High hopes for Westminster Abbey plaque recognising John Rae

A plaque in Westminster Abbey, recognising John Rae’s discovery of the North West passage, may not be far off, according to Orkney MP Alistair Carmichael.

The abbey contains a memorial to Sir John Franklin, incorrectly describing him as having discovered the last link in the North West Passage.

In his column in today’s The Orcadian, Mr Carmichael explains: “I met earlier in the year with the Dean of Westminster Abbey, who is supportive of the idea of placing, on the wall next to the Franklin memorial, a plaque recording Rae’s life and achievement as the discoverer of the last navigable link.

“There is still the matter of church committees that have the ultimate responsibility for making these decisions, but I have the distinct impression that having the Dean’s support makes that a much smoother process!”