January 01

Born in Devon in 1825, Torrington enlisted in the Royal Navy and later joined Sir John Franklin’s 1845 expedition to find the Northwest Passage. He served aboard HMS Erebus as a crew member tasked with ship maintenance. Torrington succumbed to illness and the harsh Arctic conditions on January 1, 1846, becoming one of the expedition’s earliest victims. His locked burial in the permafrost preserved his remains remarkably intact. When uncovered in the 1984 archaeological expedition on Beechey Island, his body offered unique insights into the fate of the crew. Scientists studied his well-preserved tissues to understand the health challenges faced by the explorers. Torrington’s story remains a poignant reminder of the expedition’s tragic end.

Born in Kent, England, in 1778, Blaxland emigrated to New South Wales in 1806 and established a successful farm near Parramatta. Fascinated by the uncharted interior, he organized an expedition in 1813 with William Lawson and William Wentworth. Blaxland’s party became the first Europeans to traverse the Blue Mountains, opening the colony’s western regions to settlement. He carefully documented the journey and submitted maps and reports to colonial authorities. Upon returning, he advocated for the expansion of agriculture beyond the coastal plains. Blaxland continued to farm and contributed to early agricultural improvements in Australia. He died on January 1, 1853, remembered as a key figure in the exploration of New South Wales.