Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-gb8f7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T20:55:36.944Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

‘The cold of Valparaiso’: the disintegration of William Kennedy's second Franklin search expedition, 1853–1854

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 October 2009

William Barr
William Barr
Affiliation:
Department of Geography, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5A5, Canada
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

In the autumn of 1852, convinced that a successful search for her husband's missing expedition via Bering Strait could only be guaranteed by using a steam vessel, Jane, Lady Franklin, decided to dispatch such a vessel herself (this was the third such expedition she mounted). Her choice of vessel fell on the screw schooner Isabel, which Captain E.A. Inglefield had just brought back from his search of Smith Sound and Jones Sound. The captain she selected was William Kennedy, who, with Enseigne-de-vaisseau Joseph-René Bellot as second-in-command, had just returned from an expedition to the eastern Arctic in Prince Albert. After a few brief months of hectic preparations, in which Lady Franklin and her niece Sophia Cracroft played an unusually active role, Isabel sailed from the Thames on 1 April 1853, bound for Bering Strait via the Strait of Magellan. Despite warnings not to do so (largely due to the danger of losing his crew to the lure of the Californian and Australian gold rushes), Kennedy put into Valparaiso on 26 August 1853. Almost all his officers and crew jumped ship. After more than two years of frustration, during which he generated some revenue by several coastal voyages off Chile, at Lady Franklin's request Kennedy brought Isabel back to England in early December 1855. Isabel was found to have dry rot and was sold. Kennedy fell out with Lady Franklin and did not participate in any further Arctic searches.

Type
Articles
Information
Polar Record , Volume 34 , Issue 190 , July 1998 , pp. 203 - 218
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1998

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Addington, H.U. 1852. Letter to Sir Roderick Murchison, 2 March 1852. In: Arctic expeditions. The Times 5 03 1852: 4.Google Scholar
Arnott, G.M. 1853. Letter to Joseph Hooker, 26 02 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 111.Google Scholar
Baikie, J. 1853. Letter to William Kennedy, 21 02 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 100.Google Scholar
Barclay, A. 1853. Letter to James Douglas, 16 03 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 208.Google Scholar
Bardin, R. 1853a. Letter to John Barrow, 02 04 1853. BL, Barrow Bequest, Vol IX (Add 35,308): 273.Google Scholar
Bardin, R. 1853b. Letter to John Barrow, 08 04 1853. BL, Barrow Bequest, Vol IX (Add 35,308): 278.Google Scholar
Bardin, R. 1853c. Letter to John Barrow, 03 06 1853. BL, Barrow Bequest, Vol IX (Add 35,308): 283.Google Scholar
Bardin, R. 1853d. Letter to John Barrow, 12 05/20 06 1853. BL, Barrow Bequest, Vol IX (Add 35,308): 279.Google Scholar
Bardin, R. 1853e. Letter to John Barrow, 22 08 1853. BL, Barrow Bequest, Vol IX (Add 35,308): 290.Google Scholar
Bardin, R. 1853f. Letter to John Barrow, 13 10 1853. BL, Barrow Bequest, Vol IX (Add 35,308): 298.Google Scholar
Barrow, J. 1853. Letter to Sophia Cracroft, 01 03 1853. SPRI MS 110/248: 129.Google Scholar
Beatson, D. 1852. Letter to Sir Roderick Murchison, 12 January 1852. In: Royal Geographical Society. The Times 13 01 1852: 5.Google Scholar
Beaufort, F. 1853. Letter to William Kennedy, 07 03 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 162.Google Scholar
Bellot, J.-R. 1855. Memoirs of Lieutenant Joseph-René Bellot…with his journal of a voyage in the polar seas, in search of Sir John Franklin. 2 vols. London: Hurst and Blackett.Google Scholar
Bockstoce, J. (editor). 1988. The journal of Rochfort Maguire 1852–1854: two years at Point Barrow, Alaska, aboard HMS Plover in the search for Sir John Franklin. 2 vols. London: Hakluyt Society.Google Scholar
Butler, G. 1853. Letter to William Kennedy, 15 03 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 209.Google Scholar
Christ's College (Hobart). 1852. Letter to Lady Franklin, 06 1852. SPRI MS 248/206/5.Google Scholar
Collinson, R. 1889. Journal of HMS Enterprise, on the expedition in search of Sir John Franklin's ships by Behring Strait, 1850–55. London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington.Google Scholar
Cowie, J. 1853. Letter to William Kennedy, 14 03 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 237.Google Scholar
Cracroft, S. 1853a. Diary entry, 07 02 1853. SPRI MS THE COLD OF VALPARAISO' 217 248/110: 25.Google Scholar
Cracroft, S. 1853b. Diary entry, 17 02 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 77.Google Scholar
Cracroft, S. 1853c. Diary entry, 18 02 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 79.Google Scholar
Cracroft, S. 1853d. Letter to John Rennie, 11 02 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 44.Google Scholar
Cracroft, S. 1853e. Letter to Joseph Hooker, 14 02 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 57.Google Scholar
Cracroft, S. 1853f. Letter to Joseph Hooker, 24 02 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 102.Google Scholar
Cracroft, S. 1853g. Diary entry, 19 03 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 219, 224.Google Scholar
Cracroft, S. 1853h. List of articles from Prince Albert required by Isabel. SPRI MS 248/110: 73.Google Scholar
Cracroft, S. 1853i. Letter to Captain Thomas Moore, 12 02 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 31.Google Scholar
Cracroft, J. 1853j. Letter to Captain Thomas Moore, 12 02 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 48.Google Scholar
Cracroft, S. 1853k. Diary entry, 11 03 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 183.Google Scholar
Cracroft, S. 18531. Letter to Mr Levesque, 12 03 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 185.Google Scholar
Cracroft, S. 1853m. Diary entry, 08 03 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 167.Google Scholar
Cracroft, S. 1853n. Diary entry, 10 03 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 175.Google Scholar
Cracroft, S. 18530. Letter to William Kennedy, 23 03 1853. PAM MG 2 c 1: 76.Google Scholar
Cracroft, S. 1853p. Letter to William Kennedy, 03 1853. PAM MG 2 c 1: 78.Google Scholar
Cracroft, S. 1853q. Diary entry, 30 03 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 261.Google Scholar
Cracroft, S. 1853r. Diary entry, 28 03 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 254.Google Scholar
Cracroft, S. 1853s. Diary entry, 31 03 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 265.Google Scholar
Cracroft, S. 1853t. Diary entry, 26 02 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 113.Google Scholar
Cracroft, S. 1853u. Letter to William Kennedy, 16 12 1853. PAM MG 2 c 1: 79.Google Scholar
Cracroft, S. 1854a. Letter to William Kennedy, 20 04 1854. PAM MG 2 c 1: 83.Google Scholar
Cracroft, S. 1855a. Letter to William Kennedy, 01 05 1855. PAM MG 2 c 1: 91.Google Scholar
Cracroft, S. 1855b. Letter to William Kennedy, 07 12 1855. PAM MG 2 c 1: 92.Google Scholar
Cracroft, S. 1856a. Letter to William Kennedy, 17 05 1856. PAM MG 2 c 1: 98.Google Scholar
Cracroft, S. 1856b. Letter to William Kennedy, 29 08 1856. PAM MG 2 c 1: 102.Google Scholar
Fitzroy, R. 1853. Letter to Lady Franklin, 08 03 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 164.Google Scholar
Franklin, J. 1853a. Letter to Mr Baikie, 08 02 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 27–28.Google Scholar
Franklin, J. 1853b. Letter to William Hamilton, 08 02 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 33.Google Scholar
Franklin, J. 1853c. Letter to William Hamilton, 18 02 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 78–79.Google Scholar
Franklin, J. 1853d. Letter to William Kennedy, 20 02 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 83.Google Scholar
Franklin, J. 1853e. Letter to William Hamilton, 21 02 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 86.Google Scholar
Franklin, J. 1853f. Letter to Mr Wylie, 24 02 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 101.Google Scholar
Franklin, J. 1853g. Letter to Sir John Richardson, 28 02 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 116.Google Scholar
Franklin, J. 1853h. Letter to William Kennedy, 03 03 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 138.Google Scholar
Franklin, J. 1853i Letter to Archibald Barclay, 11 02 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 41.Google Scholar
Franklin, J. 1853j. Letter to Linklater, Toulmin & Co, 01 03 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 127.Google Scholar
Franklin, J. 1853k. Letter to Sir Thomas Hastings, 28 02 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 123.Google Scholar
Franklin, J. 1853l. Letter to William Kennedy, 09 03 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 171.Google Scholar
Franklin, J. 1853m. Diary entry, 10 03 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 175.Google Scholar
Franklin, J. 1853n. Letter to William Hamilton, 25 02 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 109.Google Scholar
Franklin, J. 1853o. Diary entry, 11 03 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 184.Google Scholar
Franklin, J. 1853p. Letter to Baron von Brunnow, 07 03 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 160.Google Scholar
Franklin, J. 1853q. Letter to Captain Robert Fitzroy, 07 03 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 163.Google Scholar
Franklin, J. 1853r. Diary entry, 01 03 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 129.Google Scholar
Franklin, J. 1853s. Letter to William Kennedy, 02 03 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 136.Google Scholar
Franklin, J. 1853t. Letter to E.A. Inglefield, 20 02 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 75.Google Scholar
Franklin, J. 1853u. Diary entry, 14 02 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 61.Google Scholar
Franklin, J. 1853v. Diary entry, 15 02 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 62.Google Scholar
Franklin, J. 1853w. Diary entry, 28 03 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 254.Google Scholar
Franklin, J. 1854a. Letterto William Kennedy, 01 06 1854. PAM MG 2 c 1: 84.Google Scholar
Franklin, J. 1854b. Letter to William Kennedy, 01 08 1854. PAM MG 2 c 1: 86.Google Scholar
Franklin, J. 1854c. Letter to William Kennedy, 01 12 1854. PAM MG 2 c 1: 88.Google Scholar
Henstowe, H. 1852. Letter to Lady Franklin, 23 09 1852. SPRI MS 248/206/1.Google Scholar
Hamilton, W. 1853. Letter to Lady Franklin, 21 02 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 90.Google Scholar
Hodgson, M. 1974. Bellot and Kennedy: a contrast in personalities. The Beaver 305 (1): 55–58.Google Scholar
Hooker, J. 1853a. Letter to Lady Franklin, 16 02 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 74.Google Scholar
Hooker, J. 1853b. Letter to Sophia Cracroft, 24 02 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 102.Google Scholar
Inglefield, E.A. 1852a. A summer search for Sir John Franklin with a peep into the polar basin. London: Thomas Harrison.Google Scholar
Inglefield, E.A. 1852b. Testimonial for Richard Bardin, 18 12 1852. SPRI MS 248/110: 64.Google Scholar
Kay, I.H. 1853. Letter to Lady Franklin, 03 11 1852. SPRI MS 248/110: 168.Google Scholar
Kennedy, W. 1853a. A short narrative of the second voyage of the Prince Albert in search of Sir John Franklin. London: W.H. Dalton.Google Scholar
Kennedy, W. 1853b. Letter to John Baikie, 07 02 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 27.Google Scholar
Kennedy, W. 1853c. Letter to Andrew McIntyre, 14 03 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 191.Google Scholar
Kennedy, W. 1853d. Letter to Sir Francis Beaufort, 05 03 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 150.Google Scholar
Kennedy, W. 1853e. Memorandum to Edward Dunsterville, 15 03 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 199.Google Scholar
Kennedy, W. 1853f. Letter to Colonel E.B. Phipps, 07 03 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 160–161.Google Scholar
Kennedy, W. 1853g. Letter to Lady Franklin, 01 04 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 273; MS 248/433/3.Google Scholar
Kennedy, W. 1853h. Letter to Lady Franklin, 03 04 1853. SPRI MS 248/433/4.Google Scholar
Kennedy, W. 1853i. Letter to John Barrow, 03 04 1853. BL, Barrow Bequest, Vol IX (Add 35,308): 275.Google Scholar
Kennedy, W. 1853j. Letter to Lady Franklin, 04 04 1853. SPRI MS 248/433/5.Google Scholar
Kennedy, W. 1853k. Letter to Lady Franklin, 08 04 1853. SPRI MS 248/433/7.Google Scholar
Kennedy, W. 18531. Letter to John Barrow, 13 05 1853. BL, Barrow Bequest, Vol IX (Add 35,308): 281.Google Scholar
Kennedy, W. 1853m. Letter to John Barrow, 17/26 08 1853. BL, Barrow Bequest, Vol IX (Add 35,308): 286.Google Scholar
Kennedy, W. 1853n. Letter to John Barrow, 31 08 1853. BL, Barrow Bequest Vol IX (Add 35,308): 292.Google Scholar
Kennedy, W. 18530. Letter to John Barrow, 15 09 1853. BL, Barrow Bequest Vol IX (Add 35,308): 294.Google Scholar
Kennedy, W. 1853p. Letter to John Barrow, 13 10 1853. BL, Barrow Bequest, Vol IX (Add 35,308): 296.Google Scholar
Kennedy, W. 1854a. Letter to John Barrow, 14 01 1854. BL, Barrow Bequest, Vol IX (Add 35,308): 302.Google Scholar
Kennedy, W. 1854b. Letter to John Barrow, 31 01 1854. BL, Barrow Bequest, Vol IX (Add 35,308): 304.Google Scholar
Kennedy, W. 1854c. Letter to John Barrow, 13 06 1854. BL, Barrow Bequest, Vol IX (Add 35,308): 306.Google Scholar
Linklater, Toulmin & Co. 1853. Letter to Lady Franklin, 01 03 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 125.Google Scholar
Members of the Committee of the Colonists. 1852. Letter to Lady Franklin, nd. SPRI MS 248/206/3.Google Scholar
Moore, T. 1853. Letter to Sophia Cracroft, 11 02 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 46.Google Scholar
Murchison, R. 1852. President's annual address. Journal of the Royal Geographical Society 22: Ixxii–lxxx.Google Scholar
Murchison, R. 1853. Letter to Lady Franklin, 12 03 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 186.Google Scholar
Office of Ordnance. 1853. Letter to William Kennedy, 09 03 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 170.Google Scholar
Osborn, S. (editor). 1856. The discovery of the North-west Passage by HMS ‘Investigator’, CaptR. M'Clure, 1850, 1851, 1852, 1853, 1854…from the logs and journals of Capt Robert Le M. M'Clure. London: Longman, Sampson Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington.Google Scholar
Osborne, R. 1853a. Letter to Lady Franklin, 28 02 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 130.Google Scholar
Osborne, R. 1853b. Letter to Lady Franklin, 16 03 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 207.Google Scholar
Phipps, C.B. 1853. Letter to William Kennedy, 09 03 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 173.Google Scholar
Rae, J. 1854. Letter to the Admiralty, 29 07 1854. The Times, 23 10 1854: 7.Google Scholar
Rennie, J.G.J. 1853. Letter to Lady Franklin, 25 02 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 120.Google Scholar
Shaw, E.C. 1970–1971. Captain William Kennedy — an extraordinary Canadian. Historical and Scientific Society of Manitoba Transactions Series III, 27: 7–18.Google Scholar
Shaw, E.C. 1982. Kennedy, William. Dictionary of Canadian Biography, Vol XI: 1881 to 1890. Toronto: University of Toronto Press: 470–471.Google Scholar
Stone, I.R. 1988. The Arctic portraits of Stephen Pearce. Polar Record' 24 (148): 55–58.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
von Brunnow, Baron. 1853. Letter to Lady Franklin, 11 03 1853. SPRI MS 248/110: 184.Google Scholar
Woodward, F.J. 1951. Portrait of Jane: a life of Lady Franklin. London: Hodder and Stoughton.Google Scholar