Essential primary sources
Campbell,
Richard (ed.), The Journal of Sergeant William K. Cunningham, 2009 [source]
1.
Introductory chapters. Historical background. The voyage & its
objectives. Magnetism & the compass. Glossary of nautical terms. Read [PDF, 37 pp]
2. The journal. Read [PDF, 114 pp]
3. Appendices & bibliography. Read [PDF, 33 pp]
Also, presentation & summary in Polar Record, Volume 46, Issue 2, April 2010, pp. 180 - 184
• By a R.M. of HMS Terror. Introductions, footnotes (comparing multiple sources) and appendices are a boon; the journal itself,
while terse, draws a clear image of the ships’ progress and day-to-day
life. Profusely illustrated with paintings and photographs from the Antarctic.Davis, J.E., A Letter from the Antarctic, 1901
Extracts in, Savours, Ann, Two unpublished accounts of the British Antarctic Expedition, 1839-43, in: Polar Record, Volume 10, Issue 69, September 1961, pp. 587-604 (link)
• By the second master of HMS Terror. Noted for its extensive description of the Erebus-Terror collision and detailed depictions of other events; a lot of emotions. Letter to Mrs. Stephen is a somewhat modified version.
Lyon, G.F., The Private Journal of
Captain G.F. Lyon, of H.M.S. Hecla, during the Recent Voyage of
Discovery under Captain Parry, 1824
Read [scan, download available]
• Originally meant for his family, a more vivid account expanding on Parry's narrative.
Mogg, William, The Arctic Wintering of HMS Hecla and Fury in Prince Regent Inlet, 1824–25, in: Polar Record, Volume 12, Issue 76, January 1964, pp. 11-28
• By the clerk of HMS Hecla (1821-23) and Fury (1824-25); extracts from a private journal.
Parry, William Edward, Journal of a Voyage for the Discovery of a North-West Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific, Performed in the Years 1819-20, in His Majesty's Ships Hecla and Griper, 1821
Read [scan, download available]
• Official account. After John Ross' fiasco, Parry is keen
to be as accurate on the scientific and navigational front as possible – thus the inclusion of mistakes and discussions of decision-making; a degree of
subjectivity and/or censorship remains.
Parry, William Edward, Journal of a Second Voyage for the Discovery of a
North-West Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Performed in the
Years 1821–22–23, in his Majesty's Ships Fury and Hecla, 1824
Read [scan, download available]
• Official narrative. Parry is now a more assured writer, and the journal is less technical.
Parry, William Edward, Journal of a Third Voyage for the Discovery of a North-West passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific, Performed in the Years 1824-25, in His Majesty's Ships Hecla and Fury, 1826
Read [scan, download available]
• Official narrative. Summary due to expedition failing as well as Parry's private issues.
Parry, William Edward, Narrative of an Attempt to Reach the North Pole, in Boats Fitted for the Purpose, and Attached to His Majesty's Ship Hecla, 1828
Read [scan, download available]
• Official narrative. Honest, but collapsing account of yet another failure; focuses on the trek.
Potter, Russell A. (ed.)(et al.), May We Be Spared to Meet on Earth. Letters of the Lost Franklin Arctic Expedition, 2022
• Review and list of issues Robertson, J., A few general remarks on the Antarctic continent, discovered by Captains Ross and Crozier, in: The Tasmanian journal of natural science, agriculture, statistics, &c (Vol. 2, no. 6, 1846)
• By the ship’s surgeon of HMS Terror, later of Ross’ search vessel HMS Enterprise. Noted for a more personal description of the expedition events.
Ross, James Clark, A Voyage of Discovery and Research in the Southern and Antarctic Regions, During the Years 1839-43, 1847
• Official narrative. Mostly impersonal account, focusing on science, from the perspective of the Erebus.
See page-specific sources lists for further links
Secondary sources
Fluhmann, M., Second in Command, A Biography of Captain Francis
Crozier, R.N., F.R.S., F.R.A.S., 1976
• Pioneering work, but due to technical limitations of research at the time the author often strays from fact.NB: Fluhmann provided the first
transcripts of Crozier's letters, but they're not accurate and should therefore be only used for thematic guidance.
Jones, A.G.E., The Voyage of H.M.S. Cove, Captain James Clark Ross, 1835–36, in: Polar Record, Volume 5, Issue 40, July 1950, pp. 543-556
• An account of Ross' whaler relief mission. Parry, Ann, Parry of the Arctic, 1963
Also, Profile of Edward Parry by Ann Parry [PDF, 2 pp]
•
Introduction rather than a life, by a descendant; overall quite precise and
includes some important details not available elsewhere.
Ross, M.J., Ross in the Antarctic, 1982
• Succinct account by a descendant; also offers interesting notes on other figures from the expedition. Superior to Polar Pioneers: John Ross and James Clark Ross (1994) by the same author.
Smith, Michael, Icebound in the Arctic, 2021 née Captain Francis Crozier, Last Man Standing?, 2006
• Review and list of issues Other books
Berton, Pierre, The Arctic Grail, The Quest for the North West Passage and the North Pole, 1818-1909, 1988
• Aims for a wide readership, so it's a combination of broad strokes, detailed scenes, and an assortment of nuggets; a bracing take, too brisk at times, and has Crozier as merely one of the officers, stuck forever at Lieutenant.
Betts, Matthew, HMS Terror, The Design, Fitting and Voyages of the Polar Discovery Ship, 2022
Hutchinson, Gillian, Sir John Franklin's Erebus and Terror Expedition, Lost and Found, 2017 (National Maritime Museum Greenwich)
• An introduction to the Arctic exploration for the general public. Wonderful historical illustrations throughout.
Lopez, Barry, Arctic Dreams, 1986
• The only thing the book gets right about Crozier is his name – the author both neglects to consult Parry's second narrative and forgets that Crozier was Irish, then makes some mind-boggling claims, f.ex. that Crozier knew nothing about hunting, or that he possessed a colonialist mindset. Otherwise very atmospheric.
Nugent, Frank, Seek the Frozen Lands, Irish Polar Explorers 1740-1922, Rev. Ed., 2013
• The author makes some interesting observations (such as on Crozier's "shy and whimsical character" and the Irish circle in London), but also rather shows his hand devoting an inordinate amount of space to Franklin. And especially the Antarctic expedition part is really slapdash.
Parry, Edward, Memoirs of Rear-Admiral Sir W. Edward Parry, 1857
Read [scan, download available]
• Severely religion-focused biography by Parry's son; many letters quoted.Palin, Michael, Erebus, The Story of a Ship, 2018
• An ego trip of a book, recommended reading for those unconvinced that Crozier is still severely overlooked.
Ware, Chris, The Bomb Vessel, Shore Bombardment Ships of the Age of Sail, 1994
• Notes:
1. "the Terror was to find fame of a kind, being lost in the ice in 1848 on her second trip to the North Pole," p. 67 – to the Arctic (it's no longer used interchangeably);
2. "Erebus and Terror both went to the Arctic twice, once in 1836 and for the second time in 1845", p. 99 – Terror went to the Arctic in 1836, Erebus and Terror to the Antarctic in 1839 and the Arctic in 1845;
3. also insists on 1836 in image captions though the contemporary headings say 1839.
Winfield, Rif, British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793 - 1817, Design, Construction, Careers and Fates, 2008
• The Terror entry lacks the author's usual precision:
“Converted to Arctic discovery vessel at Chatham (for £6,940) 1 - 6.1836. Fitted for expedition to South Pole [-> the Antarctic] (for £6,765) at Chatham, and coppered 4 – 9.1839; recommissioned under Crozier [-> Cmdr. Crozier]. Refitted for expedition to North Pole 2 [-> the Arctic] – 5.1845, fitted with auxiliary steam engine (ex railway locomotive) and hoisting screw propeller; sailed 19.5.1845 from Greenhithe [+ under Capt. Crozier].”
Wood, Gillen D'Arcy, Land of Wondrous Cold, 2020
• Adventurous in scope, but the confident and breezy voice unfortunately freestyles into a rather Fluhmann-esque somewhat-historical retelling. For example: mixes up building and fitting of the vessels; mangles the story of John Ross' expedition; this ludicrous paragraph "The same day, the Erebus lost her boatswain overboard. Captain Ross—the speedy French and Americans on his mind—was keen to make up time in their long haul to Hobart Town. Under a full press of sail in buffeting winds, there was never a hope." In reality, Ross was trying to catch up with the Terror, however, when the accident occurred, "the life-buoy was instantly let go, and two boats lowered down" as the ship hove to (Ross). Also the author inexplicably declares "a long period of hiatus” for Antarctic exploration in December 1841, though Ross didn't return until 1843.