SHOW MENUNorthward Ho! The British Arctic Expedition 1875-76
Introduction
The two ships sailed up the west coast of Greenland, via Smith Sound, where it was believed that an ice‑free Open Polar Sea would allow a route to the North Pole, yet to be reached by any living soul.
Discovery set up winter quarters at Lady Franklin Bay at the far northwest of Greenland and was soon beset by ice. Nares, in the Alert, with Lieutenant George Egerton in his crew, pushed northwards around Ellesmere Island before finding shelter in readiness for an attempt to reach the Pole by sledge. It was the farthest north reached by any ship.
Commander Albert Hastings Markham duly reached an Arctic latitude of 83° 20' 26'N, 400 miles short of the Pole, but still the furthest north any human being had ever stood, but it became apparent that the expedition's equipment was unsuitable. The sledges were too heavy for the men to pull, and soon scurvy meant many of the party were dangerously unwell. And the Open Polar Sea proved a myth – only a wasteland of ice lay ahead.
With the sledging parties back on board, Nares hastily set sail for home, the Alert only escaping after blasting a way through the ice with gunpowder. The two ships finally reached Portsmouth to a heroes' welcome in November 1876.
This exhibit showcases letters from this early polar expedition. Most were sent to Lieutenant George Egerton who was fortunate to survive in the icy wastes. Several letters from his family wish him success and encourage him to be the first to stand 'on' the North Pole. Other letters are from expedition participants, including its leaders Sir George Nares and Commander Albert Markham. Several letters look back to the 1875 expedition and forward to the later attempts to reach the South Pole. Six of the letters are from Royal Navy admirals and five concern the famous explorer Captain Robert Falcon Scott.
This is a historic and important archive from an early Royal Navy attempt to reach the North Pole.
