Egmont Street

On his first voyage in Endeavour, James Cook made an entry in his journal on 13 January 1770: "At 5am saw for a few minutes the top of the peaked mountain above the clowds [sic], bearing NE; It is of prodigious height and its top is cover'd with everlasting snow. It lies in the latitude of 39°16' S and in the longitude of 185°15' W. I have named it Mount Egmont in honour of the Earl of Egmont."

After that the name "Egmont" became synonymous with things Taranaki and many a business, sports club as well as our couple of streets proudly sported the title. Its popularity has waned since the mountain has become predominantly "Taranaki", and it has to be said that the Earl of Egmont had no relationship with this region other than encouraging Cook's voyage.

This Earl of Egmont was in fact the second earl, John Perceval, who had the distinction of being the First Lord of the British Admiralty from 1763 until 1766. It was in this role that he encouraged Cook to undertake his first voyage.

Perceval had also been created Lord of the Bedchamber to the Prince of Wales in 1748. A curious title whose duties consisted of assisting the Royal with his dressing, waiting on him when he ate in private, guarding access to him in his bedchamber and closet and providing companionship. It all sounds a bit British public school, but I am sure he took his role very seriously.

When not promoting things nautical or keeping an eye out for the Prince in his boudoir, Perceval had a political career. Firstly he held a seat in the Irish House of Commons (1731-1749), then in the British commons and eventually a peerage in 1762 when created Baron Lovel and Holland of Enmore.

Unfortunately this was also the time of William Pitt as prime minister in the UK. Perceval disapproved of Pitt's foreign policy and resigned from the admiralty in 1766, and refused any office so long as Pitt was PM.

He died in 1770 aged 59 in and was buried at Charlton Kent.

This story was originally published in the Taranaki Daily News.