Have you ever wondered who discovered the North Pole. Indeed why anyone would go looking for it in such a dangerous and inhospitable region? We read about the North Pole and the Arctic regions, almost daily. But who were the first people to bring us accurate information about this part of our planet and why did they bother?
As you may know the geographical and magnetic north poles are in different locations. this is important when reading maps at sea because adustments have to be made in order to plot an accurate course. The further away from the equator and the nearer to the North or South Poles, the bigger the adjustment that needs to be made. Around Britain it is about 9 degrees, around Stockholm it is about 40 degrees.
Sir John Ross and his nephew Sir James Clark Ross made a huge contribution to maritime safety when they discovered the exact location of the magnetic north pole. This made it possible to plot journeys across open water much more accurately and safely.
So why did they do it? And how?
John Ross from Stranraer, was orphaned as a child and joined the navy at 9 or 10 years old. He had a distinguished career and proved himself an intelligent, brave man who helped to keep supplies of wood for ships masts flowing through the Baltic Sea until the end of the Napoleonic Wars.
He was asked by Sir John Barrow, the Second Secretary of the Navy, to explore the arctic in the hope of finding the North West Passage. This would mean a much shorter journey to the Pacific Ocean and was keenly sought. The expedition failed to find this new route but several years later John Ross raised a privately sponsored expedition which became trapped by ice for 4 years. Although it did not find the North West Passage, this expedition gave James the opportunity to explore the region with attention to detail that had never been done before. And it was he who established the location of the Magnetic North Pole.
The story of this expedition is one of the most exciting chapters in the whole history of exploration. Without even the benefit of waterproof clothing, John Ross and his crew set about the business of surviving against incredible odds. They met an isolated tribe of Inuit people who had never even seen a boat before. By making friends with them John Ross learned how to survive in such an extreme climate and adapted diet, clothing and shelter for himself and his men. Finally they escaped and returned to England.
Their story has been largely forgotten and ignored. This blog is the start of an attempt to gain acknowledgment and recognition for John Ross and James Clark Ross.
