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Sir Robert McClure | |
|---|---|
 Robert McClure in a portrait by Stephen Pearce (1858) | |
| Birth name | Robert John Le Mesurier McClure |
| Born | (1807-01-28)28 January 1807 Wexford, Ireland |
| Died | 17 October 1873(1873-10-17) (aged 66) Portsmouth,Hampshire, UK |
| Resting place | |
| Branch |  Royal Navy |
| Service years | 1824–1873 |
Academy | |
| Rank | Vice-Admiral |
| Wars | Second Opium War |
Expeditions | |
| Awards | |
| Spouse | |
| Relations | John Elgee (grandfather) |
Vice-AdmiralSir Robert John Le Mesurier McClureCB (28 January 1807 – 17 October 1873) was an Irish explorer who explored theArctic. In 1854 he traversed theNorthwest Passage by boat and sledge, and was the first to circumnavigate the Americas.[1]
McClure was born inWexford in the south-east of Ireland. His father was Captain Robert McClure fromCounty Londonderry inUlster, who was serving with the89th Foot. McClure's mother (the daughter ofArchdeaconJohn Elgee) and father had met and married while his father was stationed in Wexford in 1807; but, his father had died by the time of McClure's birth.[2] He was a first cousin ofJane Wilde, the mother ofOscar Wilde, and spent his childhood under the care of his godfather,John Le Mesurier, governor ofAlderney, by whom he was educated for the army. It is said that this branch of the McClures, who settled inCounty Londonderry in the 1650s, during thePlantation of Ulster, were actually MacLeods whose names had been altered.[2]
He entered theRoyal Navy in 1824, and twelve years later gained his first experience of Arctic exploration as mate ofHMS Terror on an expedition commanded by CaptainGeorge Back. On his return, he obtained his commission as a lieutenant and from 1838 to 1839 served on the Canadian lakes.[clarification needed] Subsequently, he was attached to the North American and West Indian naval stations, where he remained until 1846.
Two years later, in 1848, he joined a search expedition in their attempt to recoverFranklin's lost expedition, an ill-fated expedition to traverse theNorthwest Passage led by SirJohn Franklin that was missing since 1845. McClure served underJames Clark Ross as firstHMS Enterprise's first lieutenant.
After he returned from the first Franklin search expedition, a new search expedition launched in 1850, commanded byRichard Collinson on HMSEnterprise and McClure as his subordinate, given command ofHMS Investigator. The ships sailed south on the Atlantic, navigated through theStrait of Magellan to the Pacific Ocean assisted by the steam-sloop HMSGorgon. Collinson and McClure became separated and had no further contact for the rest of their respective journeys.
Investigator sailed north through the Pacific and entered the Arctic Ocean by way ofBering Strait, and sailing eastward pastPoint Barrow,Alaska, to eventually link up with another British expedition from the northwest.Investigator was abandoned to the pack ice in the spring of 1853. McClure and his crew undertook a sledge journey and were rescued when they happened upon a party fromHMS Resolute – one of the ships commanded by SirEdward Belcher, who sailed into the Arctic region from the east. Subsequently, he completed his journey across theNorthwest Passage.Resolute itself did not make it out of the Arctic that year; it was abandoned in ice, but later recovered.
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Thus, McClure and his crew were the first both to circumnavigate the Americas, and to transit the Northwest Passage – considerable feats at that time.Enterprise returned to Point Barrow in 1850, a fortnight later thanInvestigator, and found the passage blocked by winter ice. They had to turn back and return the following year; it conducted its own Arctic explorations, but credit for the Northwest Passage already belonged to McClure.
On his return to the United Kingdom, in 1854, McClure was court martialled for the loss ofInvestigator. This was automatic when a captain lost his ship. Following an honourable acquittal, McClure was knighted and promoted to post-rank, his commission being dated back four years in recognition of his special services. McClure and his crew shared a monetary reward of £10,000 by theBritish Parliament.
McClure was also honoured by both British and French geographical societies. In 1855, he was elected a member of theAmerican Antiquarian Society.[3]
From 1856 to 1861 he served in eastern waters, commanding a division of theNaval Brigade beforeCanton in 1858, for which he received theOrder of the Bath. His latter years were spent in a quiet country life; he attained the rank of rear-admiral in 1867, and became a vice-admiral in 1873. He died later that year.
McClure is buried atKensal Green Cemetery, London.[4] His epitaph reads: 'Thus We Launch into this Formidable Frozen Sea.Spes Mea in Deo.'McClure Strait was later named after him, as well as the lunarMcClure crater in theMare Fecunditatis, the Sea of Fertility.
