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Connections 50+ Presents Cambridge Third Age Learning

Archaeology and Sir John Franklin's 3rd Arctic Expedition

Explore the history of expeditions and catastrophe that are ever present in the brutal terrain of the Arctic.

Join us on a fascinating exploration of the Arctic with Professor of Anthropology Robert Parks. Park's will discuss the expedition that took place on 24 May 1847,led by Sir John Franklin in search of a navigable sailing route through the Canadian Arctic reported “All well.” But less than a year later, on 22 April 1848, Franklin was dead and the 128 sailors who had set out from Britain with him on HMS Erebus and Terror had been reduced to 105 survivors. At least 24 were so unhealthy that they would perish little more than 100 kilometers from the ships they escaped, and the furthest any of the survivors is known to have reached is around 400 kilometers. Archaeological research at sites created by those 105 survivors continues to shed new light on this 175-year-old catastrophe, including most recently the fate of one of the senior officers, James Fitzjames.

About the Speaker

Robert W. Park is a professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Waterloo. For more than four decades, he has participated in archaeological fieldwork in the far north. Most of his research has centred around the Inuit of Canada’s Arctic, exploring the development of their way of life over the past five thousand years, but he has also studied European Arctic exploration, including the famous 3rd Franklin expedition. Park has published extensively on his research, with more than 60 refereed articles and book chapters. Along with his colleague Douglas Stenton, he co-authored pioneering works designed to present archaeological knowledge back to the people of Nunavut, in their Inuktut language.

About Cambridge Third Age Learning

Third Age Learning is a movement that encourages learning and discovery experiences for those in the 'third age'. Together, the Cambridge Third Age Learning (CTAL) group and Cambridge Public Library present monthly lectures at the Old Post Office, a part of the library’s Connections 50+ suite. CTAL sources and selects lecturers with engaging topics to inspire new thinking and engage inquisitive minds.

Accessibility
If you require an accessibility accommodation for this program or event, please tell us how we can meet your needs as soon as possible so arrangements can be organized. If you require a sign language interpreter, please let us know at least two-weeks (10 working weekdays) before the program date. 
  
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COST: Free

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