July 20

Sir Clements Markham was an English geographer, explorer, and prolific writer who served as Secretary and later President of the Royal Geographical Society. He sponsored Robert Falcon Scott’s early Antarctic voyages and conducted his own survey work in South America, contributing valuable maps and ethnographic studies. A passionate historian, he published authoritative biographies of explorers and works on British naval history. Under his leadership, the Royal Geographical Society became a leading institution for geographic research. His advocacy played a crucial role in the golden age of exploration, and his published works influenced generations of scientists and adventurers.

Born in Palmira, Brazil, Alberto Santos-Dumont moved to France to pursue his passion for flight and designed a series of successful dirigibles. In 1906, he achieved one of the first certified controlled powered flights in a heavier-than-air machine, winning the Deutsch de la Meurthe prize and gaining international acclaim. Santos-Dumont also contributed to early airplane design and inspired public enthusiasm for aviation. He advocated for flight as a practical mode of transport and shared his experiments widely. After suffering from health issues and depression, he withdrew from public life and died in 1932.

Thomas Crean joined the Royal Navy in 1893 and first sailed to Antarctica with Robert Falcon Scott on the Discovery expedition. He later served on Ernest Shackleton's Endurance expedition, where his resourcefulness and courage helped save his crewmates after their ship was trapped in ice. Crean undertook heroic sledging journeys and long marches across the polar ice with minimal supplies. Returning to Ireland, he ran a pub in County Kerry and shared stories of his daring adventures. He died in 1938, remembered as one of the great heroes of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration.

Born in Auckland, Hillary developed a passion for climbing in his youth and honed his skills on the Southern Alps of New Zealand. In 1953, he and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay achieved the first confirmed ascent of Mount Everest, becoming international heroes. Hillary later led expeditions to Antarctica and supported scientific research, earning him a knighthood. He devoted much of his life to humanitarian work in Nepal, building schools, hospitals, and airstrips. His legacy endures through the Himalayan Trust and his pioneering spirit in mountaineering.