Sir John Franklin memorial, 19th century

Sir John Franklin memorial, 19th century. Bas relief from the base of the statue of Franklin by Matthew Noble (1818-1876) at Waterloo Place, London, erected in 1866. Franklin (1786-1847) commanded an Arctic expedition to discover the Northwest Passage - a navigable route between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans avoiding the treacherous Cape Horn. On reaching the North American mainland in 1846 the expedition was hindered by thick ice. Franklin died as did his entire team who perished of starvation and scurvy. A relief expedition sent out to find any survivors discovered a record of Franklin's expedition which proved he had discovered the Passage. Franklin is here telling his crew that the object of their voyage, the discovery of the Northwest Passage, has been achieved. ©SSPL/Science Museum