Botany Bay

[mikal]

In the Isle of Thanet, you know the top right hand bit of Kent, we have a North Sea Coast with cliffs and bays, one of these bays has been called 'Botany Bay' all my 60 years of life.

My question is: are there any other 'Botany Bays' in Great Britain and was the famous one in Australia named after ours , or another, or was ours named after the Antipodean one. Thank you, in advance.
MiKAL

[Octavius]

Apart from the one in Australia, you have:

Botany Bay, a village in the London Borough of Enfield
Botany Bay, Kent, a bay in Broadstairs, Kent
Botany Bay, Bristol, a suburb of Bristol
Botany Bay, Derbyshire, a small hamlet in South Derbyshire

Initially the name Stingray Bay was used by Cook and other journal keepers on his expedition, for the stingrays they caught. That name was recorded on an Admiralty chart too. However, in his journal (prepared later from his log), he changed to "The great quantity of plants Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander found in this place occasioned my giving it the Name of Botany Bay"

I remember it most from the Irish song Fields of Athenry.... "For she'll live in hope and pray for her love in Botany Bay, It's so lonely 'round the fields of Athenry"

[dot.hawkes]

There is one in Chorley lancashire that is now the site of a refurbished Cotton mill and is now a tourist stop off from the M61, it has shops and antiques stuff.
http://www.botanybay.co.uk/

[dot.hawkes]

I think the retail Outlet that calls itsself Botany Bay is often confused with the actual area it is situated in, which was Botany Bay long before they took the name,
http://www.penninewaterways.co.uk/ll/ll69.htm

[mikal]

Thank you all for your information and speed in supplying answers, now if there is anything I can help you with just let me know. I particularly know a lot about nothing, so it may well be a long time before you call on my services :-)

[dot.hawkes]

well nothings better than anadin so i will take the nothing!

[starmack]

Octavius has mentioned the song "The Fields of Athenry," which will lkive for ever. Click on link below to see words to "Botany Bay," which is sung by Liam Clancy -- a great friend of and inspiration to the early Bob Dylan.

http://www.celtic-lyrics.com/forum/index.php?a utocom=tclc&code=lyrics&id=73

[jno]

there's an older Botany Bay song, as sung by convicts on their way to the penal colony - touching and funny too, as in the last verse where he solemnly advises aristocrats not to come to the same end as him.

Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ad-di-ty,
Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ay,
Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ad-di-ty
Oh we are bound for Botany Bay


Farewell to Old England forever
Farewell to my old pals as well
Farewell to the well known Old Bailee
Where I once used to be such a swell


There's the captain as is our commandeer,
There's bo'sun and all the ship's crew
There's first and the second class passengers,
Knows what we poor convicts goes through


'Taint leaving Old England we cares about,
'Taint 'cos we mispells wot we knows
But becos all we light finger'd gentry
Hop's around with a log on our toes.


Oh had I the wings of a turtle-dove,
I'd soar on my pinions so high,
Slap bang to the arms of my Polly love,
And in her sweet presence I'd die


Now all my young Dookies and Duchesses,
Take warning from what I've to say,
Mind all is your own as you touch-es-es,
Or you'll find us in Botany Bay,