Belcher, Edward

Epithet: Admiral KCB

British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000000976.0x00013f

Edward Belcher was born on 27 February 1799 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In 1812, he entered the Navy, serving off the coast of North America and in the African Station and rising to the rank of lieutenant in 1818. In 1825, he was appointed assistant surveyor in HMS Blossom on the British Naval Exploring Expedition, 1825-1828 (leader Frederick William Beechey), instructed by the Admiralty to await the arrival of the expeditions of William Edward Parry and John Franklin, and to conduct exploratory and scientific work in the Pacific Ocean and Bering Strait.

Promoted commander in 1829, Belcher took command of HMS Aetna, employed in the survey of the west coast of Africa between 1830 and 1833. On his return to Britain, Belcher was appointed to conduct a survey of the Irish Sea, later replacing Beechey in the command of HMS Sulphur, sent by the Admiralty to undertake surveys of the west coasts of North and South America between 1836 and 1842. While on the Pacific Station he participated in the First China War, taking part in the capture of Wangtong. On his return, he published his Narrative of a Voyage round the World performed in HMS Sulphur during the years 1836-1842, and was knighted in 1843. Between 1843 and 1846, he was placed in charge of HMS Samarang for surveys in the South China Sea, publishing the narrative of his voyage in 1848.

In 1852, Belcher led the British Naval Franklin Search Expedition, 1852-1854, commanding a squadron of five ships in a voyage to the regions of Wellington Channel and Melville Island in search of Franklin's missing expedition. Belcher was later criticised for ordering the abandonment of four ships that had become beset in the ice, but a court martial acquitted him. Advancing from rear admiral in 1861 to vice-admiral in 1866, he was finally raised to the rank of admiral in 1872. He died on 18 March 1877 in London.

Published work The last of the Arctic voyages; being a narrative of the expedition in HMS Assistance under the command of Captain Sir Edward Belcher in search of Sir John Franklin during the years 1852-53-54 by (Sir) Edward Belcher, Lovell Reeve, London (1855) SPRI Library Shelf (41)91(08)[1852-1854 Belcher]

From the guide to the Edward Belcher collection, 1827-1854, (Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge)