Sir William Edward Parry

author

Sir William Edward Parry

1790–1855

Best known for bold voyages into the Arctic, this Royal Navy officer pushed farther through the Northwest Passage than any explorer before him and later made one of the earliest serious attempts to reach the North Pole. His travel narratives helped bring the drama and hardship of polar exploration to a wide audience.

3 Audiobooks

Three Voyages for the Discovery of a Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and Narrative of an Attempt to Reach the North Pole, Volume 2

Three Voyages for the Discovery of a Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and Narrative of an Attempt to Reach the North Pole, Volume 2

by Sir William Edward Parry

Journal of the Third Voyage for the Discovery of a North-West Passage

Journal of the Third Voyage for the Discovery of a North-West Passage

by Sir William Edward Parry

Three Voyages for the Discovery of a Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and Narrative of an Attempt to Reach the North Pole, Volume 1

Three Voyages for the Discovery of a Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and Narrative of an Attempt to Reach the North Pole, Volume 1

by Sir William Edward Parry

About the author

Born in Bath on December 19, 1790, William Edward Parry joined the Royal Navy as a boy and built a reputation as a skilled officer, navigator, and surveyor. He became one of the leading figures in early 19th-century Arctic exploration, and his 1819–1820 voyage through what is now called Parry Channel was seen as a major breakthrough in the long search for the Northwest Passage.

Parry led several expeditions to the Canadian Arctic and earned admiration for his careful leadership during long winters in the ice. In 1827, he also undertook an ambitious attempt to reach the North Pole by sledge and boat, getting farther north than anyone reliably had before at that time.

Beyond exploration, Parry wrote popular accounts of his journeys, giving readers vivid descriptions of life in the polar regions. Later in life he held important public posts, including service with the Australian Agricultural Company and the position of comptroller of the navy, before his death in 1855.