Frederick George Jackson
Encyclopedia
Frederick George Jackson (1860 – 13 March 1938), British Arctic
explorer, was educated at Denstone College
and Edinburgh University.
of Siberia
lying between the Ob
and the Pechora
. His narrative of this journey was published under the title of The Great Frozen Land (1895).
On his return, he was given the command of the Jackson-Harmsworth Arctic expedition (1894—1897). Sponsored by the Royal Geographical Society
, this expedition had for objective the general exploration of Franz Josef Land
. Whilst leading this expedition, Jackson and his men were contacted on June 17, 1896, by the Norwegian arctic explorer Fridtjof Nansen
and his companion Hjalmar Johansen
, who had not been heard of for three years and were presumed dead, who were trying to reach Spitsbergen
by kayak. Jackson informed him that they were in fact on Franz Josef Land, and with Jackson's help, Nansen and Johansen were able to return home, departing aboard the Windward on August 7. Jackson and his party wintered at their camp according to plan. The Jackson-Harmsworth expedition proved that Franz Josef Land is nothing more than an archipelago of small islands.
In recognition of his services he received a knighthood of the first class of the Norwegian Royal Order of St Olaf in 1898, and was awarded the gold medal of the Paris Geographical Society in 1899. His account of the expedition was published under the title of A Thousand Days in the Arctic (1899).
He served in South Africa with the 5th (Militia
) Battalion, Manchester Regiment, during the Second Boer War
, reaching the rank of Captain
. He transferred to the 4th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment
in 1905, serving in the First World War and reaching the rank of Major
. He resigned his commission in 1917. After being invalided home he commanded Southwark Recruiting District for two years followed by commands of a number of prisoner of war camps in Germany. He travelled in Africa with the Jackson-Eyres-Monsel Expedition, 1926.
His travels also include a journey across the Australian deserts
.
He is buried in the churchyard of St Michael and St Mary Magdalene
at Easthampstead
in Berkshire
, and there is a memorial plaque on the wall of the church near the font.
The plaque reads:-
In memory of
Frederick George Jackson
Major. East Surrey Regiment
Commander of the Jackson-Harmsworth
polar expedition. 1894-1897.
He discovered. mapped. and named
the greater part of Franz Joseph Land
and rescued Dr Nansen.
Died 13 March 1938 aged 78 years
Sans Peur et Sans Reproche
His memorial is in St Pauls Cathedral.
His grave is in this churchyard.
R.I.P.
One of the headlands discovered on the expedition was named St Chad's Head and the sledge used was presented to Denstone College.
Arctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
explorer, was educated at Denstone College
Denstone College
Denstone College is an independent, coeducational boarding school in Denstone,Staffordshire, England and a member school of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. It is also a Woodard school and as such has a strong Anglo-Catholic tradition. It has continued to show impressive academic...
and Edinburgh University.
Biography
His first voyage in Arctic waters was on a whaling cruise in 1886—1887, and in 1893 he made a sledge-journey of 3000 miles across the frozen tundraTundra
In physical geography, tundra is a biome where the tree growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons. The term tundra comes through Russian тундра from the Kildin Sami word tūndâr "uplands," "treeless mountain tract." There are three types of tundra: Arctic tundra, alpine...
of Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
lying between the Ob
Ob River
The Ob River , also Obi, is a major river in western Siberia, Russia and is the world's seventh longest river. It is the westernmost of the three great Siberian rivers that flow into the Arctic Ocean .The Gulf of Ob is the world's longest estuary.-Names:The Ob is known to the Khanty people as the...
and the Pechora
Pechora River
The Pechora River is a river in northwest Russia which flows north into the Arctic Ocean on the west side of the Ural Mountains. It lies mostly in the Komi Republic but the northernmost part crosses the Nenets Autonomous Okrug. It is 1,809 km long and its basin is 322,000 square kilometers...
. His narrative of this journey was published under the title of The Great Frozen Land (1895).
On his return, he was given the command of the Jackson-Harmsworth Arctic expedition (1894—1897). Sponsored by the Royal Geographical Society
Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society is a British learned society founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences...
, this expedition had for objective the general exploration of Franz Josef Land
Franz Josef Land
Franz Josef Land, Franz Joseph Land, or Francis Joseph's Land is an archipelago located in the far north of Russia. It is found in the Arctic Ocean north of Novaya Zemlya and east of Svalbard, and is administered by Arkhangelsk Oblast. Franz Josef Land consists of 191 ice-covered islands with a...
. Whilst leading this expedition, Jackson and his men were contacted on June 17, 1896, by the Norwegian arctic explorer Fridtjof Nansen
Fridtjof Nansen
Fridtjof Wedel-Jarlsberg Nansen was a Norwegian explorer, scientist, diplomat, humanitarian and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. In his youth a champion skier and ice skater, he led the team that made the first crossing of the Greenland interior in 1888, and won international fame after reaching a...
and his companion Hjalmar Johansen
Hjalmar Johansen
Fredrik Hjalmar Johansen was a polar explorer from Norway. He shipped out with Fridtjof Nansen's Fram expedition in 1893–1896, and accompanied Nansen to notch a new Farthest North record near the North Pole on what was then the frozen Arctic Ocean...
, who had not been heard of for three years and were presumed dead, who were trying to reach Spitsbergen
Spitsbergen
Spitsbergen is the largest and only permanently populated island of the Svalbard archipelago in Norway. Constituting the western-most bulk of the archipelago, it borders the Arctic Ocean, the Norwegian Sea and the Greenland Sea...
by kayak. Jackson informed him that they were in fact on Franz Josef Land, and with Jackson's help, Nansen and Johansen were able to return home, departing aboard the Windward on August 7. Jackson and his party wintered at their camp according to plan. The Jackson-Harmsworth expedition proved that Franz Josef Land is nothing more than an archipelago of small islands.
In recognition of his services he received a knighthood of the first class of the Norwegian Royal Order of St Olaf in 1898, and was awarded the gold medal of the Paris Geographical Society in 1899. His account of the expedition was published under the title of A Thousand Days in the Arctic (1899).
He served in South Africa with the 5th (Militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
) Battalion, Manchester Regiment, during the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
, reaching the rank of Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
. He transferred to the 4th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment
East Surrey Regiment
The East Surrey Regiment was a regiment in the British Army formed in 1881 from the amalgamation of the 31st Regiment of Foot and the 70th Regiment of Foot...
in 1905, serving in the First World War and reaching the rank of Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
. He resigned his commission in 1917. After being invalided home he commanded Southwark Recruiting District for two years followed by commands of a number of prisoner of war camps in Germany. He travelled in Africa with the Jackson-Eyres-Monsel Expedition, 1926.
His travels also include a journey across the Australian deserts
Deserts of Australia
Deserts cover a large portion of the land in Australia. Most of the deserts lie in the central and north-western part of the country. The largest part of Australia is desert or semi-arid...
.
He is buried in the churchyard of St Michael and St Mary Magdalene
St Michael and St Mary Magdalene
The Church of St Michael and St Mary Magdalene, is the Parish Church of Easthampstead, Berkshire. The parish of Easthampstead is one of the largest parishes in the Church of England. The ethos of the parish is one of traditional worship allied to a liberal theology and inclusive approach to both...
at Easthampstead
Easthampstead
Easthampstead is today a southern suburb of the town of Bracknell in the English county of Berkshire, although the old village can still be easily identified around the Church of St Michael and St Mary Magdalene...
in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, and there is a memorial plaque on the wall of the church near the font.
The plaque reads:-
In memory of
Frederick George Jackson
Major. East Surrey Regiment
Commander of the Jackson-Harmsworth
polar expedition. 1894-1897.
He discovered. mapped. and named
the greater part of Franz Joseph Land
and rescued Dr Nansen.
Died 13 March 1938 aged 78 years
Sans Peur et Sans Reproche
His memorial is in St Pauls Cathedral.
His grave is in this churchyard.
R.I.P.
One of the headlands discovered on the expedition was named St Chad's Head and the sledge used was presented to Denstone College.