Jesse Handsley (29 March 1876 – 3 June 1916) was an able seaman who served under Captain Robert Falcon Scott on the Discovery expedition of 1901 to 1904.

[1] Whilst serving on HMS Ringarooma at Port Chalmers, New Zealand, he joined the British National Antarctic Expedition.

[2] Handsley served for the full duration of the expedition, but the ship was trapped in ice for most of that time.

Following the death of his mother in 1883, his father continued to raise the children until Jesse joined the Navy in 1894.

Setting sail in 1901, Discovery arrived in Antarctica in early 1902 establishing a base at McMurdo Sound.

In late 1903 the Morning returned with the Terra Nova with explicit orders to bring back all the expedition members if the Discovery could not be freed.

Scott and his crew did not relish the prospect of abandoning Discovery,[9] their home for the last three years, and set about releasing her with renewed efforts.

The voyage from Antarctica was fraught with danger, but the expedition finally reached London, and the crew were welcomed as heroes.

Handsley joined the expedition by fate, volunteering following a tragic accident[10][11] when Charles Bonner fell from above the crows nest to his death whilst Discovery was leaving Littleton, New Zealand, he was relieved from his naval duties on HMS Ringarooma.

The other tragedy of the expedition occurred in Antarctica when George Vince slid to his death over a precipice into the water[12] whilst wearing fur boots which were the wrong type of footwear for the conditions.

Arthur Harry Blissett born in Grantham, Lincolnshire, (Royal Marine) was a ward room steward and domestic on the expedition.

The surveying party left the next morning, and Handsley, who was not yet adept on skis returned to camp after 11 miles.

By the time the party arrived back at Discovery ,they had learnt a great deal more about the barrier.

(2) With Lieutenant Barne (3) 29 November 1902 to 19 January 1903 - Armitage reached the summit of Victoria Land on his 2nd attempt.

Scott, Skelton, Daily, Evans, Lashly and Handsley form a party to find a new road to the Ferrar Glacier and place a depot ready for a great western journey over the ice cap.

[19] Scott praised him for his determination to carry on saying "they won't give in till they break down, and then they consider their collapse disgraceful", but it was decided that he and two others would return to Discovery whilst Scott, Evans and Lashly would continue on, returning to Discovery on Christmas Eve.

On 28 January 1903, Discovery started creaking and moving in the ice and on 5 February, Scott decided to use explosives to free her.

Following the Discovery Expedition, Handsley was given advancement to Petty Officer 1st class without going through the intermediate rate of Leading Seaman.

His service record does show that his conduct was assessed as very good towards the end of his tragically short life.

His brother Charles married Lydia Annie Davis (1898)[29] and had a daughter, Millicent Emily Handsley (1899).