendix A in the Master Finding Aid in the California State Archives reference room for a list of the commissioners.

According to legislation that established the Commission, it was to have at least one annual celebration every year from 1974-1980. This purpose of the Commission was fulfilled by events such as the 1975 visit to San Francisco Bay by the Golden Hinde II, which was seen in person by about 250,000 spectators and by many more on television. The Commission also sponsored student essay contests and a high school student exchange program with youth in Plymouth, England. Commissioners took trips to England to meet with officials in Plymouth and other locations. On one of these visits, commissioners viewed Drake materials with Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.

1979 was declared Drake year in California, and the Commission planned, sponsored or helped organize several major events. The U.C. Regents dedicated University of California Charter Day, April 5, 1979, to Drake. The event featured speeches at the Berkeley campus by the British Ambassador to the United States, Peter Jay, and the American Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Kingman Brewster, Jr. In May and June, Clark Library at UCLA held seminars and a six-week program in which six post-doctoral fellows studied the influence of Drake's circumnavigation. The key scholarly event in the California celebrations, however, was an international conference on Drake, held from June 10-17, 1979, with participation from influential Drake scholars. In San Francisco on June 17, 1979, another celebration took place with a Landing Day parade and a sermon at Grace Cathedral by the Lord Bishop of London.

In 1979, many Drake exhibits appeared - with extensive help from commissioners - at the California State Library, the Huntington Library, the De Young Museum, the California Academy of Sciences, UCLA and the Museum of Man in San Diego, and other locations.

Commissioners were also instrumental in having special postage stamps, postcards and commemorative medallions issued. And although the Commission was not charged with providing a definitive answer to the divisive scholarly debate on the original landing place of Sir Francis Drake's ship in California, it did place three bronze plaques commemorating the event: at Vista Point in Marin County, at Drake's Bay in Marin County and at the base of Drake's statue in Plymouth, England.

From the guide to the Sir Francis Drake Commission records, 1973-1984, (California State Archives)