Franklin medal mystery solved

Stromness Museum is home to what is now believed to be the Arctic medal awarded to the famous British explorer, Sir John Franklin.

Following extensive curatorial research by the museum, several pieces of the puzzle fell into place, and honorary curator, Janette Park, said they are as certain as they can be that the medal that is in the museum’s possession was awarded to Franklin.

A talk is taking place in the Stromness Town Hall at 2pm today, Thursday, with guest speaker Jeremy Michell of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.

Mrs Park said: “The family of Sir John Franklin are absolutely delighted, as are we, at this discovery and feel it is entirely appropriate that the Franklin medal is at Stromness Museum.

“Stromness was his last landfall in the UK; he left Stromness 172 years ago and at the time when he was here he actually dined with John Rae’s sister, Marion Hamilton, and socialised around the ‘big houses’ in Orkney. Franklin Road in Stromness is named after him.

“So we feel that it is as appropriate having the medal here in Stromness as it being anywhere else.”