Between 1839 – 1843 James Clark Ross a British naval officer led an Antarctic expedition in command of the vessels HMS Erebus and HMS Terror with the aim of finding the magnetic south pole. He and his crew charted much of the coastline of Antarctica.

In 1841, James Ross discovered the Ross Sea, Victoria Land, and the volcanoes Mount Erebus and Mount Terror, which were named after the expedition’s vessels. They also sailed for 250 nautical miles along the edge of the low, flat-topped ice shelf they called the Victoria Barrier, later named the “Ross Ice Shelf” in his honour.

Trivia: It is also believed that the first ever fancy dress ball in Antarctica was held on this expedition on New Year’s Eve 31st December 1841.

James Clark Ross