Viscount William Fitzwilliam Milton

author

Viscount William Fitzwilliam Milton

1839–1877

An adventurous Victorian aristocrat, he is best remembered for crossing western Canada and turning that demanding journey into a lively travel narrative. His life also touched politics, but exploration gave his story its lasting appeal.

1 Audiobook

The North-West Passage by land Being the narrative of an expedition from the Atlantic to the Pacific, undertaken with the view of exploring a route across the continent to British Columbia through British territory, by one of the northern passes in the Rocky Mountains

The North-West Passage by land Being the narrative of an expedition from the Atlantic to the Pacific, undertaken with the view of exploring a route across the continent to British Columbia through British territory, by one of the northern passes in the Rocky Mountains

by Viscount William Fitzwilliam Milton, Walter B. (Walter Butler) Cheadle

About the author

Born on July 27, 1839, he was the eldest son of the 6th Earl Fitzwilliam and grew up in a prominent British family. He was educated at Eton and later became known as a nobleman, explorer, and Liberal politician.

He is especially associated with an overland expedition across British North America in the 1860s, undertaken with Dr. Walter Butler Cheadle. Their journey became the basis for the book The North-West Passage by Land, which helped introduce many readers to the landscapes and travel conditions of western Canada before Confederation had fully reshaped the region.

He later served in public life as a Member of Parliament. Though his career was relatively short, his name has endured through his travel writing and his place in the story of nineteenth-century exploration.