John Rae to be honoured in Westminster Abbey–but not for discovering the northwest passage

A correction to historical narratives regarding the discovery of the northwest passage is highlighted, dispelling the false claim that John Rae discovered its final link in 1854. Research confirms that a significant 240 km segment between Bellot Strait and James Clark Ross's north magnetic pole remained undiscovered at the time. Despite this, Westminster Abbey will honor Rae with a simple plaque reading 'John Rae; arctic explorer,' avoiding further elaboration on the disputed claim. This decision follows a campaign by Alistair Carmichael, MP for Orkney and Shetland, who had sought to correct the historical record in favor of Rae over Franklin.

Barr, W. (2014). John Rae to be honoured in Westminster Abbey–but not for discovering the northwest passage. Polar Record, 51(2), 219–220. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0032247414000527