Captain Greenville Collins (1624-1694) was an English navigator, surveyor, and cartographer who played a significant role in the development of maritime cartography during the seventeenth century. Born in Chichester, England, Collins began his career as a sailor in the Royal Navy and rose to the rank of captain by the time he retired in 1671.
After leaving the navy, Collins worked as a surveyor and cartographer, focusing on the coasts of England and Wales. He was appointed as one of the four principal officers of the English Hydrographic Office in 1681, which was responsible for the production and distribution of nautical charts and sailing directions.
Collins is best known for his major work, "Great Britain's Coasting Pilot", which was first published in 1693. This book provided a detailed survey of the coasts of England and Wales, including navigational information and charts. It was highly praised for its accuracy and usefulness, and remained the standard reference for British pilots and navigators for more than a century.
In addition to his work as a cartographer, Collins was also an accomplished astronomer and mathematician. He developed several innovative methods for determining longitude at sea, and his work on celestial navigation was highly respected by his contemporaries.
