Sir Ernest Shackleton’s granddaughter

The Hon. Alexandra Shackleton succeeded her father, Lord Shackleton KG OBE PC (1911-94), younger son of the explorer, as President of the James Caird Society, and has been at the heart of all its activities since. In the early days she was instrumental with Harding Dunnett in displaying the James Caird at the London Boat Show at Earl’s Court in 1994, and in lending support to Trevor Potts’s ‘four-man’ (three men and a woman) In the Wake of Shackleton expedition, which sought to recreate the James Caird boat journey and Shackleton’s crossing of South Georgia, the first such expedition to attempt this. This was subsequently achieved by the Shackleton Epic, led by Tim Jarvis, in 2013.

Since then there have been a great many expeditions of which our President has been Patron, and she remains tireless in representing the James Caird Society at a wide range of important and memorable events, especially the large number of Centenary celebrations which took place during 2014 – 2016. She has also launched two ships and four boats!

Alexandra Shackleton has also maintained her grandfather’s close links with Chile, and has, to date, spoken at events in eleven countries around the world. Regular undertakings in the UK and Ireland include hosting the James Caird Society’s lectures and meetings, supporting the South Georgia and Falkland Island Associations (maintaining the close link fostered by her father) and other bodies connected with Antarctica, doing interviews, and supporting and speaking at the annual Ernest Shackleton Autumn School at Athy, County Kildare, near where her grandfather was born.

The annual JCS Newsletter publishes a feature known as ‘Our President’s Year’ where you can read more about her continuing work honouring the Shackleton legacy.