Harper Government Unveils Pieces of History from HMS Erebus
Artefacts to be displayed at the Canadian Museum of History over Victoria Day Weekend
OTTAWA, May 13, 2015 /CNW/ - Office of the Minister of Environment - The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of the Environment and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, today unveiled exciting new artefacts recovered from HMS Erebus. Providing a glimpse into the daily lives of the crew, the historical objects were recovered during the recent expedition by Parks Canada and Royal Canadian Navy divers working under the ice in the High Arctic to research the famed Sir John Franklin shipwreck.
In collaboration with Canadian Museum of History, Parks Canada has created a micro-exhibit of HMS Erebus artefacts that will be available for public enjoyment over the Victoria Day Weekend from May 14-18. Visitors are encouraged to share in this iconic piece of Canadian history by visiting the exhibit and meeting with Parks Canada staff who will be onsite to answer questions. The micro-exhibit will also be available on-line at
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One of the most exciting objects recovered was one of the ship's two 6-pounder bronze cannons, a stunning artefact representative of the ship's Royal Navy origins. The team also recovered buttons from jackets of the Royal Marines, who played a significant role in maintaining discipline onboard ship. Other artefacts recovered include unique pieces of the ships' construction, personal effects such as a medicinal bottle, plates and glassware.
Quick Facts
•Franklin's ships are an important part of Canadian history as the expedition laid the foundation of Canada's Arctic sovereignty. On May 19, 1845, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror departed England, under the command of Sir John Franklin, on an ill-fated Arctic expedition in search of a Northwest Passage. Until the discovery of HMS Erebus in September 2014, the fate of the Franklin expedition was one of Canada's great mysteries.
•Since 2008, the Government of Canada has conducted six major Parks Canada-led searches for the lost Franklin Expedition ships, working closely with public, private, academic and Inuit partners, painstakingly covering hundreds of square kilometres of the Arctic seabed. These operations were founded on the traditional knowledge of Inuit and were undertaken in accordance with a Memorandum of Understanding between Canada and the Government of the United Kingdom. Plans for another Government of Canada summer expedition are currently underway and will build on the success to date and the multilateral partnership that has steadily grown for close to a decade.
•In April 2014, Parks Canada and the Royal Canadian Navy joined together with National Defense's Joint Task Force (North) on their annual Operation NUNALIVUT to manage the logistical complexity of conducting underwater archæological work in such an incredibly challenging environment.
•The expedition allowed the team to gather critical information needed to determine future steps of the archæological research, to capture incredible photo and video imagery, and to recover telling artefacts that will help to reveal this historic wreck to the public.
•The cannon from HMS Erebus and other artefacts will undergo conservation treatments at the Parks Canada archæological conservation laboratory in Ottawa.
Quote
"The stunning artefacts from HMS Erebus are bringing this famed piece of history to life and will allow Canadians to connect with Canada's Arctic past like never before. The continued research to uncover the mysteries of the Franklin Expedition will ensure this incredible story, the integral role that Inuit oral history played in locating the wreck, and the endless possibilities this find can bring to Canada's North, continue to be celebrated and passed on to future generations."
The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq
Minister of the Environment and Minister responsible for Parks Canada
Posted on: May 24, 2015, 08:26:51 pm
Here are some stunning pics of the artifacts. Look at the cannon!
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