Ernest Shackleton turned a major disappointment in the Antarctic into fame back in Britain

By Ed Armston-Sheret, Fellow at the Institute of Historical Research, School of Advanced Study, University of London

Ernest Shackleton is one of the most well-known polar explorers in history. He’s mostly remembered for his incredible leadership following the sinking of his ship Endurance in the Weddell Sea in November 1915, which saved his life and the 27 others on board.

Yet had you known Shackleton in 1895, his future fame as an Antarctic explorer would have seemed highly unlikely. At the time, he was an unknown officer in the merchant navy, and Antarctica meant little to him. He had never even put on a pair…

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