A relic of Sir John Franklin's last expedition 1845-48. A fragment of shirt with the initials of Charles Frederick Des Voeux. Obtained from the Inuit at Repulse Bay in 1854 by the Rae Expedition. The Inuit said that they had found the material at a camp to the north west of the mouth of the Back River where a party of Europeans had died of starvation.

A strip of shirt made of cream, plain woven wool. One edge is trimmed with cotton ribbon in which are four button holes. The cotton is hemmed down the long edge and herringboned down one short edge. 'F:D:V: 1845' is marked on the ribbon in black ink.

Des Voeux was appointed mate of HMS 'Erebus' on the recommendation of Fitzjames, who had served with him in the 'Cornwallis' in 1841. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant after the expedition sailed. He was still alive in May 1847 and signed the first entry on the expedition documents found by F.L. McClintock.