"I began to think, maybe in my early 50's, that there should have to be some sort of life after expeditions," Sir Ranulph said.
"He truly was the adventurer's adventurer," wrote his friend and frequent expedition sponsor Sir Richard Branson.
The lamented Dumont d'Urville commanded the French expedition, and Sir James Clark Ross the English one, consisting of the Erebus and Terror.
The last expedition of Sir John Franklin has been lost for over 160 years, but the search continues.
The firm put up about $3 million to be the presenting sponsor of two versions of Mr. Butler's production about the heroic expedition of Sir Ernest Shackleton.
In the 19th century hundreds of men died here trying to find a northwest passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific, the expedition of Sir John Franklin – which disappeared in 1845 – being the grimmest, but by no means only, example.
After this the search moved north, which was generally thought to be the most likely direction; in 1852 Captain Edward Inglefield in the Isabel sailed north up Smith Sound to 78°35′ N, and another large expedition, under Sir Edward Belcher and Henry Kellett, sailed into Lancaster Sound with Austin's four ships plus a supply vessel, the North Star.
Tony Medniuk from the "Coldest Journey" expedition said Sir Ranulph had been due to lead the team from the front on skis, and had been practising his skiing in whiteout conditions when he fell.
No such land exists; other appearances of land at or near this bearing, reported during the 1842 expedition of Sir James Clark Ross, have likewise proved imaginary.
He also impressed Scott as "sober, honest, loyal and intelligent", and expedition organiser Sir Clements Markham later described him as "an honest and trustworthy man".
