John Franklin

Explorer

Birthday April 16, 1786

Birth Sign Aries

Birthplace England

DEATH DATE Jun 11, 1847 (61)

#99,463 Most Popular

About

Famed arctic explorer who led Britain's largest expedition to seek the Northwest Passage and never came back from it.

Before Fame

He adopted an interest in the natural sciences in his teenage years.

Trivia

He made three successful trips to the northern wilderness, but on his fourth he perished with his crew.

Family Life

His first wife was poet Eleanor Anne Porden and his second wife was Jane Franklin.

Associated With

His doomed voyage inspired many works of art, including Wilkie Collins' and Charles Dickens' play The Frozen Deep.