Cylindrical tin containing shot

A cylindrical tin with lid containing shot from the 1845 British Northwest Passage Expedition led by Sir John Franklin. The tin is rusty.

The cylindrical tin was found at the boat site in Erebus Bay by Captain F. L. McClintock's sledge team on 30 May 1859, as part of the search expedition led by McClintock The site had been visited and partially investigated by Lt. William Hobson on 24 May but his report does not list everything he saw or removed. McClintock does not record a tin with shot in it, but he does refer to 'a small tin, probably made to hold lucifer matches'. [McClintock, Voyage of the Fox (1859), page 367].

The tin has '45' painted on it, indicating that it was displayed at the Royal Naval Museum, Greenwich, Case 2, No. 45 'Tin cylinder'. The item is also shown in 'Stereoscopic slides of the relics of Sir John Franklin's Expedition' photographed by Lieutenant Cheyne RN, at the United Services Museum, Whitehall, No. 5 (bottom left corner with hadnwritten label 'Tin cylinder containing shot').

Object Details

ID: AAA2354
Collection: Polar Equipment and Relics
Type: Shot
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Unknown
Events: Arctic Exploration: Franklin's Last Expedition, 1845-1848; Arctic Exploration: Franklin Search Expedition, McClintock, 1857-1859
Date made: circa 1845
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London.
Measurements: Overall: 57 x 30 mm