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Ernest Shackleton was a leading figure in Antarctic exploration, known for his leadership and bravery. He joined the merchant marine and led the Nimrod expedition, coming close to the South Pole. He later led the Endurance expedition, which became trapped in sea ice, but all crew members survived. Shackleton died on an expedition in 1922.
Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton, better known simply as Ernest Shackleton, was a leading figure in the Heroic Age of Antarctic exploration, a period in Antarctic history characterized by repeated expeditions attempting to penetrate the mysteries of the frozen continent. Although Shackleton did not achieve the fame of some of his fellow adventurers at the time, he later became a heralded figure in Antarctica history and is the subject of numerous books and films celebrating his leadership and bravery.
Shackleton was born in 1874 in Ireland. Despite his father’s desire to become a doctor, Ernest Shackleton chose instead to join the merchant marine, volunteering on the Discovery Expedition in 1902 with Robert Scott. Shackleton was bitten by the bug of Antarctic exploration on Discovery, returning in 1907 on the Nimrod and eventually coming very close to the South Pole. For his achievements in leading this expedition, Ernest Shackleton was knighted, but he did not intend to rest on the laurels.
In 1914, Ernest Shackleton set out again, this time on the Endurance, as part of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, which would attempt to cross Antarctica. Unfortunately, the Endurance became trapped in the sea ice before breaking up, forcing the men to abandon ship and make their way on foot and later in lifeboats until they reached remote Elephant Island before going on to Island of the South Georgia, where they were eventually rescued.
In an age littered with reports of serious injuries and deaths on Antarctic expeditions, the fate of Shackleton’s men is remarkable: not a single man died, although the ship’s sled dogs and cat were killed by the crew when they were stranded on the drifting sea ice with no apparent hope of rescue. Remarkably, the men also managed to haul 150 photographic plates documenting the fate of the Endurance, many of which can be seen on display today. Many people attribute the survival of the men in Shackleton’s expedition to Shackleton himself, as he demonstrated formidable leadership skills and heroism in attempting to rescue the crew.
Despite the events of the Endurance Expedition, Ernest Shackleton went on an expedition again in 1922, aboard the Quest, with the goal of sailing around Antarctica. Before the expedition could begin, however, Shackleton fell ill and died of a heart attack off the coast of Georgia Island, where he was buried at his wife’s request.
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