BACK

Sir George ( son of John Back of Stock port, Cheshire ). b. Stock port 6 Nov. 1796; midshipman R.N. Sep. 1808; a prisoner at Verdun in France 1809–14; went with Franklin to the Spitz bergen seas 1818, along Arctic coast of America 1819–22, and to Mackenzie river 1825–27; conducted overland Arctic expedition 1833–35, when he travelled 7500 miles, and discovered the Back or Great Fish river; captain by order in council 30 Sep. 1835, an honour which no other officer in the navy had received except William iv; commanded the Terror in expedition to the frigid zone 1836–37; knighted by the Queen at St. James’s palace 6 March 1839; F.R.G.S. 1836, Founder’s gold medallist 1836; F.R.S. 7 Jany. 1847; gold medallist of Geographical Society of Paris; pres. of the Raleigh club 1844; awarded good service pension 21 Jany. 1854; D.C.L. Oxford 28 June 1854; admiral on h.p. 18 Oct. 1867; author of Narrative of the Arctic land expedition to the mouth of the Great Fish river 1836; Narrative of an expedition in H.M.S. Terror 1838. ( m. 13 Oct. 1846 Theodosia Elizabeth, widow of Anthony Hammond of Savile row, London, she d. 6 Jany. 1861). d. 109 Gloucester place, Portman sq. 23 June 1878. Geographical mag. v , 179–81 (1878); I.L.N. lxxii , 4 (1878) portrait ; Graphic xviii , 116 (1878) portrait .