| Name: | SHACKLETON, Ernest Henry |
| Born: | Ireland, 15 February 1875 |
| Died: | 5 January 1922 |
| Age: | 47 |
| Cemetery: | Grytviken |
| Grave Ref: | B1 |
| Register: | 71 |
As well as the grave, there is a memorial on Hope Point, built by his shipmates on Quest.
The Funeral
Pall bearers
In his book ‘Memoirs of a Lerwick Boy’ Bruce Sandison tells us that his father William and five other Shetland Islanders – George Manson, Magnus Leask, John Byrne, James Brown and James Leask were chosen as pallbearers.
“I do not think it was ever discovered why Shetland men were chosen for the funeral party, but I believe James Brown, or Soldier Brown as he was called, was asked to choose the men, and he picked all Shetlanders.”
Picture: Source unknown, courtesy of Bob Burton. You can just see Edward Binnie’s camera and two men on the hill, taking the picture above.
A November 1923 picture of Shackleton’s grave, scanned from ‘Whaling North and South’ by F.V. Morley and J.S.Hodgeson, Methuen, 1927. Note that there was no headstone yet. This was not installed until 1928.
Photo J.S. Hodgeson
Headstone
The granite headstone was unveiled on 24 February 1928 by Governor Hodson.
These photographs from the unveiling are from the Atlantic Collection and can be seen on the Lardex website.
Visit By Shackleton’s Son Lord Edward
In 1976 Shackleton’s son Edward visited South Georgia on HMS Endurance and visited his father’s grave.
