Expedition and Travel
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CONTENTS
The History of Exploration
Women and Expeditions - Celebrating the journeys undertaken by women
- A timeline of female explorers
- Women in the Arctic Field
- The wives of infamous explorers
The History of Exploration
Robyn Davidson, National Geographic, (1978)
Women and expeditions
Tracks, Robyn Davidson.
WOMEN IN THE ARCTIC FIELD
whilst celebrating the achievements of female exploration it is important to remember that Indigenous women had been involved in Arctic travel long before the arrival any explorers, male or female.
As well as traditional and nomadic travel, many women assisted expeditions through harsh terrains, for example Ipirvik and Taqulittuq from Iqaluit, Nunavut, an Inuit couple, who assisted Arctic expeditions in 1860s and 1870s.
The wives of explorers
Many women accompanied their husbands on expedition but are not noted, yet they played crucial roles in supporting their husbands' expeditions, whilst facing their own hardships and adventures. However 'wife duty' is generally not accounted for, despite extreme experiences, such as Jo Peary, who gave birth in the Arctic in 1893.
To name but a few...
Kathleen Scott, wife of Robert Falcon Scott, Emily Shackleton, wife of Ernest Shackleton, who seemingly only participated in the expedition to impress her. These wives were both inspirations and avid supporters for their explorer husbands.
Jo Peary, The wife of Robert Peary, the man credited for (almost) discovering the geographic North Pole in April 1909 with Matthew Henson and four Inuit supporters to assist. Jo was the first white woman to give birth in the High Arctic. No credit is given to the Inuit peoples who assisted the expedition.
Lady Jane Franklin 1791 - 1875, The wife of Sir John Franklin, she was an eccentric traveller and instrumental in Arctic research with her husband John Franklin.
Ingrid Christensen, accompanied her husband to Antarctica in 1931, becoming one of the first women to see the continent.
References
Herbert, K. (2012) Polar Wives: The Remarkable Women behind the World's Most Daring Explorers, Greystone Books
Further research:
Women in the polar region https://escales.ponant.com Women in Polar Research: A Brief Historyhttps://www.thearcticinstitute.org
Timeline of female explorers
Gudrid Thorbjarnardóttir (Icelandic) 980-1019. With her husband, led an expedition to North America Jeanne Baret (French) 1740-1807. Circumnavigated the world disguised as a (male) sailor Hester Stanhope (British) 1776-1839. Conducted archaeology in Holy Land and travelled dressed as a man Ida Pfeiffer (Austrian) 1797-1858. Travelled alone around the world in 1847, published books of her travelsMarianne North (British) 1830-1890. Victorian biologist and botanical artistIsabella Bird (British) 1831 - 1904. Explorer, travelled solo in 1854, the first woman inducted into the Royal Geographical Society in 1892. Alexine Tinne (Dutch) 1835-1869. Dutch explorer in Africa, the first European woman to attempt Sahara crossingAlessandra Boarelli (Italian) 1838-1908. Italian mountaineer, the first woman to summit Monviso in the Alps in 1864Béláné Mocsáry (Hungarian) 1845-1917. Hungarian geographer and travel writer travelled solo to four continents Louise Bourbonnaud (French) 1847-1915. French philanthropist, explorer and writer who traveled alone through North and South America and the Far EastMabel Bent (Anglo-Irish) 1847-1929. Explored and excavated with her husband James Bent in the Eastern Mediterranean, South Africa and Southern ArabiaMatilda Coxe Stevenson (American) 1849-1915. Ethnologist and geologist who explored the Rocky Mountain region and the Southwest U.S.Eliza Scidmore (American) 1856-1928. Journalist and travel writer on Alaska and Far EastFanny Bullock Workman (American) 1859-1925. American cartographer, explored glaciers in HimalayasMary Kingsley (British) 1862-1900. Ethnographer and explorer of West AfricaEdith Durham (British) 1863-1944. Explored Albania and the BalkansAimée Crocker (American) 1864-1941. Heiress, writer spent a decade exploring the Far East in the 1890s (Java and Borneo)Berthe Cabra (Belgian) 1864-1947. Belgian traveller, first European woman to travel across central Africa from East to WestNellie Bly (American) 1864-1922. Journalist who travelled around the world in 72 days, the first to emulate Jules Verne*Annette Meakin (British) 1867-1959. Travelled Trans-Siberian Railway; (The Ribbon of Iron) and other parts of RussiaGertrude Benham (British) 1867-1938. Explorer, hiker and mountaineerAlexandra David-Néel (French) 1868-1969. Travelled to Tibet while closed to foreigners (for religious research)Gertrude Bell (British) 1868-1926. Explored and mapped the region of Syria, Mesopotamia, Asia Minor, ArabiaBeatrix Bulstrode (British) 1869-1951. Journalist and writer who traveled through China and Mongolia in 1911–1913Ynes Mexia (Mexican-American) 1870-1938. Mexican botanist and explorer (started her career at age 55) discovered (Mexianthus) and many new species of plantsAnnie Londonderry (Latvian American) 1870-1947.First woman cycle around the world (water crossing by boat)Octavie Coudreau (French) 1870 - 1910. Early explorer and geographer of the Amazon region in Brazil and French GuianaCharlotte Cameron (American) 1872/3-1946. American traveller and authorHarriet Chalmers Adams 1875-1937. 1st president Society of Woman Geographers (founded in 1925) follow the trails of Columbus, first female journalist invited to visit the French frontlines of World War IIsabelle Eberhardt (Swiss) 1877-1904. Swiss explorer and writer in Algeria, who converted to Islam and traveled freely dressed as a manGabrielle Maud Vassal (British) 1880-1959. Naturalist in Vietnam, Congo, GabonCharlotte Mansfield (British) 1881-1936. Wrote 'Via Rhodesia' (1911) about her travels in Southern AfricaEnid Gordon-Gallien (British) c. 1887-1931. Explored and mapped Kalambo Falls*Louise Arner Boyd (American) 1887-1972. Explored Greenland and the ArcticAdeline and Augusta Van Buren (American) 1889-1949. The first women to ride motorcycles across the continental USAlma Maximiliana Karlin (Slovene) 1889-1950. World traveller, writer, poet, polyglot and theosophist; second European woman to circumnavigate the world solo; in an eight-year travel, she explored North and South America, Oceania, Australia, East Asia, and IndiaFreya Stark (British / Italian) 1893-1993. Travelled within and wrote about the Middle East, including the Arabian deserts, AfghanistanOdette du Puigaudeau (French) 1894-1991. Conducted field research among the nomads of the western Sahara region with her partner artist Marion Sénones (1886–1977)Osa Johnson (American) 1894-1953. Documented travels in Africa, South Pacific, Borneo with husband Martin Amelia Earhart (American) 1897-1937. First woman to fly solo across AtlanticClärenore Stinnes (German) 1901-1990. First woman to circumnavigate the world by vehicle...Beryl Markham (British) 1902-1986. Kenyan aviator (one of the first bush pilots), first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic from east to westElla Maillart (Swiss) 1903-1997. Explorer and travel writer in Asia from the late 1920s through to World War II; wrote Forbidden Journey – From Peking to KashmirAmy Johnson (British) 1903 - 1941. First woman to fly solo from Britain to AustraliaBeryl Smeeton (British) 1905-1979. Mountaineer, cruising sailor, overland travellerEva Dickson (Swedish) 1905-1938. Swedish explorer, aviator, travel writer, first woman to cross the Sahara by carAloha Wanderwell (American) 1906-1996. Drove solo around the worldNicole Maxwell (American) 1906-1998. Traveled the Amazon jungle gathering plants for natural remedies and medicineAnnemarie Schwarzenbach (Swiss) 1908-1942. Journalist and photographer, travelled to Iran, Afghanistan, AfricaJean Batten (New Zealander) 1909-1982. First woman to fly between England and New Zealand solo Lyuba Kutincheva (Bulgarian) 1910-1998. Bulgarian traveler and polyglot who traveled for almost a decade (1929–1938) through the Middle East, Far East, northern Africa and EuropeDorothy Pine (American) 1920-2011. Possibly first woman to visit all 193 UN-recognised countriesDelia Akeley (American) 1869-1970. Led her own expeditions and ethnographic fieldwork of the Forest People pygmies Dervla Murphy (Irish) 1931-2022. Irish travel writer, cycled alone through Europe, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan to IndiaBarbara Hillary (American) 1931-2019. First woman of colour to reach North PoleKrystyna Chojnowska-Liskiewicz (Polish) 1936 - 2021. First woman to sail solo around the worldHelen Thayer 1937 - Named one of the most important explorers of the 20th century by the National Geographic Society (2009).Junko Tabei (Japanese) 1939-2016. First woman to reach summit of Mount EverestWanda Rutkiewicz (Polish) 1943-1992. Mountain climber, first woman to successfully summit K2Anne-France Dautheville (French) 1944 - Motorcycled solo around the worldCarol Beckwith (American) 1945 - Photographer, author, and filmmaker documenting the tribal cultures of Africa, in partnership with Australian photographer Angela FisherRosie Swale-Pope (Swiss / Irish / British) 1946 - Has run, walked and sailed around the worldGinny Fiennes (British) 1947 - 2004. First woman to be awarded the Polar Medal, orchestrated the Transglobe Expedition*Robyn Davidson (Australian) 1950 - Walked from Alice Springs to the west coast of Australia by camelKay Cottee (Australian) 1954 - First woman to sail solo, non-stop around the worldAnn Bancroft (American) 1955 - First woman to travel over the ice cap to the North and South PolesDominick Arduin (French) 1960 - 2004. Disappeared on her attempt to become the first woman to ski alone to the North PoleVanessa O'Brien (American / British) 1964 -First woman to reach Earth's highest (Mt. Everest 8,848m) and lowest points (Challenger Deep 10,925m)Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner (Austrian) 1970 - First woman to climb all fourteen eight-thousander mountains without supplementary oxygenLaurence Bougault (French) 1970 - 2018. Long-distance horseback adventurer in Africa, Middle East and EuropeKira Salak (American) 1971 - Travelled in Mali and Papua New GuineaSophia Danenberg (American) 1972 - First black woman to reach summit of Mount EverestSarah Marquis (Swiss) 1972 - Swiss adventurer and explorer who walked 10,000 miles across Asia, Siberia and AustraliaRenata Chlumska (Czech / Swedish) 1973 - Climbed Mount Everest, kayaked and bicycled around lower 48 states of USABelinda Kirk (British) 1974 - Captained the first all-female rowing team to circumnavigate Britain non-stopFelicity Aston 1977 - First person to ski alone across the Antarctic land-mass using only human power, as well as the first woman to cross the Antarctic land-mass aloneStephanie Solomonides 1982 - First Cypriot person to reach North and South PolesCassandra de Pecol 1989 - Fastest Person (Female) to Travel to All Sovereign Nations"Jessica Watson 1993 - Youngest person to sail non-stop and unassisted around the worldLaura Dekker 1995 - Youngest person to sail around world soloEllen McArthur 2005 - The fastest solo circumnavigation of the globe (under 75 days)
Gudrid Thorbjarnardóttir (Icelandic) 980-1019. With her husband, led an expedition to North America Jeanne Baret (French) 1740-1807. Circumnavigated the world disguised as a (male) sailor Hester Stanhope (British) 1776-1839. Conducted archaeology in Holy Land and travelled dressed as a man Ida Pfeiffer (Austrian) 1797-1858. Travelled alone around the world in 1847, published books of her travelsMarianne North (British) 1830-1890. Victorian biologist and botanical artistIsabella Bird (British) 1831 - 1904. Explorer, travelled solo in 1854, the first woman inducted into the Royal Geographical Society in 1892. Alexine Tinne (Dutch) 1835-1869. Dutch explorer in Africa, the first European woman to attempt Sahara crossingAlessandra Boarelli (Italian) 1838-1908. Italian mountaineer, the first woman to summit Monviso in the Alps in 1864Béláné Mocsáry (Hungarian) 1845-1917. Hungarian geographer and travel writer travelled solo to four continents Louise Bourbonnaud (French) 1847-1915. French philanthropist, explorer and writer who traveled alone through North and South America and the Far EastMabel Bent (Anglo-Irish) 1847-1929. Explored and excavated with her husband James Bent in the Eastern Mediterranean, South Africa and Southern ArabiaMatilda Coxe Stevenson (American) 1849-1915. Ethnologist and geologist who explored the Rocky Mountain region and the Southwest U.S.Eliza Scidmore (American) 1856-1928. Journalist and travel writer on Alaska and Far EastFanny Bullock Workman (American) 1859-1925. American cartographer, explored glaciers in HimalayasMary Kingsley (British) 1862-1900. Ethnographer and explorer of West AfricaEdith Durham (British) 1863-1944. Explored Albania and the BalkansAimée Crocker (American) 1864-1941. Heiress, writer spent a decade exploring the Far East in the 1890s (Java and Borneo)Berthe Cabra (Belgian) 1864-1947. Belgian traveller, first European woman to travel across central Africa from East to WestNellie Bly (American) 1864-1922. Journalist who travelled around the world in 72 days, the first to emulate Jules Verne*Annette Meakin (British) 1867-1959. Travelled Trans-Siberian Railway; (The Ribbon of Iron) and other parts of RussiaGertrude Benham (British) 1867-1938. Explorer, hiker and mountaineerAlexandra David-Néel (French) 1868-1969. Travelled to Tibet while closed to foreigners (for religious research)Gertrude Bell (British) 1868-1926. Explored and mapped the region of Syria, Mesopotamia, Asia Minor, ArabiaBeatrix Bulstrode (British) 1869-1951. Journalist and writer who traveled through China and Mongolia in 1911–1913Ynes Mexia (Mexican-American) 1870-1938. Mexican botanist and explorer (started her career at age 55) discovered (Mexianthus) and many new species of plantsAnnie Londonderry (Latvian American) 1870-1947.First woman cycle around the world (water crossing by boat)Octavie Coudreau (French) 1870 - 1910. Early explorer and geographer of the Amazon region in Brazil and French GuianaCharlotte Cameron (American) 1872/3-1946. American traveller and authorHarriet Chalmers Adams 1875-1937. 1st president Society of Woman Geographers (founded in 1925) follow the trails of Columbus, first female journalist invited to visit the French frontlines of World War IIsabelle Eberhardt (Swiss) 1877-1904. Swiss explorer and writer in Algeria, who converted to Islam and traveled freely dressed as a manGabrielle Maud Vassal (British) 1880-1959. Naturalist in Vietnam, Congo, GabonCharlotte Mansfield (British) 1881-1936. Wrote 'Via Rhodesia' (1911) about her travels in Southern AfricaEnid Gordon-Gallien (British) c. 1887-1931. Explored and mapped Kalambo Falls*Louise Arner Boyd (American) 1887-1972. Explored Greenland and the ArcticAdeline and Augusta Van Buren (American) 1889-1949. The first women to ride motorcycles across the continental USAlma Maximiliana Karlin (Slovene) 1889-1950. World traveller, writer, poet, polyglot and theosophist; second European woman to circumnavigate the world solo; in an eight-year travel, she explored North and South America, Oceania, Australia, East Asia, and IndiaFreya Stark (British / Italian) 1893-1993. Travelled within and wrote about the Middle East, including the Arabian deserts, AfghanistanOdette du Puigaudeau (French) 1894-1991. Conducted field research among the nomads of the western Sahara region with her partner artist Marion Sénones (1886–1977)Osa Johnson (American) 1894-1953. Documented travels in Africa, South Pacific, Borneo with husband Martin Amelia Earhart (American) 1897-1937. First woman to fly solo across AtlanticClärenore Stinnes (German) 1901-1990. First woman to circumnavigate the world by vehicle...Beryl Markham (British) 1902-1986. Kenyan aviator (one of the first bush pilots), first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic from east to westElla Maillart (Swiss) 1903-1997. Explorer and travel writer in Asia from the late 1920s through to World War II; wrote Forbidden Journey – From Peking to KashmirAmy Johnson (British) 1903 - 1941. First woman to fly solo from Britain to AustraliaBeryl Smeeton (British) 1905-1979. Mountaineer, cruising sailor, overland travellerEva Dickson (Swedish) 1905-1938. Swedish explorer, aviator, travel writer, first woman to cross the Sahara by carAloha Wanderwell (American) 1906-1996. Drove solo around the worldNicole Maxwell (American) 1906-1998. Traveled the Amazon jungle gathering plants for natural remedies and medicineAnnemarie Schwarzenbach (Swiss) 1908-1942. Journalist and photographer, travelled to Iran, Afghanistan, AfricaJean Batten (New Zealander) 1909-1982. First woman to fly between England and New Zealand solo Lyuba Kutincheva (Bulgarian) 1910-1998. Bulgarian traveler and polyglot who traveled for almost a decade (1929–1938) through the Middle East, Far East, northern Africa and EuropeDorothy Pine (American) 1920-2011. Possibly first woman to visit all 193 UN-recognised countriesDelia Akeley (American) 1869-1970. Led her own expeditions and ethnographic fieldwork of the Forest People pygmies Dervla Murphy (Irish) 1931-2022. Irish travel writer, cycled alone through Europe, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan to IndiaBarbara Hillary (American) 1931-2019. First woman of colour to reach North PoleKrystyna Chojnowska-Liskiewicz (Polish) 1936 - 2021. First woman to sail solo around the worldHelen Thayer 1937 - Named one of the most important explorers of the 20th century by the National Geographic Society (2009).Junko Tabei (Japanese) 1939-2016. First woman to reach summit of Mount EverestWanda Rutkiewicz (Polish) 1943-1992. Mountain climber, first woman to successfully summit K2Anne-France Dautheville (French) 1944 - Motorcycled solo around the worldCarol Beckwith (American) 1945 - Photographer, author, and filmmaker documenting the tribal cultures of Africa, in partnership with Australian photographer Angela FisherRosie Swale-Pope (Swiss / Irish / British) 1946 - Has run, walked and sailed around the worldGinny Fiennes (British) 1947 - 2004. First woman to be awarded the Polar Medal, orchestrated the Transglobe Expedition*Robyn Davidson (Australian) 1950 - Walked from Alice Springs to the west coast of Australia by camelKay Cottee (Australian) 1954 - First woman to sail solo, non-stop around the worldAnn Bancroft (American) 1955 - First woman to travel over the ice cap to the North and South PolesDominick Arduin (French) 1960 - 2004. Disappeared on her attempt to become the first woman to ski alone to the North PoleVanessa O'Brien (American / British) 1964 -First woman to reach Earth's highest (Mt. Everest 8,848m) and lowest points (Challenger Deep 10,925m)Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner (Austrian) 1970 - First woman to climb all fourteen eight-thousander mountains without supplementary oxygenLaurence Bougault (French) 1970 - 2018. Long-distance horseback adventurer in Africa, Middle East and EuropeKira Salak (American) 1971 - Travelled in Mali and Papua New GuineaSophia Danenberg (American) 1972 - First black woman to reach summit of Mount EverestSarah Marquis (Swiss) 1972 - Swiss adventurer and explorer who walked 10,000 miles across Asia, Siberia and AustraliaRenata Chlumska (Czech / Swedish) 1973 - Climbed Mount Everest, kayaked and bicycled around lower 48 states of USABelinda Kirk (British) 1974 - Captained the first all-female rowing team to circumnavigate Britain non-stopFelicity Aston 1977 - First person to ski alone across the Antarctic land-mass using only human power, as well as the first woman to cross the Antarctic land-mass aloneStephanie Solomonides 1982 - First Cypriot person to reach North and South PolesCassandra de Pecol 1989 - Fastest Person (Female) to Travel to All Sovereign Nations"Jessica Watson 1993 - Youngest person to sail non-stop and unassisted around the worldLaura Dekker 1995 - Youngest person to sail around world soloEllen McArthur 2005 - The fastest solo circumnavigation of the globe (under 75 days)
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