Origins & Early Life

Sir William Edward Parry (19 December 1790 – 8 July 1855) was a Royal Navy officer and explorer best known for his 1819–1820 expedition through the Parry Channel, probably the most successful in the long quest for the Northwest Passage, until it was finally negotiated by Roald Amundsen in 1906. In 1827, Parry attempted one of the earliest expeditions to the North Pole. He reached 82° 45' N, setting a record for human exploration Farthest North that stood for nearly five decades before being surpassed at 83° 20' N by Albert Hastings Markham in 1875. Parry was born in Bath, Somerset, the son of Caleb Hillier Parry and Sarah Rigby.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He was educated at King Edward's School. At the age of thirteen he joined the flagship of Admiral Sir William Cornwallis in the Channel fleet as a first-class volunteer, in 1806 became a midshipman, and in 1810 received promotion to the rank of lieutenant in the frigate Alexander, which spent the next three years in the protection of the Spitsbergen whale fishery. Parry took advantage of this opportunity to study and practice astronomical observations in northern latitudes, and later published the results of his studies in a small volume titled...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

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