McClure, Sir Robert John National Historic Person
TBD, N/A
Captain Sir Robert J Le Messier McClure
(© Library and Archives Canada | Bibliothèque et Archives Canada, Acc. No. R9266-1040 Peter Winkworth Collection of Canadiana | Collection de Canadiana Peter Winkworth)
Address :
TBD, N/A
Recognition Statute:
Historic Sites and Monuments Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. H-4)
Designation Date:
1972-10-11
Life Date:
1807 to 1873
Other Name(s):
-
McClure, Sir Robert John
(Designation Name)
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Sir Robert John Le Mesurier McClure
(Plaque name)
Research Report Number:
1962-036, 1967-001, 2008-CED-SDC-014, 2008-CED-SDC-018, 2012-CED-SDC-010
Importance:
Arctic explorer, crossed Northwest Passage (1851-53) in search of Franklin
Plaque(s)
Robert McClures fame rests on one great feat of Arctic exploration. Sent in HMS INVESTIGATOR to search for Franklin from the Pacific end of the North West Passage he reached a point on Banks Island opposite Parrys most westerly advance of 1820. INVESTIGATOR was icebound for three years (1851- 3) at Mercy Bay; but the party explored much of the region on foot before being rescued by the crew of HMS RESOLUTE which had sailed west as far as Melville Island. Returning to England via Lancaster Sound and Baffin Bay, McClures crew became the first men to have traversed the whole of the North West Passage.