Sir Ernest Shackleton

Explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton once famously said; "If you're a leader, a fellow that other fellows look to, you've got to keep going." He was born on 15 February 1874 in County Kildare, Ireland, but his family moved to London where Shackleton was educated.

Rejecting his father's wish that he become a doctor, he joined the merchant navy when he was 16 and qualified as a master mariner in 1898. He travelled widely, but was keen to explore the North and South poles. Shackleton visited the poles on three occasions and on the second occasion, Shackleton led his own expedition on the ship Nimrod. His team climbed Mount Erebus, made many important scientific discoveries and set a record by reaching closer to the South Pole than achieved before. On his return to Britain, Shackleton was knighted.

Shackleton's fourth expedition aimed to circumnavigate the Antarctic continent, but on 5 January 1922, he died after suffering a heart attack just off the coast of South Georgia.

Shackleton was initiated into Navy Lodge No. 2612 in London on 9 July 1901. Shackleton went 10 whole years between his initiation and his Second Degree! He completed his Second Degree at an emergency meeting of Guild of Freemen Lodge No. 3525 in London on 2 November 1911 and his Third Degree at an emergency meeting held on 30 May 1913.

He was elected an honorary member of the Lodge on 28 April 1914.