Nick

Famed NASA astronaut and Apollo 13 commander Jim Lovell has died at age 97 Lovell commanded the mission that almost ended in disaster after an explosion that threatened the crew's oxygen and electrical supply. The inspiring story of their survival was made into a hit movie.

JUST IN: Lovell commanded the mission that almost ended in disaster after an explosion that threatened the crew's oxygen and electrical supply. The inspiring story of their survival was made into a hit movie.

Assistance - (Edward Belcher) - Ned North Star - (William Pullen) - Bill Resolute - (Henry Kellett) - HK Pioneer - (Sherard Osborn) - Steady Sherry Intrepid - (Leopold McClintock) - Irish Macca

I'm going through John Barrow Jr's Franklin Search correspondence & found this fun overview Captain Henry Kellett sent him of the captains of the vessels in the 1852-54 Search. Steady Sherry & Irish Macca!! [Kellett to Barrow Jr. 26 April 1852]
#NavalHistory

Image shows a colour plate from George Frederick McDougall's 1857 book The Eventful Voyage of HM Discovery Ship Resolute In The Arctic Regions. McDougall's art shows two beautiful ships being abandoned in the ice. The ships' companies are setting up sails on the sledges that will take them - and what little possessions they were allowed to carry - to Beechey Island. In the lower left of the image, one of the sailors is pointing a rifle at something we can't see. I'd love to tell you it was Edward Belcher, but sadly he made it back to the UK in one syphilitic piece.

The Odious Edward Belcher. Image shows a horrid old white man with the complexion of a heavy drinker. He is wearing a frogged-out naval uniform and the world's most punchable smirk.

It's exactly 171 years since #FranklinSearch ships HMS Resolute and HMS Intrepid were abandoned in the Arctic by The Odious Edward Belcher.

No, I'm not over it.

An embroidery hoop with five cross stitched penguins walking on ice across the bottom third of the fabric. Cross-stitch cursive script filling the rest of the space says “strange men planting flags on our land is no basis for a system of government”

*crosses out “planting flags” and replaces it with “putting tariffs”*

The front page of the 1845 muster book of HMS Erebus (TNA ADM 38/672). A note at the bottom reads "Officers & Ships Company are to be considered as having died in the Service & the Wages are to be paid to their Relatives to 31 March 1854".

The front page of the 1845 muster book of HMS Terror (TNA ADM 38/1962). A note at the bottom reads "Officers & Ships Company are to be considered as having died in the Service & the Wages are to be paid to their Relatives to 31 March 1854".

"...if intelligence be not received, before the 31st March of the officers and crews of HMS Erebus and Terror being alive, they will be considered as having died in service."

This "sentence of death", as Lady Franklin described it, fell on the #FranklinExpedition OTD in 1854. #NavalHistory

31 March 1854. The bureaucratic death of the Franklin Expedition: "Officers and ships Company are to be considered as having died in the Service & their wages are to be paid to their Relatives to 31 March 1854" [HMS Erebus muster, The National Archives] #NavalHistory

Fantastic post by @aglukaq.bsky.social!
www.aglooka.ca/anchors-and-...

Thank you! It's at least a starting point! I wasn't sure if it was generic fur cover to invoke the arctic or if it had some specific significance to the Victory Expedition.

Strange question, does anyone know what fur is wrapped around Ross in this painting?

New additions to the polar library. Halls second book and Woodwards biography of Jane Franklin. Halls book came with a lovely map.

A history of polar exploration in 50 objects Anne returns with her fourth polar book to talk about objects from a period of exploration.

Anne Strathie, polar biographer and excellent person, is giving a talk at the RGS on her newest book, Monday 27 Jan 14:30 GMT. Register online to attend in person or join the Zoom livestream: www.rgs.org/events/upcom...

Image shows a very goth gravestone. There is a bronze bas relief of sail ships in an icy landscape near the top. The inscription reads: Robert Anstruther Goodsir M.D. Arctic explorer and traveller who in 1849 sailed in the ship "Advice" in search of the Franklin Expedition and again in 1850 as surgeon accompanied the expedition fitted out for the same purpose by Lady Franklin. Born 1823 Died 1895 The grave is located in Dean Cemetery in Edinburgh.

Robert Anstruther Goodsir died OTD in 1895, aged 71. Much of his life is opaque. But what we /do/ have shows a brave, brilliant, compassionate man, who often put himself at great risk to help others.

He's also the best writer by far of all the people who searched for the #FranklinExpedition.

Part one: Australia, 1880 - THERE STOOD NO FRIENDLY FINGER-POST TO GUIDE US In 1880, an astonishing account of a search for the Franklin Expedition was published in Australia. The author was Robert Anstruther Goodsir.

He wasn't the only brother or son or uncle who went to the Arctic looking for a much-loved missing family member on Erebus or Terror. But he appears to be the only one whose account has survived, albeit hidden under a pseudonym in an Australian newspaper.
finger-post.blog/robert-goods...

So pleased to finally see Fitzjames represented at the National Maritime Museum Greenwich! His saving of a man from drowning at great personal risk was indeed heroic. 👏 His adoptive father Robert Coningham was so proud that Fitzjames was awarded this cup & gave it a place of honour in his house.

Image shows the original grave marker erected on Beechey Island, Nunavut, above the grave of John Torrington of HMS Terror. The inscription reads: SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF JOHN TORRINGTON, WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE JANUARY 1st AD.1846, ON BOARD of H·M·SHIP TERROR, AGED 20 YEARS Photo by Logan Zachary/illuminatorblog

It's 179 years since John Torrington, stoker on HMS Terror, died on board his ship at Beechey Island in Nunavut.

This is the most legible of the three #FranklinExpedition gravemarkers now under the loving care of the Government of Nunavut’s Heritage Collections at Gatineau, QC.

A magic lantern slide. Image shows Inuit - a woman, Tookoolito (Hannah) on the left and a man, Ebierbing (Joe) on the right. There is a bearded white man in the middle.

Few people have embodied the oral history of the #FranklinExpedition as completely as Tookoolito (Hannah). Her many achievements as interpreter and guide came at great personal cost. She died OTD in 1876, aged only 38.

www.atlasobscura.com/articles/too...

The Land Was Always Used: An Inuit Oral History of the Franklin Expedition The Land Was Always Used: An Inuit Oral History of the Franklin Expedition Edited by Connie Gunn Gjoa Haven: Nattilik Heritage Centre, 2024 ...

arcticbookreview.blogspot.com/2024/12/the-...

Screenshot of the wikipedia page for Merychippus, a proto-horse that lived in North America 15.97-5.33 million years ago. It had three toes on each foot.

Merychippus everyone 🎄🐎

My favorite event of 2024 was Terror Camp Terror Camp is an online conference where polar exploration meets fandom, with spectacular results

As usual I had so much fun at Terror Camp this year - and learned A LOT!! www.polygon.com/culture/5009...

A graphite drawing of a man in naval uniform sitting in front of the windows of the captain’s cabin in a sailing ship, next to a table. There are two kittens on the table. One is inspecting a teacup and the other is on its hind legs looking for attention

Also since it’s Antarctic kitten time, this is an older drawing that I’m not particularly proud of but I put a filter over it so here, have some kittens and a perplexed Ross

Every Videogame From 1954. Happy Holidays!

First page of a handwritten letter, dated Harrington 16th December 1824.

Detail from the letter which reads 'The flag you have is the size for a ship. I think three yards long by two wide sufficiently large for a boat – if my Naval Man should call before you commence, consult him, if not let that be the Size.'

#OnThisDay in 1824 #SirJohnFranklin replied to his wife, Eleanor, about Christmas arrangements and the size of that flag. Apparently the size she's been given is for a ship, whereas he only needs her to make one big enough for a boat.

#FranklinExpedition

New transcriptions of the Beechey Island gravemarkers. By Logan Zachary & Alison Freebairn. December 11th, 2024  (1st installment:  January 21st, 2024) . ▽ Photographs by Logan Zachary.  B...

Excellent analysis on the Beechey Island grave markers! Fine work by Logan and Alison!
www.illuminator.blog/p/gravemarke...

A new JWST deep field.

All the eight-sided features are local stars in the Milky Way.

Everything else is a galaxy.

EVERYTHING ELSE IS A GALAXY.

First page of a handwritten letter dated Friday December 10, 18hrs.

Detail of the letter which reads 'Commissioner Thomson has sent the Flag, but it is five yards long by three wide, which is longer than you led me to expect, and I shall be obliged by your letting me know when you write what size I am to make mine, as I find there is some work in it, and am anxious to begin.'

#OnThisDay in 1824 Eleanor Franklin wrote to her husband, arctic explorer #SirJohnFranklin, about Christmas preparations and to say that the Admiralty had sent a flag for his next expedition. But was it the right size? Find out when he replies on the 16th...

#FranklinExpedition

Page of John Barrow's journal from 1870, with a picture of Barrow in his Paddington Rifles uniform. My picture of journal in the collection of the Weston Library, Oxford.

On 9 December 1898, John Barrow died in his 90th year. In the village of Kingham where he lived, he was known as somebody who was "always ready with purse & sympathy to relieve the distressed." He had, of course, also been Fitzjames' beloved & devoted friend. #NavalHistory #MilitaryHistory #19thC

Two tuxedo cats trying to look innocent

Nothing suspicious going on here