John Rae was one of the most famous Arctic adventurers of Victorian England. He is also my grandmother's, great grandmother's uncle! Not only did Rae map out thousands of miles of unknown territory in Northern Canada but he also discovered the fate of the missing Franklin Expedition and with that the final link in the North West passage.  Rae's achievements have up until recently have never been truly recognized. Rae was probably the most important man in the history of British Arctic exploration. Although there were many other influencial and important figures, it can be said of Rae that he went where no other man had gone before. 

This website is dedicated to my family. It seeks to teach them why our ancestor was so important in the history Arctic exploration. Rae has been for too long a victim of Victorian sensibilities and as a consequence hidden from history.