Event information
Known for his resilience, leadership skills and loyalty to his crew, in even the direst of circumstances, Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton contributed greatly to the exploration of the Antarctic. In recent years, his legacy has influenced training programmes on the art of leadership and crisis management.
Shackleton participated in four Antarctic expeditions, leading three. Tragically, he died suddenly of heart failure on 5 January 1922, during the Shackleton-Rowett Antarctic Expedition 1921-22 (Quest), aged 47. He was buried in South Georgia following the request of his wife, Emily, that he be buried as far South as possible.
This small display presents Shackleton's Quest diary. The final four entries feature his notes on the difficulties faced by the crew on the journey, his concerns as a leader and, poignantly, his reflective mood upon arriving in South Georgia.
The final words of his last entry read:
"In the darkening twilight I saw a lone star hover, gem-like above the bay..."
