Sir William Parry
Quick Summary
Sir William Parry was a British naval officer and explorer known for his expeditions in the Arctic during the early 19th century. He made several attempts to find the Northwest Passage, a sea route connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through the Arctic.
Between 1819 and 1825, Parry led three major expeditions. On his first voyage, he sailed through Lancaster Sound and reached Melville Island, wintering there. Despite facing ice blockages, his efforts significantly advanced the mapping of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. His later expeditions explored other routes, including Foxe Basin and Prince Regent Inlet, but the Northwest Passage remained elusive during his voyages. While Parry did not successfully navigate the passage, his expeditions contributed valuable geographical knowledge and paved the way for future explorations. His nephew, James Clark Ross, also participated in these voyages and later located the North Magnetic Pole.123
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
Arctic19th-century attempts at the passage…in command to Ross was William (later Sir William) Parry. He was not convinced that no sound existed, and in 1819–20, in HMS Hecla and Griper, he made a voyage through Lancaster Sound to Melville Island, where he wintered. Blocked by ice in M’Clure Strait, he next (1821–23) tried the…
Read More…in command to Ross was William (later Sir William) Parry. He was not convinced that no sound existed, and in 1819–20, in HMS Hecla and Griper, he made a voyage through Lancaster Sound to Melville Island, where he wintered. Blocked by ice in M’Clure Strait, he next (1821–23) tried the…
Read More
European explorationPolar regionsIn 1828 an English explorer, Sir William Parry, traveling over drift ice from Svalbard, reached 82° N. The Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen in 1893 attempted to reach the Pole by allowing his ship, the Fram, to be frozen into the ice in the East Siberian Sea in the hope that…
Read MoreIn 1828 an English explorer, Sir William Parry, traveling over drift ice from Svalbard, reached 82° N. The Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen in 1893 attempted to reach the Pole by allowing his ship, the Fram, to be frozen into the ice in the East Siberian Sea in the hope that…
Read More
Bathurst Island…1819 by the British explorer Sir William Parry, the island was named for Henry Bathurst, the 3rd Earl Bathurst, then secretary for war and the colonies. The island has no permanent population.
Read More…1819 by the British explorer Sir William Parry, the island was named for Henry Bathurst, the 3rd Earl Bathurst, then secretary for war and the colonies. The island has no permanent population.
Read More
Cornwallis Island…was discovered in 1819 by Sir William Parry and was named after Sir William Cornwallis.
Read More…was discovered in 1819 by Sir William Parry and was named after Sir William Cornwallis.
Read More- Melville Island
Discovered (1819) by Sir William Parry, it was named for Robert Saunders Dundas, 2nd Viscount Melville, then first lord of the Admiralty.
Read MoreDiscovered (1819) by Sir William Parry, it was named for Robert Saunders Dundas, 2nd Viscount Melville, then first lord of the Admiralty.
Read More