Voyage into the Canadian Arctic
19 May 1845–22 April 1848 · sailing ship · approximate route
Representative route: Greenhithe → Disko Bay → Beechey Island → King William Island
maritime · polar
Franklin’s Lost Expedition
John Franklin’s two-ship expedition entered the Canadian Arctic in search of a Northwest Passage. Both ships were trapped in ice and all 129 remaining crew members died.
Dates19 May 1845–22 April 1848
Purposeroute finding, mapping
Outcomedisappeared
Transportsailing ship, foot
Historical significance
The disappearance prompted decades of searches and mapping. Inuit testimony and knowledge became essential to locating and understanding the wrecks.
England to King William Island
People
- John Franklin: British naval officer appointed to command the 1845 Northwest Passage expedition.
- Francis Crozier: Captain of HMS Terror who assumed command after Franklin’s death.
Vehicles
- HMS Erebus: Bomb vessel strengthened and fitted with auxiliary steam power for Franklin’s Arctic expedition.
- HMS Terror: Franklin expedition vessel commanded by Francis Crozier and later found in Terror Bay.
Major places
- Greenhithe: The Thames departure point of Franklin’s 1845 expedition.
- Disko Bay: The Greenland anchorage where the expedition made final preparations and sent letters home.
- Beechey Island: The expedition’s first Arctic wintering place, identified by graves and archaeological remains.
- King William Island: The region where the ships were abandoned and the surviving crew attempted to travel south.
Sources
- Franklin’s 1845 Expedition, Parks Canada. Official overview, route maps, chronology, and Inuit knowledge context.