Person    | Male  Born 16/4/1786  Died 11/6/1847

Captain, Sir John Franklin

Categories: Exploring, Tragedy

Countries: Arctic & Antarctic, Australia

Born Lincolnshire. Royal Navy. Governor of Tasmania 1836-43. where there is also a statue. Left England in 1845 leading an expedition of 2 ships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, to voyage the last unnavigated section of the North-West passage (across the Arctic, north of America). The expedition was lost and so is only erroneously credited with the discovery of the North-West Passage.

After two years his wife, Jane, became determined to discover the fate of the expedition devoting her energies and her funds to a total of 7 expeditions, the last being in 1875. Bellot lost his life on one of these trips. The search for and investigation into the remains of the expedition continued into the 1980s (36 search expeditions in all) and eventually concluded that they all died of: hypothermia, starvation, lead poisoning, scurvy, exposure, inadequate equipment and provisions. Knife marks on human bones prompted suggestions of cannibalism. The press of the day presented this as a big success and Franklin as a hero. Those Victorians, eh?

HMS Erebus was found in 2014 and HMS Terror in 2016, both well-preserved.

2018: The Guardian reported the death of Louie Kamookak, the Inuit historian, without whose tireless researches the remains might never have been found.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Captain, Sir John Franklin

Commemorated ati

Bellot memorial obelisk

33ft high red granite.  Described in detail at the splendid PMSA.

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John Franklin statue

{On the front of the plinth:} To the great arctic navigator and his brave co...

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Other Subjects

Robert Ferrier

Robert Ferrier

Role on the lost expedition: Able seaman on SS Erebus. See John Franklin.

Person, Exploring, Tragedy

1 memorial
Willliam Colbeck

Willliam Colbeck

Explorer. Born at 8 Myton Place, Hull. He made several expeditions to Antarctica, including one which convinced him of the best route to the south pole. This was later followed by Roald Amundsen, w...

Person, Exploring, Arctic & Antarctic

1 memorial
Harry D. S. Goodsir

Harry D. S. Goodsir

Role on the lost expedition: Officer on SS Erebus. See John Franklin.  A skeleton was found which is thought to be his.  See the picture source for how they did that.

Person, Exploring, Tragedy

1 memorial
David Sims

David Sims

Role on the lost expedition: Able seaman on SS Terror. See John Franklin.

Person, Exploring, Tragedy

1 memorial
John Hartnell

John Hartnell

Role on the lost expedition: Able seaman on SS Erebus. See John Franklin.

Person, Exploring, Tragedy

1 memorial

Previously viewed

R. Eves

R. Eves

Co-partner or employee of the South Suburban Gas Company. Served but did not die in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War served, WW1
1 memorial
Rifleman Frederic Thomas Atkinson

Rifleman Frederic Thomas Atkinson

Frederic Thomas Atkinson was born in Crewkerne, Somerset, the sixth of the nine children of William Joseph Atkinson (1859-1903) and Selina Atkinson née Lowman (1860-1911). His birth was registered ...

Person

War dead, WW1
2 memorials
Samuel Plimsoll

Samuel Plimsoll

SW1, Victoria Embankment

Note the charming seahorse design at the bottom of the railings.  London Details have some more information about this memorial.

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators
Sir Glenn Torpy, Air Chief Marshal

Sir Glenn Torpy, Air Chief Marshal

Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal, Sir Glenn Torpy KCB CBE DSO ADC.

Person, Armed Forces

1 memorial
Paul Hutcheson

Paul Hutcheson

Cycling to work in the Monday morning rush hour he was hit by a car and killed.  Aged 41 with two children.  A 28-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and fa...

Person, Cyclist, Tragedy

1 memorial