It’s 1845, and the world is in the midst of a new obsession, the hunt for the Northwest Passage. This mysterious, unnavigated section in the Canadian Arctic was thought to hold a passable sea route between the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans, which ran through the Arctic Ocean.
The Franklin Expedition, led by Sir John Franklin in 1845, was a British voyage of Arctic exploration that aimed to navigate the last unnavigated section of the Northwest Passage. The expedition consisted of two ships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, and a crew of 129 men. Both ships became icebound in the Canadian Arctic, and all members of the crew perished. It is the greatest disaster in British polar exploration history.
History of Northwest Passage Expeditions
Centuries before the doomed expedition of Erebus and Terror, the two ships that made up the Franklin Expedition, Europeans had been searching for a possible way through the masses of ice of the Arctic. Since the 15th century, ships had been exploring the region, all in an effort to increase the efficiency of trade with Asia.
Early expeditions through the region were hindered by a distinct lack of scientific knowledge about the area and sea travel in general. But, all the same, they persisted in their search for several centuries and as with all dangerous obsessions, this one led to disaster.
The route was not discovered until 1850 by Robert McClure, an Irish sailor. It was expanded by John Rae and then finally completed by Roald Amundsen who made the first complete passage between 1903 and 1906.
The Franklin Expedition
The Franklin expedition was dispatched in 1845, led by the two naval vessels, HMS Erebus captained by Sir John Franklin, and the HMS Terror, captained by Francis Crozier.
They were assigned to explore the region of the Arctic thought to hold a passage through to China—the hypothetical Northwest Passage. Before the Franklin expedition even began, it was rocky. The Admiralty did not originally want Franklin and Crozier as co-captains of The Franklin expedition. However, their first, second, and third choices were all out of reach due to other circumstances.
The ships set sail from Greenhithe, Kent in May of 1845. There were a total of 134 men, including 24 officers, onboard the two ships. They stopped off in the Orkney Islands and then in Greenland, a journey which took a total of thirty days.
Erebus and Terror
Before the start of the Franklin Expedition, Erebus and Terror were well-worn ships used in James Clark Ross’s expedition to the Antarctic in the early 40s (Crozier commanded Terror on this expedition as well). The ships were sturdy, built with steam engines converted from locomotives. They could travel on steam power or the wind in order to save fuel. They had stronger, reinforced bows than other ships of their time, something that was likely benefited them when navigating looser ice flows.
Terror was built as a “bomb vessel,” built to withstand the impact of explosions. The ship was involved in several battles in the War of 1812 and was then reutilized for exploration in the 1830s.
The two ships were provisioned with enough food for three years, a terrible prospect, but one which they knew was possible. There were some fresh items but also a great deal of tinned food (8,000 cans), provided by Stephen Goldner. Unfortunately, the tins would play a major part in the downfall of the Franklin expedition and the deaths of the men involved.
The Expedition’s Disappearance
The crews of both ships, as well as the ships themselves, disappeared off the face of the earth in 1848 while searching for the Northwest Passage. Late July, 1845 was the last time that the crew members were seen alive by Europeans.
Their fates remained a mystery for years. Around thirty expeditions were sent after them, first with the hope of finding someone alive and then out of simple scientific curiosity.
Discovery
On April 6, 1853, Lieutenant Bedford Pim led a rescue mission that made history by reaching the stranded crew of HMS Investigator, which had been trapped in the Arctic for three winters while searching for the lost Franklin Expedition.
Pim carried a dark blue sledge flag embroidered with the motto “HOPE ON HOPE EVER” by Lady Jane Franklin, the wife of Sir John Franklin, whose missing expedition had prompted numerous searches. The Investigator, under the command of Captain Robert McClure, had been sent to find the Northwest Passage from the Pacific side but became icebound near Banks Island.
Pim’s successful rescue mission marked the first time two expeditions, sent from opposite ends of the Arctic, met in the search for Franklin’s lost crew. This encounter, symbolized by the flag flown during the mission, became a key moment in Arctic exploration, embodying the hope and perseverance of the search parties even as the fate of the Franklin Expedition remained unknown.
Overview of the Expedition Timeline
The Franklin Expedition
The Franklin Expedition departed from Greenhithe, near London, England.
Last letters
Crew members mailed their last letters home.
HMS Erebus and Terror
HMS Erebus and Terror were sighted by Whaler in Baffin Bay
Expedition first winter
The expedition spent its first winter in the Arctic off Beechey Island, three crew members died.
King William Island
The ships were surrounded and stuck in ice northwest of King William Island.
Sir John Franklin died
Sir John Franklin died.
Men deserted the ship
The men deserted the ships.
Walk Out
The men landed on King William Island, officers left a note stating their plan to walk out.
HMS Erebus
HMS Erebus, is found.
Terror Bay
Terror is located in Terror Bay.
Investigation Into the Crew’s Deaths
In 1854, Dr. John Rae, a Scottish surgeon and explorer, renowned for his extensive work in Arctic exploration, returned from the Arctic with Inuit accounts suggesting that the Franklin expedition had perished west of the Back River.
It wasn’t until 1859 that physical clues were found. Forensic studies led by Owen Beattie in the 1980s revealed that the crew had suffered from starvation, scurvy, and severe lead poisoning. Beattie’s research indicated dangerously high levels of lead in the crew’s bones, likely caused by the lead solder used in the tinned food aboard the ships. Additionally, evidence of pneumonia, tuberculosis, and Pott’s Disease were discovered in some of the remains.
Notably, Rae’s discoveries were received with controversy, as he suggested that the Franklin’s crew may have engaged in cannibalism. This was met with public outrage and dismissed by figures such as Charles Dickens. However, later evidence confirmed the accuracy of his findings.
According to a log found with the remains, the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror became trapped in ice for nearly two years, with the crews desperately trying to free the ships. During this time, the captain of the Erebus, Sir John Franklin, along with twenty-three crew members, died. The log ended in April 1848, just before the remaining men decided to abandon the ships and attempt to walk across the Arctic in search of help.
The 1859 Note at Victory Point
In 1859, a crucial discovery was made when a preprinted Admiralty form was found near Victory Point on King William Island. This note, written in 1847, initially provided an optimistic account of the expedition. However, a second note was added in April 1848, revealing the grim reality: twenty-four crew members, including Franklin, had died, and the ships had been abandoned after being trapped in the ice for over nineteen months. The area where the note was found, known to the Inuit as Tununiq, was so remote and desolate that it was rarely visited by them.
Discovery of the Wrecks
The wrecks of the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror were finally discovered in 2014 and 2016, respectively. On September 1, 2014, parts of the Erebus were located on Hat Island in the Queen Maud Gulf near Nunavut’s King William Island. The Terror was found two years later, providing crucial answers but also raising new questions about the expedition’s fate. Since their discovery, Parks Canada, in collaboration with Inuit communities, has conducted extensive studies of the wrecks. Hundreds of artifacts have been recovered from both ships and are now available for public viewing, offering further insights into the expedition’s tragic end.
Ocean Insights: Hear From Our Experts
By Rida Nasir
Researcher and Conservationist, with an MSc in Environmental Science
FAQs
Were there any animals on the Franklin Expedition?
The ships initially set out with cattle, sheep, pork, and hens to be consumed during the early stages of the journey. Aboard the Erebus, there were also three pets: a monkey gifted by Lady jane Franklin, an elderly Newfoundland dog named Neptune, and a cat. The monkey, though entertaining, was a mischievous thief; Neptune was well-loved by the crew, and the cat served to catch rats.
Did the Franklin Expedition carry any scientific equipment?
Yes, the expedition carried advanced scientific equipment for the time, including devices for measuring magnetic fields, barometers, and thermometers to study the Arctic environment.
What happened to the supplies onboard HMS Erebus and Terror?
Though the ships were well-provisioned for a three-year journey, the tinned food supplies were poorly sealed, leading to lead contamination, which played a significant role in the crew’s deaths.
How did the Inuit contribute to the search for the Franklin Expedition?
Inuit oral histories were critical in locating the remains of the Franklin Expedition. Their detailed accounts of the ships and encounters with expedition survivors greatly assisted explorers and historians in piecing together what happened.
Was there any evidence of cannibalism during the Franklin Expedition?
Yes, there were rumors of cannibalism, initially reported by Inuit accounts and later supported by forensic evidence of cut marks on human bones, suggesting survival cannibalism among the crew in their final desperate days.
