Herman Spöring

“Herman Diedrich Spöring was born in Abo (then part of Sweden, now Turku, Finland) about 1733. His father, Herman Diedrich senior, held the chair of Medicine at Abo, and his son studied medicine there from 1748 to 1753. He then went to Stockholm to practise surgery, but about 1755 left Stockholm for London. Solander states that he ‘went to sea’, but whether ship’s surgeon, able seaman or in some other capacity is not known. In any case he does not appear to have continued to practise medicine. His family were personal friends of Linnaeus, and it is possible that the naturalist turned Sporing’s interest in the direction of natural history. Solander also informs us that Sporing worked as a watchmaker for eleven years in London, after which he became Solander’s personal clerk. Sporing’s skill with instruments was found to be most valuable upon the voyage. He repaired the quadrant after it had been stolen and slightly damaged in Tahiti, and Cook records how he was valued because of his capacity to repair defects in ship’s instruments. Banks, probably on Solander’s recommendation, employed him on the Endeavour as his secretary. One of his tasks was to transcribe Solander’s notes on the flora of Madeira, Brazil, Tierra del Fuego and the Society Islands…”

Source: Joppien & Smith, p. 75-76