Ward's Book of Days.
Pages of interesting anniversaries.
What happened on this day in history.
DECEMBER 4th
On this day in history in 1791, was born Jane Griffin.
Griffin
was a pioneer and explorer who organised arctic expeditions, and continually
sent out search parties to find her lost husband.
Jane
Griffin was born on 4th December 1791, at London, the daughter of
John and Mary Griffin, prosperous London silk traders of Huguenot descent. She
was educated partly at home and partly at a Chelsea boarding school. The
family travelled extensively at home and on the Continent, taking Jane with
them whenever they could, developing in her a taste for travel and
exploration.
In 1821, she was introduced to and became a close friend of the poetess, Eleanor Anne Porden, first wife of John Franklin, the explorer. Sadly Porden died in 1825, of tuberculosis, while her husband was exploring the Arctic. When John Franklin returned in 1827, and learned of the tragic death of his wife, he received solace from her many friends including Jane Griffin. The two became close, and in the following year were married. In 1829, Franklin received a knighthood from George IV, and Jane Griffin became Lady Franklin.
In
1830, her husband was given command of a frigate in the Mediterranean, where
she had the opportunity to visit North Africa, Syria, and Asia Minor. In 1836,
Sir John Franklin became lieutenant governor of Van Diemen’s Land, now
Tasmania, where Lady Franklin travelled extensively promoting the social and
cultural life of the settlement. She also toured the mainland of Australia,
becoming the first woman to undertake the journey from Melbourne to Sydney.
Lady Franklin corresponded with the social reformer, Elizabeth
Fry, who
encouraged her to improve the conditions of the female convicts, transported
to the colonies. She gained a reputation as a reformer, but also aroused
suspicion that she was interfering in her husband’s work as lieutenant
governor. Sadly her reforming zeal led to her enemies conniving to secure Sir
John’s dismissal from his position in 1844.
On
his return to Britain, Sir John Franklin, now aged 60, received the command of
a naval expedition to find a northwest passage in Canada. In May 1845, he
sailed out on the Erebus, with 3 years supply of provisions. When, in
1848, the expedition had not returned, a search expedition was dispatched and
when that failed to bring news, several more went out.
Lady Franklin
personally took charge of the organization of the search expeditions. She
outfitted five ships, mainly at her own expense, although she did
accept contributions. Although she never took part in any of these
expeditions, Lady Franklin took charge of preparation and scheduling. She
soon became quite learned in the geography and conditions of the Arctic. In
1857, she sent the yacht Fox on a final search for survivors. Three
years later, the captain returned with evidence of the expedition’s fate.
Relics of the expedition and statements taken from the Eskimos seemed to show
that Sir John had died in 1847. These expeditions, although they failed to
achieve their objective, greatly increased our knowledge of the Arctic.
Ironically the loss of Franklin’s expedition achieved more for the
exploration of the Arctic than its success would have done.
Having
done her duty to her late lamented husband, Lady Franklin now devoted her
exclusive attention to her enthusiasm for foreign travel. She and niece,
Sophia visited in turn all the benefactors who had assisted with expeditions.
They visited first New York, then Montreal, then Quebec and cruised up the
Saguenay River to Ottawa. From there they visited Kingston, Toronto, Hamilton
and then back to New York. From New York, they sailed for San Francisco by way
of Cape Horn, and reached California in January 1861.They went north to
British Columbia, travelling for part of the journey in a canoe paddled by 12
Indians. After returning to California, they returned home by way of the
Sandwich Islands, Japan, and India.
In
her final years, Lady Franklin’s attention was devoted to the memory of
her late husband. She installed a monument to him in Westminster Abbey,
unveiled two weeks after her own death. The inscription includes the words
‘erected by Jane, his widow, who, after long waiting, and sending many in
search of him, herself departed, to seek and to find him in the realms of
light.’
Jane Griffin Franklin died on 18th July 1875, and was buried in London. [Kensal Green Cemetery, Harrow Road, London, W10 4RA]
©2006 Ward’s Book of Days