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Audio Transcript of Luke Fox (of Hull, England; for England) 1631

Audio Transcript: Notwithstanding the failure of previous voyages to find a northwest passage (the latest by William Hawkeridge in 1625), a new expedition under Luke Fox was outfitted in 1631 by London merchants with the backing of King Charles I. Briefed by Henry Briggs, the mathematician, cartographer and student of Arctic exploration, Fox left London on 28 April. On 22 May, he reached Hudson Strait and passed through it to the western coast of the Bay. He then coasted south exploring the open inlets on the map Briggs had published in 1625. At the mouth of the Nelson River, he found Button's winter settlement (1612 to 1613) and then passed on into uncharted waters. On 29 August he met Thomas James' expedition just west of Cape Henrietta Maria (the dividing point between Hudson and James bays). At the Cape, he turned north eventually reaching the Foxe Peninsula of Baffin Island. Here, he coasted north around the peninsula as far as Cape Dorchester. It was now well into September and on the 25th Fox turned about reaching England on 31 October. Since he had been equipped for 18 months, his early return was not greeted kindly. He was further criticized for exploring the east coast of the Fox Channel when the chances of finding a passage lay to the west. In order to answer these charges, Fox wrote an account of his journey, North-West Fox ,(London, 1635) which included the first review of Arctic exploration.

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Portrait of King Charles I

Source: Voiceovers by Kyle Rawn, Christian Wyss and LeeAnn McLellan, Algonquin College, Ottawa. Assistance provided by Don Crockford, Coordinator, Broadcasting Radio and Media Design Sector, Algonquin College.