Graham Westbrook Rowley

Graham Westbrook Rowley (October 31, 1912 – December 31, 2003) was an Arctic explorer, hailed as "one of the last true explorers of North America" (The Telegraph).

Early life and family Rowley was born on October 31, 1912, in Manchester, England.

Born the youngest of four children, Rowley developed a playful and ambitious disposition that later proved well suited to the demands of his career.

He met his wife Diana at the Royal Geographical Society in Cambridge, where she was a student editor, and after many failed accounts on asking her to go out on a date with him, she finally gave in and they were inseparable from that day forth.

They married twice, once in 1944 (a civil wedding before he left for the army) and again in 1945 in a Church setting.

Together they had three healthy daughters: Anne, Sue (Susan) and Jane.

Rowley and Diana were married for 69 years, and shared their passions for the Arctic together.

Education He attended Clare College, Cambridge, and received his B.A. from the University of Cambridge in 1934 and his M.A. from the same institution in 1936.

He was made an honorary member of the American Polar Society in 1985, due to his countless advancements and discoveries in the field.

In 1947, Graham and Diana Rowley, Tom and Jackie Manning and several associates formed a club in Ottawa called The Arctic Circle, to enable those interested in the Arctic to meet for informal discussion and to keep club members informed of current happenings in the Arctic. The Arctic Circle is still active.

He died in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on December 31, 2003, surrounded by his wife, daughters and grandchildren.

Publications Cold Comfort: My Love Affair with the Arctic (1996)