Stephen Borough was born in Northam, Devon, on 25 September 1525. He became an English navigator, Arctic explorer and naval administrator closely involved in England’s early attempts to find a north-eastern sea route towards Asia.

Borough learned navigation and seamanship from his uncle, John Borough. In 1553, he served as master of the Edward Bonaventure, one of three ships sent north to find a route to Cathay and India. Bad weather separated the expedition, but the Edward Bonaventure reached the White Sea. The voyage led to contact with Russia and helped establish the trading relationship later organised through the Muscovy Company.

Borough returned to northern waters in 1556 aboard the Searchthrift. During the voyage, he explored around Novaya Zemlya and the strait now known as the Kara Strait.

He also studied navigational methods. In 1558 he travelled to Seville to learn from Spanish navigators. After returning to England, he helped make continental navigational knowledge available to English mariners.

Borough later worked in the administration of Elizabeth I’s ships on the Medway. He became Master of Trinity House in 1572 and died at Chatham in 1584.