Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 19th century (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
1 box
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
McClure entered the Navy in 1824. He was made a lieutenant in 1837 and had already taken part in two Arctic expeditions when, in 1850, he was appointed to command the INVESTIGATOR in the search expedition for Sir John Franklin via the Bering Strait, led by Captain Richard Collinson. McClure and the men of the INVESTIGATOR were the first to make the traverse of the North-West Passage, though they were forced to abandon their ship which was beset in the ice off Banks Island, arriving back home in 1854. They were awarded £10,000 by Parliament in 1855 and McClure was knighted. In 1856 he was appointed to command the ESK on the Pacific Station and the following year was ordered to China. In December 1857 he commanded a battalion of the Naval Brigade at the capture of Canton. He was then appointed Senior Officer in the Straits of Malacca. He returned home in 1861 and had no further service, being promoted to rear-admiral in 1867 and vice-admiral in 1873 on the retired list.
Repository
Archival history
GB 0064 MCCLU 19th century Collection 1 box Mcclure , Sir , Robert John Le Mesurier , 1807-1873 , Knight , Vice-Admiral
McClure entered the Navy in 1824. He was made a lieutenant in 1837 and had already taken part in two Arctic expeditions when, in 1850, he was appointed to command the INVESTIGATOR in the search expedition for Sir John Franklin via the Bering Strait, led by Captain Richard Collinson. McClure and the men of the INVESTIGATOR were the first to make the traverse of the North-West Passage, though they were forced to abandon their ship which was beset in the ice off Banks Island, arriving back home in 1854. They were awarded £10,000 by Parliament in 1855 and McClure was knighted. In 1856 he was appointed to command the ESK on the Pacific Station and the following year was ordered to China. In December 1857 he commanded a battalion of the Naval Brigade at the capture of Canton. He was then appointed Senior Officer in the Straits of Malacca. He returned home in 1861 and had no further service, being promoted to rear-admiral in 1867 and vice-admiral in 1873 on the retired list.
The papers were presented in 1962 by a descendant of McClure's, Lieutenant-Commander H.R.W. Higgins, RNVR.
Papers of Sir Robert John Le Mesurier Mcclure, mostly commemorative of the voyage of the INVESTIGATOR, although there are a few papers relating to the Chinese War, two letters from the King of Siam and a record of service.
Please contact the Archive for further information.
Please contact the Archive for further information.
English
Detailed catalogue online at the: National Maritime Museum website .
Edited by Sarah Drewery, Sep 2011.
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
2010-08-26 HMS Investigator Franklin , Sir , John , 1786-1847 , Knight , Rear Admiral , Arctic explorer Rama IV , 1804-1868 , King of Siam McClure , Sir , Robert John Le Mesurier , 1807-1873 , naval officer , Knight , Vice Admiral Travel Expeditions China East Asia Arctic
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
The papers were presented in 1962 by a descendant of McClure's, Lieutenant-Commander H.R.W. Higgins, RNVR.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Papers of Sir Robert John Le Mesurier Mcclure, mostly commemorative of the voyage of the INVESTIGATOR, although there are a few papers relating to the Chinese War, two letters from the King of Siam and a record of service.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
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System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Please contact the Archive for further information.
Conditions governing reproduction
Please contact the Archive for further information.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Detailed catalogue online at the: National Maritime Museum website .
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
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Description control area
Description identifier
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Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English