In 1845, Sir John Franklin departed England in search of the fabled Northwest Passage, in command of HMS Terror and HMS Erebus. Franklin and all 129 under his command were never seen again. While relics, debris and bones have been found, the ships have eluded us as has the full story of the Franklin Expedition. This site is a catalog of readings, speculations, and links to Franklin related materials, as the mystery continues to capitivate many to this day. His ghost haunts us still.
Graves, Beechey Island, Nunavut
Franklin's Ghost
Arctic exploration and the search for the Northwest Passage has in many ways defined an essential part of the Canadian identity. The search for the lost Franklin Expedition in particular plays a significant role in defining Canada, both from mapping the mysterious frozen lands to interactions between Europeans and the ancient native cultures of the North to the symbolic and even mythic importance of the North to Canadian sovereignty and identity. As interest in finding the elusive answers and missing ships grows over 150 years after the expedition first set out, Sir John Franklin's ghost haunts us still.
This site is a catalog of the readings, thoughts and speculations of one amateur Canadian historian, as well as links to related materials and websites as the mystery continues to capitivate many to this day.
Ted Betts practices corporate law at a major Canadian law firm in Toronto. He obtained his BA and Master's in History from Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario with a focus on Canadian history (thesis: The Argument of the Century: The Ontario Press Coverage of the Scopes Trial and the Death of William Jennings Bryan). While he practices law and raises a family, he has remained a steadfast reader of history, particularly Canadian political and cultural history. Arctic exploration and the Franklin Expedition has over the years grown from an interest to a passion and now borders on being an obsession.
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