Simpson, correspondence

• MS 248/473;D Letter to John Barrow, 20 August 1852 [Account of proceedings of HMS Plover in Franklin search]

In 1845 Sir John Franklin sailed north in command of the British Naval Northwest Passage Expedition. Sent by the Admiralty the two ships HMS Erebus (Franklin) and HMS Terror (Francis Crozier) were to search for a passage via Lancaster Sound. With provisions designed to last three years the expedition sailed north in May 1845. Whalers in Baffin Bay were the last Europeans to see the two ships in July of 1845.

Many searches were conducted for the missing expedition during the course of which the main facts regarding the route taken and the final fate of the expedition were established.

The British Naval Franklin Search Expedition, 1848-1852 (leader Thomas Moore) sent by the Admiralty to the Bering Strait region to serve as a depot ship for Franklin's missing expedition and to assist the British Naval Franklin Search Expedition, 1848-1850 (leader Henry Kellett).

Chronological

The letter is in the hand of Sophia Cracroft companion to Jane, Lady Franklin

The Institute holds several archival collections containing material relating to the British Naval Franklin Search Expedition, 1848-1852, see SPRI collections GB 015 Sir George Back, GB 015 John Busbridge, GB 015 Rochfort Maguire and GB 015 William Pullen

The letter is in the hand of Sophia Cracroft companion to Jane, Lady Franklin