True Life Tuesday: Rose de Freycinet

This is an interesting story of the first woman to chronicle her voyage around the world.

Rose Pinon was born in Saint-Julien-du-Sault France in 1794. Her father was Etinne, a bank clerk, and her mother was Catherine, daughter of a coach builder. Her father died when she was young, along with her older brother, so she was in charge of her younger sister, Stephanie. Her mother ended up running a boarding school for girls where Rose also studied. 

At 19 she married 35 year old Louis Claude de Saulces de Freycinet, a member of the French aristocracy. The differences in their social classes was not an issue and they had a very happy marriage. Rose also had a very close and loving relationship with her in-laws. 

In 1817 Louis was given command of the Uranie by the French government. He was eventually given a commission to sail to Australia on a scientific expedition. Not wanting to be apart for several years Rose came aboard the ship dressed as a man. According to French law it was illegal for woman to be aboard a naval ship. 

It is believed that the government was tipped off to her presence by a sailor who was replaced so she could be on board. There were several attempts to meet the ship at different ports of call but it was unsuccessful. Eventually the ship wrecked on the Falkland Islands in 1820. The court marshal that investigated the wreck made no mention of Rose's presence on the ship. Rose died in Paris on May 7, 1832 after a short illness.

While she was on board she kept a diary of the voyage. She also wrote many letters to her mother who she missed intently. Since she never thought these would be published they were very open and honest. The journal and letters were published in 1927 and it is the first account of a around the world voyage written by a woman.