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jodie.p

Published on

Picture credit: Thomas Binnie

When Shackleton tragically died of a heart attack aboard Quest in 1922, Leonard Hussey accompanied his body back to Britain while the Quest expedition continued southwards. His body was transported as far as Montevideo when Hussey received a telegram.

Lady Shackleton instructed that her husband should be buried on South Georgia, the scene of his greatest exploits. She believed it was the place he truly loved; a place that had become deeply intertwined with his legacy.

Shackleton’s most famous link with South Georgia is the Endurance expedition. When the ship became trapped in ice, the crew were left stranded near Elephant Island. Shackleton, Crean and Worsley sailed to South Georgia – the nearest aid. They famously traversed over the island’s mountain range to the Stromness Whaling Station. Shackleton then knocked on the station manager’s door to request help to rescue his remaining crew. All of the men survived.

While Stromness was key in Shackleton’s story, he was buried at Grytviken as King Edward Point is where the island is governed from – the centre of British administration. His death and burial were both recorded there. Shackleton’s body faces South toward Antarctica, rather than the traditional East, in recognition of his lifelong aspirations.

We will be sharing more about Shackleton’s funeral on Sunday, the anniversary of his death.

You can learn more about the Quest expedition and Shackleton’s legacy here.

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