FRANKLIN, Sir John (1786-1847)

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: GB 0402 SJF
Held at	: Royal Geographical Society   Click here to find out how to view this collection at http://www.rgs.org/OurWork/Collections/Collections.htm ›
Full title	: FRANKLIN, Sir John (1786-1847)
Date(s)	: 1801-1986
Level of description	: Collection (fonds)
Extent	: 1 box & 2 oversized files stored separately
Name of creator(s)	: Franklin | Sir | John | 1786-1847 | Knight | Arctic explorer | Rear Admiral

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

Born, 1786; educated at a preparatory school in St Ives, Huntingdonshire and at Louth grammar school; first-class volunteer in the Royal Navy; joined the Polyphemus, 1800; midshipman on Investigator; served aboard HMS Bellerophon at the Battle of Trafalgar, 1805; served at the Battle of New Orleans; first Arctic expedition, 1918-1822; second Arctic expedition, 1825-1827; Member of the Raleigh Club, Vice-President, 1830; Founder member of the Royal Geographical Society and Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, 1830-1847; Lieutenant-governor of Van Diemen's Land, 1836-1843; Northwest Passage expedition, 1845; died on the expedition, 1845.

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

Papers of Sir John Franklin, 1801-1847, chiefly relating to the ill-fated Franklin Expedition in search of the North-West Passage on HM Ships Erebus and Terror, 1845-1847, and the subsequent expeditions sent to search for survivors or relics of the expedition. Also, some earlier letters from Franklin mainly to relatives and letters from relatives to or about him. Some items relating to the bicentenary of Franklin's birth celebrated in 1986.

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:
English

System of arrangement:

10 files some with sub-files, items have been brought together from disparate sources over time and have not undergone any arrangement beyond the internal structure of the files.

Conditions governing access:

Open by appointment only, subject to completion of application form. Non-Fellows require a letter of reference.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Photocopying at Archivist's discretion, and subject to completion of 'application for copies' form. No reproduction or publication without permission of the RGS-IBG Archivist.

Finding aids:

The RGS archives: a handlist / compiled by Christine Kelly. London: RGS, 1977.

Archival Information

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

Multiple sources (see file level descriptions for details)

Allied Materials

Related material:

RGS Archives - Correspondence Blocks 1841-50 & 1851-60: Franklin, Lady Jane. RGS Archives - Sir George Back Collection.

National Register of Archives: Click here to view NRA record

Publication note:

Description Notes

Archivist's note:
Prepared by Huw Thomas, Archives Assistant using existing card index, DNB entry and JRGS and The record of the RGS 1830-1930 / by H. R. Mill. London: RGS, 1930. The fifty years work of the RGS / by C. R. Markham. London: RGS, 1881. Revised by Sarah Drewery.

Rules or conventions:
ISAD(G) ed.2, name authority NRA.

Date(s) of descriptions:
11th May 2000; Nov 2008.