Continuing on from the ‘Top Twenty British Explorers’, here are the ones that have made it into the Top Ten. The investigation of the World by British explorers contributed significantly to the development of modern society as we know it today. Explorers were expected to discover new lands, break records and map the world for future travellers. It was a dangerous but exhilarating opportunity for adventurers, whatever their social class, to advance scientific knowledge, acquire new mineral and agricultural resources and to make their own fortunes. Still, even those that succeeded often paid for their bravery with their lives. Of the top twenty British explorers, in this and the previous list, only three – just 15% – survived to old age.

10. MARY KINGSLEY 1862 – 1900 Nationality: English – Born: Islington, London, England, Britain

Cause of Death: Died Young of Typhoid during Boer War Main Achievements: (1893) Travelled through Sierra Leone and Angola where she studied the lives and customs of the local tribes.

(1894 – 1895) Studied tribal life in Western Gabon.

(1895) Journeyed by canoe up the Ogooué River in Gabon. Collected many specimens of previously unknown fish, three of which were later named after her.

(1895) Explored the uncharted territory of the Fan(g) tribe who were believed to be cannibals.

(1895) Established a new (European) route up Mount Cameroon.

(1896-1899) Provided one of the first empathetic studies of indigenous African culture and religion.

(1903) Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine establish an honorary medal in her name.

9. Henry Hudson c.1565 – c.1611 Nationality: English – Born: Torquay, Devon, England, Britain

Cause of Death: Murdered / Hypothermia Main Achievements: (1607) Contracted to discover a northerly route to the Pacific Ocean and the coast of Asia.

(1607) Reached Greenland and named an important headland as ‘Young’s Cape’.

(1609) Hudson discovered Delaware Bay.

(1609) Explored the ‘North River’ which was renamed the Hudson River in his honour.

(1610 ) Discovered the Hudson Strait and Hudson Bay which he charted.

(1607 – 1611) Created a far better understanding of the eastern coast of America.

8. Sir Ranulph Fiennes 1944 – Nationality: English – Born: Windsor, Berkshire, England, Britain

Cause of Death: Alive – Maimed twice by frostbite Main Achievements: (1967) Led an expedition up the Jostedalsbreen Glacier in Norway.

(1968 – 1969) Led the very first expedition up the White Nile on a hovercraft.

(1970) Undertook a second expedition along the Jostedalsbreen Glacier.

(1971) Undertook the Headless Valley Expedition.

(1979 – 1982) Transglobe Expedition: Leader of the first team to journey around – circumnavigate – the world on its polar axis by only using surface transport. Nobody else has ever done so by any route before or since.

(1979 – 1982) First person (together with Charles Burton) to visit both the North and South Poles by surface means

(1981) Together with Charles R. Burton he completed the first west-to-east transit of the North West passage in an open boat (whaler).

(1986) Awarded the Polar Medal for “outstanding service to British polar exploration and research”.

(1992) Discovered the lost city of Ubar in the Rub al Khali desert of Oman near Ash Shisr and the Yemini border.

(1992 – 1993) Together with Mike Stroud became the first person to completely cross Antarctica on foot – the longest unsupported polar journey in history.

(2000) First person to visit both the North Pole and South Pole by surface means.

(2009) – Climbed the Everest Nepal Summit thus becoming the first person ever to reach the summit of Mt Everest and cross both polar ice caps. Also now credited as the oldest British person to climb Mt Everest to the summit.

(2013) Currently recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records as the World’s greatest living explorer.

7. Alexander Mackenzie 1764 – 1820 Nationality: Scottish – Born: Stornoway, Lewis, Scotland, Britain

Cause of Death: Bright’s Disease Main Achievements: (1788) Journeyed to Lake Athabasca in Canada and helped to found Fort Chipewyan.

(1789) Undertook the Mackenzie River Expedition and in search of a North West Passage and traced it to the Arctic Ocean.

(1792) Established Fort Fork on the Peace River.

(1793) Became the first recorded European to cross the North American continent north of Mexico The Sir Alexander Mackenzie Provincial Park and the Mackenzie River are named after him.

The Alexander Mackenzie rose is named after him.

6. Robert Falcon Scott 1868 – 1912 Nationality: English – Born: Plymouth, Devon, England, Britain

Cause of Death: Hypothermia while on Expedition Main Achievements: (1901 – 1904) Undertook the “Discovery” Polar Expedition.

(1903) Discovery of the Polar Plateau (Antarctic Plateau) – considered one of the most important discoveries in the history of polar exploration.

(1903) Collection of many important geological and botanical samples as well as extensive magnetic readings and the development of charts.

(1910 – 1912) Undertook the ‘Terra Nova’ Expedition.

(1912) Became the first British explorer to reach the South Pole.

(1912) Became the second expedition to reach the South Pole after Roald Amundsen.