Record

D8760 - Gell family of Hopton Hall, Wirksworth - 1714-1994
- F - Family records of the extended Franklin family and the Gell family of Hopton Hall - 1714-1994
  - FEG - Records of Eleanor Isabella Gell nee Franklin, daughter of Sir John and Eleanor Franklin and wife of Reverend John Philip Gell - 1828-[early 20th cent]
    - 3 - Personal records of Eleanor Isabella Gell nee Franklin - [mid 19th cent]
      - 1 - Notes and drafts made or collected by Eleanor Isabella Gell nee Franklin, some of which seem to relate to the preparation of a biography of her father, Sir John Franklin - [mid 19th cent]

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Archive Reference / Library Class No.	D8760/F/FEG/3/1/6
Former Reference	D3311/85/a
Title	Handwritten extracts from Captain Fitzjames's letter to Sir John Barrow off the coast of Greenland, original letter dated 1-12 July 1845
Date	[mid 19th cent]
Description	They had travelled quickly, not going within 70 miles of Cape Farewell, and they lost no time, his only difficulty being to get Sir John to shorten sail when it was wanted; Sir John is full of life and energy, with good judgement and a capital memory, one of the best he knows, with delightful and most instructive conversation, the most fitted for the command of an enterprise requiring sound sense and great perseverance; he has learnt much from him and considers himself most fortunate to be with him; the Erebus "is very easy" apart from the occasional kick and plunge; everybody is comfortable and happy, with much laughter ... they have worked for Cape Desolation "which sounds Polar enough"; it is 12 o-clock and the sun is still up, but he is going to go to bed, a pity "to sleep on such a clear unshiny night"; the grandness of the scenery of Disco and the curiousness of the beautiful icebergs ... sailing smoothly in the water amongst icebergs of the largest size, with "most heavenly weather"; 280 icebergs counted by him and Fairholme and Hodgson from top of a hill, with big mosquitoes biting them all the time; his liking for Crozier, most indefatigable and a good observer, just suited to his position he would say ... the ship is deep and full, with 3 years provisions on board. Copied by Eleanor Isabella Franklin.
Extent	1 sheet
Level	Item
Repository	Derbyshire Record Office
Sender	James Fitzjames
Sender Location	H.M.S. Erebus, Whalefish Islands near Disko [Disco]
Recipient	John Barrow
Archive Creator	Eleanor Isabella Franklin, later Eleanor Gell (1824-1860)
Archive Creator	Gell family of Hopton Hall, Wirksworth
Format	Document
Term	Geographical exploration
	Geographical exploration
	Arctic regions
	Explorers
	Franklin Expedition (1845)