DOCSLIB.ORG

LETTER from DOWN UNDER by Peter D Cranwell

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
LETTER from DOWN UNDER by Peter D Cranwell Reprinted from Polar Post (Volume 36, No.3 [Whole No. 202] September 2004, pp. 91-94) LETTER FROM DOWN UNDER by Peter D Cranwell In this my first letter to Polar Post I want to tell you about four matters. The first is to do with the issue of AAT stamps to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the establishment of Mawson station, the oldest continuously operating station inside the Antarctic circle. The second is the unveiling of the bronze statue of "Mrs Chippy", the cat on the Endurance, the third is the visit of the James Caird to New Zealand and the fourth is the unveiling of the tribute to Frank Worsley in Akaroa, New Zealand. 50th Anniversary of the establishment of Mawson station: The Australian Antarctic Territory stamps issued to commemorate this anniversary are described elsewhere in this issue of Polar Post. The stamps were issued in Australia on 13th February 2004, exactly 50 years after the Mawson station naming ceremony took place on Saturday 13th February 1954 on the rocky shore of Horseshoe Harbour. The venue for the launch of these stamps was the Postmaster Gallery in Melbourne, where the Exhibition entitled "Philately on Ice - Stamps of the Australian Antarctic Territory 1957-2003", ran from 6th December 2003 to 29th February 2004. Figure 1: Nine members of the Mawson pioneer party, who attended the launch. From left to right they are: Arthur Gwyn, Fred Elliott, Ray Seaver, Dick Thompson, Bill Storer, Ken Dufell, Jim Brooks, Bill Pedersen and Phillip Law. Bill Storer was a member of the first wintering party at Mawson station in 1954. The following account of the arrival and the naming ceremony at Mawson station is taken from The Silence Calling: Australians in Antarctica 1947-97 by Tim Bowden. The Kista Dan nosed her way between the encircling arms of the 'horseshoe' late on Thursday 11th February and into Horseshoe Harbour still covered with fast ice. Unloading of the ship began sometime on Friday 12th February and was well underway on the following day when by late afternoon Phillip Law decided it was time for the official naming ceremony. A flagpole was rigged on one of the barge caravans (depicted in one of the 50¢ stamps) that served as living quarters while the huts were being built. In the presence of all the ANARE men Phillip Law raised the flag and made the following declaration: "In the name of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the Government of Australia I raise this Australian flag on Australian Antarctic Territory; I name this new ANARE station 'Mawson' in honour of the great Australian Antarctic explorer and scientist, Sir Douglas Mawson". They then sang the national anthem and gave three hearty cheers. It was reported in the Australia Post Philatelic Bulletin (No. 6, June 1954) that the first batch of philatelic mail for Mawson, comprising 20,152 ordinary and 2,848 registered articles, was received at the Philatelic Bureau Melbourne and was taken in the Kista Dan, which left Melbourne on 4th January 1954 and arrived back in Melbourne on 31 st March 1954. The first postmaster at Mawson station was Bill Storer, who had been postmaster at the Macquarie Island station during the 1951/52 expedition. Bill Storer, who now lives in Sydney, has provided me with some interesting insights into the arrival at Mawson and about the cancellation of the philatelic mail as follows: 'Briefly, when the Kista Dan arrived at the Horseshoe Harbour, which was to be named ‘MAWSON’ the thought of postmarking many letters etc was the last thing on the itinerary to be done. Of course if the ship had not found an ideal place there would not have been any First Day cancellations for the voyage. The main object of this pioneering party was to establish a station and maintain it for year/s to come. This probably was in the minds of Australia Post (PMG) at the time and they did not issue a commemorative stamp for the establishment of a base. Everyone was treated as equal including the scientific staff and work was done during daylight hours, which was about 20 hours a day during the summer months; erection of the base was the first priority. Actually the base was not declared operational till April 1st 1954 when power and all equipment was switched on. It was decided by the Director of the Antarctic Division, Dr Phillip Law, (Dept. of External Affairs) to use the 15th February as the official day of the opening of the post office. It would not have been practical to have had more than one date for cancellation of postal letters etc.' Thus the Post Office at Mawson was officially declared open on 15th February 1954 and all mail, including the philatelic articles, was cancelled with a single canceller [C1a (Milner)/APM1070 (Wooley & Eury)], and all have the same cancellation date (15 FE 54). However, cancellation of this large volume of mail, in excess of 23,000 articles, was carried out over a number of days. Cancellation of the mail, which took place either on board ship or at a Post Office set up outside one of the barge caravans, was completed by 22nd February. The Kista Dan departed from Mawson on 23rd February 1954. Bill Storer was assisted by one of the French observers, Dr André Migot, with the cancellation of the mail. In his book, The Lonely South, Dr Migot records the following: 'On February 22 the base was far enough advanced for us to leave the winter party to their own devices. Our departure was fixed for the next day, everyone was feverishly busy with final arrangements, but the most overworked man in the station was the officer in charge of the post office. For several days the poor fellow had spent his days and part of his nights in stamping masses of letters and stowing them in bags in the saloon. I would never have believed twenty men capable of writing so many letters and post cards. I afterwards discovered that there were more than thirty thousand of them.' (Bill Storer says that the Australia Post figure of 23,000 articles is the correct one) Dr Migot continued: 'This immense spate of correspondence was due to the fact that an official Post Office had been opened at Mawson and that the first stamped mail from this new station would be of great interest and value to stamp-collectors, although the stamps were only ordinary Australian stamps, overprinted "Mawson Antarctica". (No stamps were overprinted; the author probably confused cancelling with overprinting). Next year the station would have stamps of its own. While I was helping Bill Storer, the good-natured meteorologist (he was in fact the radio operator) who had assumed the duties of postmaster, I noticed that packets containing several hundreds of stamped cards, some of them specially printed for the occasion, were addressed to the same address, generally that of a stamp dealer. I must say I was shocked to see the way the mission was being commercially exploited. On the other hand, I was delighted and rather touched to see that Registered Letter No. 1, signed by all the Australian members of the expedition, was addressed to Her Majesty the Queen, Buckingham Palace, London.' Now to some matters regarding the commemorative stamp issue. The layout of the sheets of se- tenant pairs of 50¢ stamps differs from the previous issue of AAT stamps, i.e., Antarctic Ships. In the Ships issue the position of the se-tenant 50¢ stamps in each row were alternated such that in each sheet there were equal numbers of Kista Dan and Magga Dan stamps; gutter pairs had one of each stamp. In the Mawson commemorative issue the position of the two 50¢ stamps in each row of 5 stamps is the same. As a result there are 30 Naming Ceremony and 20 Contemporary view of Mawson station stamps in each sheet; gutter pairs have two similar stamps. The National postmarker (APM36120; Wooley & Eury) for the Mawson commemorative issue used to machine cancel the first day covers produced by the Philatelic Bureau in Melbourne and also for hand cancelling covers to order is shown in Figure 2a. The hand canceller provided to the Post Office at Kingston (APM36121, Figure 2b) and used for hand cancelling covers to order is somewhat different from that used at the Bureau. Figure 2a: APM 36120 Figure 2b: APM 36121 National Postmark used to cancel the National Postmark used to cancel the Mawson 50th Anniversary stamps at Mawson 50th Anniversary stamps at the the Philatelic Bureau, Melbourne Kingston Post Office The major difference between the two postmarkers is that the postcode is depicted incorrectly as 7250 on the Kingston PO postmarker (Figure 2b). It should be 7050 as shown on the Bureau postmarker (Figure 2a). Other differences between the two postmarkers are to be seen in the fonts in the printing, the placement of the flagpole and the printing in relation to the mountain, and the definition and detail in the flag. This is the second time in four years there have been errors in the postcode for Kingston in the National postmarker for new issues of AAT stamps (Wooley & Eury). The previous one was for the Australians in the Antarctic issue in 2001, when the postcode for Kingston was shown as 7060 in both the Bureau and Post Office postmarkers. Both postmarkers were subsequently replaced with corrected versions. For the Mawson stamp issue the Kingston PO National postmarker was not replaced with a corrected version. On page 25 of the Australian Stamp Bulletin (ASB) No.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • After Editing
    Shackleton Dates AUGUST 8th 1914 The team leave the UK on the ship, Endurance. DEC 5th 1914 They arrive at the edge of the Antarctic pack ice, in the Weddell Sea. JAN 18th 1915 Endurance becomes frozen in the pack ice. OCT 27TH 1915 Endurance is crushed in the ice after drifting for 9 months. Ship is abandoned and crew start to live on the pack ice. NOV 1915 Endurance sinks; men start to set up a camp on the ice. DEC 1915 The pack ice drifts slowly north; Patience camp is set up. MARCH 23rd 2016 They see land for the first time – 139 days have passed; the land can’t be reached though. APRIL 9th 2016 The pack ice starts to crack so the crew take to the lifeboats. APRIL 15th 1916 The 3 crews arrive on ELEPHANT ISLAND where they set up camp. APRIL 24th 1916 5 members of the team, including Shackleton, leave in the lifeboat James Caird, on an 800 mile journey to South Georgia, for help. MAY 10TH 1916 The James Caird crew arrive in the south of South Georgia. MAY 19TH -20TH Shackleton, Crean and Worsley walk across South Georgis to the whaling station at Stromness. MAY 23RD 1916 All the men on Elephant Island are safe; Shackleton starts on his first attempt at a rescue from South Georgia but ice prevents him. AUGUST 25th Shackleton leaves on his 4th attempt, on the Chilian tug boat Yelcho; he arrives on Elephant Island on August 30th and rescues all his crew. MAY 1917 All return to England.
    [Show full text]
  • THE PUBLICATION of the NEW ZEALAND ANTARCTIC SOCIETY Vol 34, No
    THE PUBLICATION OF THE NEW ZEALAND ANTARCTIC SOCIETY Vol 34, No. 3, 2016 34, No. Vol 03 9 770003 532006 Vol 34, No. 3, 2016 Issue 237 Contents www.antarctic.org.nz is published quarterly by the New Zealand Antarctic Society Inc. ISSN 0003-5327 30 The New Zealand Antarctic Society is a Registered Charity CC27118 EDITOR: Lester Chaplow ASSISTANT EDITOR: Janet Bray New Zealand Antarctic Society PO Box 404, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand Email: [email protected] INDEXER: Mike Wing The deadlines for submissions to future issues are 1 November, 1 February, 1 May and 1 August. News 25 Shackleton’s Bad Lads 26 PATRON OF THE NEW ZEALAND ANTARCTIC SOCIETY: From Gateway City to Volunteer Duty at Scott Base 30 Professor Peter Barrett, 2008 NEW ZEALAND ANTARCTIC SOCIETY How You Can Help Us Save Sir Ed’s Antarctic Legacy 33 LIFE MEMBERS The Society recognises with life membership, First at Arrival Heights 34 those people who excel in furthering the aims and objectives of the Society or who have given outstanding service in Antarctica. They are Conservation Trophy 2016 36 elected by vote at the Annual General Meeting. The number of life members can be no more Auckland Branch Midwinter Celebration 37 than 15 at any one time. Current Life Members by the year elected: Wellington Branch – 2016 Midwinter Event 37 1. Jim Lowery (Wellington), 1982 2. Robin Ormerod (Wellington), 1996 3. Baden Norris (Canterbury), 2003 Travelling with the Huskies Through 4. Bill Cranfield (Canterbury), 2003 the Transantarctic Mountains 38 5. Randal Heke (Wellington), 2003 6. Bill Hopper (Wellington), 2004 Hillary’s TAE/IGY Hut: Calling all stories 40 7.
    [Show full text]
  • JOURNAL Number Six
    THE JAMES CAIRD SOCIETY JOURNAL Number Six Antarctic Exploration Sir Ernest Shackleton MARCH 2012 1 Shackleton and a friend (Oliver Locker Lampson) in Cromer, c.1910. Image courtesy of Cromer Museum. 2 The James Caird Society Journal – Number Six March 2012 The Centennial season has arrived. Having celebrated Shackleton’s British Antarctic (Nimrod) Expedition, courtesy of the ‘Matrix Shackleton Centenary Expedition’, in 2008/9, we now turn our attention to the events of 1910/12. This was a period when 3 very extraordinary and ambitious men (Amundsen, Scott and Mawson) headed south, to a mixture of acclaim and tragedy. A little later (in 2014) we will be celebrating Sir Ernest’s ‘crowning glory’ –the Centenary of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic (Endurance) Expedition 1914/17. Shackleton failed in his main objective (to be the first to cross from one side of Antarctica to the other). He even failed to commence his land journey from the Weddell Sea coast to Ross Island. However, the rescue of his entire team from the ice and extreme cold (made possible by the remarkable voyage of the James Caird and the first crossing of South Georgia’s interior) was a remarkable feat and is the reason why most of us revere our polar hero and choose to be members of this Society. For all the alleged shenanigans between Scott and Shackleton, it would be a travesty if ‘Number Six’ failed to honour Captain Scott’s remarkable achievements - in particular, the important geographical and scientific work carried out on the Discovery and Terra Nova expeditions (1901-3 and 1910-12 respectively).
    [Show full text]
  • Whiteout: an Examination of the Material Culture of Remembrance and Identity Generated Between New Zealand and Antarctica Peter
    Memory Connection Volume 1 Number 1 © 2011 The Memory Waka Whiteout: An Examination of the Material Culture of Remembrance and Identity Generated Between New Zealand and Antarctica Peter Wood Memory Connection Volume 1 Number 1 © 2011 The Memory Waka Whiteout: An Examination of the Material Culture of Remembrance and Identity Generated Between New Zealand and Antarctica Peter Wood Abstract This article examines the cultural artefacts of memory that have been produced as a result of New Zealand’s ongoing participation in the exploration of Antarctica. In this research I define two classes of Antarctic memory-making. The first is composed of geographically located artefacts directly associated with New Zealand’s physical participation in South Pole exploration. The second class posits representational interpretations of Antarctica as sites of cultural “meaningfulness” to New Zealand’s identity. Both categories are defined chronologically by the Antarctic Treaty (1959), which sought to protect objects of “historical interest” from damage or destruction while prohibiting the addition of other permanent artefacts. I suggest that one unforeseen outcome of the Antarctic Treaty was the creation of two states of memory: one of authentic history dating from before 1959, and another of documentary history (requiring representational interpretation), which has occurred since that time. The best examples of the former are the rudimentary huts which remain from the so-called “heroic period” of Antarctic exploration. An excellent example of the latter is found in the Artists to Antarctica programme in which selected New Zealand artists—writers, visual artists and musicians—have the opportunity to visit and record their views of the region’s unique qualities.
    [Show full text]
  • Antarctica Glacier Navigate
    In August 1914, as part of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, Ernest Shackleton set off from Britain to Antarctica. The continent surrounding the Research Mrs Chippy—the ship’s cat. Ernest Shackleton wanted to be the first person to cross Antarctica by South Pole—almost entirely Antarctica What is the climate of Antarctica like? foot. covered by ice. Look up Shackleton’s journey on a map. Shackleton’s ship was called Endurance . an extremely large mass of ice Glacier which moves very slowly, In the freezing waters around Antarctica, the ship became trapped by the often down a mountain valley ice. The ice eventually crushed the ship meaning it had to be abandoned. Navigate To find a way to get to a place. Shackleton and his crew drifted on sheets of ice for months. Shackleton decided to use three lifeboats (rowing boats) through treacherous seas to reach Elephant Island—a bleak, ice-covered rock. Shackleton took five crew members with him in a small lifeboat to reach South Georgia (900 miles away) where they knew there was a whaling station. When they reached South Georgia, they had to hike 30 miles, climbing a mountain and crossing glaciers to reach the whaling station. A ship was then able to rescue the remaining 22 men on Elephant Island. Shackleton failed in his attempt to cross Antarctica by foot, but he became a hero for leading one of the greatest and bravest rescues in history. During another Antarctic mission in 1921, Shackleton fell ill and suffered a fatal heart attack, he died at the age of 47.
    [Show full text]
  • ENDURANCE Shackleton’S Incredible Voya Ge
    ENDURANCE Shackleton’s Incredible Voya ge ALFRED LANSING A Member of the Perseus Books Group New York Published in 2007 by Basic Books, A Member of the Perseus Books Group Copyright © 1959 by Alfred Lansing First published by Carroll & Graf in 1986 Published by arrangement with Mrs. Alfred Lansing All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information, address the Perseus Books Group, 387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016– 8810. Basic Books are available at special discounts for bulk purchases in the United States by corporations, institutions, and other organizations. For more information, please contact the Special Markets Department at the Perseus Books Group, 2300 Chestnut Street, Suite 200, Philadelphia, PA 19103, or call (800) 255–1514, ext. 5000, or e-mail [email protected]. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available. ISBN 978-0-7867-0621-1 54 53 52 51 50 49 48 Contents preface Members of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition part I chapter 1 chapter 2 chapter 3 chapter 4 chapter 5 chapter 6 chapter 7 chapter 8 part II chapter 1 chapter 2 chapter 3 chapter 4 chapter 5 chapter 6 part III chapter 1 chapter 2 chapter 3 chapter 4 chapter 5 chapter 6 part IV chapter 1 chapter 2 chapter 3 chapter 4 chapter 5 part V chapter 1 chapter 2 chapter 3 chapter 4 chapter 5 chapter 6 part VI chapter 1 chapter 2 chapter 3 chapter 4 chapter 5 chapter 6 part VII chapter 1 chapter 2 chapter 3 epilogue acknowledgments preface The story that follows is true.
    [Show full text]
  • JCS Newsletter -Issue 24 – Summer 2018
    JCS 2018(EM) .qxp_Layout 2 03/08/2018 3:30pm Page 1 The James Caird Society Newsletter Issue 24 · Summer 2018 A working day in the life of the James Caird The James Caird name continues life on the high seas and is still busy at work down in the the Antarctic, and in other spots around the world. Find out more on Page 4. Registered Charity No. 1044864 JCS 2018(EM) .qxp_Layout 2 03/08/2018 3:30pm Page 2 James Caird Society news and events Pippa Hare retires … Friday 23 November After many years of loyal support to the James Caird Society, Pippa Hare The AGM will be held has decided to step down from her role as a Committee member. at 5.45pm in the Although the Committee is sad to lose her contribution, members would James Caird Hall like to celebrate her dedication, hard work and unerring loyalty to a vital at Dulwich College association that has done so much to maintain awareness of Shackleton’s The lecture will begin leadership. Pippa’s father, Harding Dunnett, was of course the driving at 7pm in the Great Hall. force behind the founding of the James Caird Society, and Pippa was always inspired by his example and determination to honour Shackleton, his people and their remarkable exploits. A debt of gratitude is owed to The speaker will be David L Mearns Oceanographer, author of The Pippa for taking on his mantle with such commitment, and all good Shipwreck Hunter and a specialist in wishes for her ‘retirement’. deep sea recoveries, with several high profile ship recoveries to his name The Society’s activities Dinner will be served afterwards The Society is a Charitable Organisation and its main expenses relate to its aim of preserving the memory of Sir Ernest through, for example, the Meetings in 2019 Newsletter, Journal and website.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 Compiled by Mike Wing New Zealand Antarctic Society (Inc
    ANTARCTIC 1 Compiled by Mike Wing US bulldozer, 1: 202, 340, 12: 54, New Zealand Antarctic Society (Inc) ACECRC, see Antarctic Climate & Ecosystems Cooperation Research Centre Volume 1-26: June 2009 Acevedo, Capitan. A.O. 4: 36, Ackerman, Piers, 21: 16, Vessel names are shown viz: “Aconcagua” Ackroyd, Lieut. F: 1: 307, All book reviews are shown under ‘Book Reviews’ Ackroyd-Kelly, J. W., 10: 279, All Universities are shown under ‘Universities’ “Aconcagua”, 1: 261 Aircraft types appear under Aircraft. Acta Palaeontolegica Polonica, 25: 64, Obituaries & Tributes are shown under 'Obituaries', ACZP, see Antarctic Convergence Zone Project see also individual names. Adam, Dieter, 13: 6, 287, Adam, Dr James, 1: 227, 241, 280, Vol 20 page numbers 27-36 are shared by both Adams, Chris, 11: 198, 274, 12: 331, 396, double issues 1&2 and 3&4. Those in double issue Adams, Dieter, 12: 294, 3&4 are marked accordingly. Adams, Ian, 1: 71, 99, 167, 229, 263, 330, 2: 23, Adams, J.B., 26: 22, Adams, Lt. R.D., 2: 127, 159, 208, Adams, Sir Jameson Obituary, 3: 76, A Adams Cape, 1: 248, Adams Glacier, 2: 425, Adams Island, 4: 201, 302, “101 In Sung”, f/v, 21: 36, Adamson, R.G. 3: 474-45, 4: 6, 62, 116, 166, 224, ‘A’ Hut restorations, 12: 175, 220, 25: 16, 277, Aaron, Edwin, 11: 55, Adare, Cape - see Hallett Station Abbiss, Jane, 20: 8, Addison, Vicki, 24: 33, Aboa Station, (Finland) 12: 227, 13: 114, Adelaide Island (Base T), see Bases F.I.D.S. Abbott, Dr N.D.
    [Show full text]
  • 04-05 July No. 1
    THE ANTARCTICAN SOCIETY NEWSLETTER HONORARY PRESIDENT - RUTH J. SIPLE __________________________________________________________________________ Vol.04-05 July No. 1 PRESIDENT John Splettstoesser STORM OF THE CENTURY, P.O. Box 515, Waconia, MN 55387 Tel/fax (952) 442-2604 [email protected] PERHAPS (See page 7) TREASURER Paul C. Dalrymple Box 325, Port Clyde, ME 04855 pedal @midcoast.com BRASH ICE. Midwinter Day has come and gone, and it looks like we won't Fax: (207) 372-8571 have any medical evacuations from the South Pole this year, so one would think Phone: (207) 372-6523 it was a dull year. But far from it, McMurdo had one of those once in a century storms, maybe once in several centuries storms. It was a most unusual storm, Presidents and synoptic meteorologists will be studying this one for some time. We have Dr. Carl R. Eklund 1959-61 Dr. Paul A. Siple 1961-62 been in close contact with a meteorologist who once worked for me, Joe Mr. Gordon D. Cartwright 1962-63 Zabransky, and he, in turn, has put me in touch with Matthew Lazzara, a RADM David M. Tyree (Ret.) 1963-64 meteorologist, at the University of Wisconsin. Both have warned us that Mr. George R. Toney 1964-65 because of the scarcity of meteorological observations in the Ross Sea Sector that Mr. Morton J. Rubin 1965-66 Dr. Albert P. Crary 1966-68 we should be most careful in jumping at any conclusions about that storm of mid- Dr. Henry M. Dater 1968-70 May. However, it is all so exciting that for the first time ever we are devoting Mr.
    [Show full text]
  • Explorer's Gazette Listed the Thank You for the Email
    EEXXPPLLOORREERR’’SS GAZETTE GAZETTE Published Quarterly in Pensacola, Florida USA for the Old Antarctic Explorers Association Uniting All OAEs in Perpetuating the History of U.S. Navy Involvement in Antarctica Volume 9, Issue 2 Old Antarctic Explorers Association, Inc Apr-Jun 2009 South Pole Station 10-Meter Telescope Facility 2009 Antarctic Deep Freeze Association Reunion Madison Wisconsin by Elaine Hood HE 2009 ANTARCTIC DEEP FREEZE ASSOCIATION Ed, and his wife, Rosanne kicked off the event with a (ADFA) reunion was held in Middleton, Wisconsin, traditional Badgerland tailgate feed hosted at their lovely T 2–4 June, hosted by Dr. Ed Ehrlich. Ed was the Middleton home for a horde of early arrivals. Al Hisey Medical Officer at Little America V, Deep Freeze I. (McM, DF-I&II) and Dave Grisez (McM, DF-I&II) both He was a Professor of Medicine at the University of were immediately drafted to man the grilling of the burgers Wisconsin for 35 years and is now a Professor Emeritus. He and brats while old friends caught up with each other and continues to practice his specialty in endocrinology as a new acquaintances were made. volunteer at a free clinic in Middleton. See: ADFA Reunion On page 4. E X P L O R E R ‘ S G A Z E T T E V O L U M E 9, I S S U E 2 A P R J U N 2 0 0 9 P R E S I D E N T ’ S C O R N E R James “Jim Da Retired Cop” Heffel—OAEA President TO ALL OAEs—It would seem that I have caused confusion with my offer of a free airline ticket to the 2010 reunion.
    [Show full text]
  • Centenary Service of Thanksgiving for The
    CENTENARY SERVICE OF THANKSGIVING FOR THE COURAGE AND ENDURANCE OF SIR ERNEST SHACKLETON CVO AND HIS MEN B CENTENARY SERVICE OF THANKSGIVING FOR THE COURAGE AND ENDURANCE OF SIR ERNEST SHACKLETON CVO AND HIS MEN WESTMINSTER ABBEY 20 MAY 2016 HRH The Princess Royal at Sir Ernest Shackleton’s grave, South Georgia. A Centre of Excellence The Scott Polar Research Institute, founded in 1920, is Arctic and Antarctic. About thirty science and social- a centre of excellence for the study of the Antarctic science doctoral and masters students are based in and Arctic, undertaking research in the natural and the Institute, the latter taking our highly regarded Polar social sciences – topics range from reconstructing the Studies course. Staff and research students are regularly growth and decay of past ice sheets to the cultures involved in field work: this year, research will take place of northern indigenous peoples. The Institute also in Greenland, Svalbard, Siberia and Antarctica. houses the world’s premier polar library, including the Shackleton Memorial Library, and Britain’s only The Polar Museum engages and informs its many dedicated Polar Museum. A replica of the James visitors about polar history and science, emphasising Caird reminds staff and visitors of the endurance and the contemporary significance of the poles in the achievements of the early polar explorers. context of global environmental change. Displays utilise the Institute’s historic collections and current scientific For almost a century, the Institute, as part of the University of Cambridge, has been an important source of information and expertise, providing a strong core of intellectual activity focused on the Arctic and Antarctic and their adjacent seas.
    [Show full text]
  • 100 PASSAGEMAKER May/June 2003 D
    D Robert Harding Picture Library Ltd / Alamy Robert 100 PASSAGEMAKER May/June 2003 D The Mother Passagesof all The Story of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Ill-Fated Trans-Antarctic Expedition STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEVE C. D’ANTONIO hat do we, trawler cruisers, have in common with men like Robert Scott, Rauld Amundsen and Ernest Shackleton, famous explorers of the WHeroic Age? Perhaps the Norwegian poet Henrik Ibsen put it best when he wrote: “There is always a certain risk in being alive, and if you are more alive there is more risk.” It would have been much safer for these men to stay at home—all three lost their lives while exploring. Instead, they chose to leave the relative comfort and safety of civilization, venturing forth into the unknown. To an extent, we do the same every time we cast off the lines and leave the dock. We could stay home and play May/June 2003 PASSAGEMAKER 101 D Shackleton leader and financiers hoped, be claimed for mother England, assuaging the ignominy of losing the Pole to Norway. The expedition’s organizer, Ernest Shackleton, affectionately known to all of his crew as “Boss,” had ventured into the frozen south on two previous occasions. First, with Scott’s 1901-1904 Discovery expedition, then again as leader of the 1907-1909 Nimrod party. Interestingly, Scott sent Shackleton home from the Discovery expedition after he suffered a bout of asthma (which may have actually been scurvy), saying he was unfit for polar service. In the Nimrod expedition, Shackleton The great wandering albatross.
    [Show full text]