Guide to the Papers of HMS Discovery (as filmed by the AJCP), 09 August 1901-August 1904

 

Filter Online content

Some materials from this collection are available online.
Show only online content

Online content

Collection context

Summary

Collection number:
M2596
Creator:
The British National Antarctic Expedition
Extent:
15 items
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Acknowledgement of use of this material should refer to the location of the original material and to the Australian Joint Copying Project.

Items from this collection should include references to the location of the original material and to the AJCP nla.obj number, which serves as the online identifier for the digital copy.

Example: M Series: Journal of Capt. James Cook, 18 February-23 September 1770, British Library Add. MS 27885 (AJCP ref: http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1234)

Availability:
Available
Access conditions:
Available for reference.

Background

Content Summary:
Logbooks kept during the HMS Discovery expedition of Antarctic exploration 1901-1904. Subjects include: details of bacteria from various specimens, recorded by first medical officer and Reginald Koettlitz; collections registers; station logs; measurements of crew; and diary 1901-1904 kept by Thomas Hodgson.
Biographical / Historical:

The British National Antarctic Expedition, the first British expedition to the Antarctic for sixty years, was organised by the Royal Geographical Society and the Royal Society. In 1893 the biologist Sir John Murray, who had visited Antarctic waters on HMS Challenger, called for a renewal of Antarctic exploration. His call was taken up with enthusiasm by Sir Clements Markham, the president of the Royal Geographical Society.

Markham persuaded the Admiralty to release Lieutenant Robert Falcon Scott (1868-1912) to be leader of the expedition. Other members included Albert Armitage (second in command and navigator), Charles Royds (first lieutenant), Ernest Shackleton (third officer), Frank Wild (able seaman), Edward Wilson (surgeon and geologist) and Louis Bernacchi (magnetic observer and meteorologist).

HMS Discovery left Cowes in August 1901 and sailed to New Zealand. After a short stay, it sailed south and reached Cape Adare, the northerly point of Victoria Land, on 9 January 1902. The coast was explored as far as Cape Crozier and a base was then established at McMurdo Sound. Following the winter of 1902, Scott, Wilson and Shackleton journeyed southwards on the Barrier ice, finally turning back on 30 December 1902 at 82 degrees north 17 degrees south. They reached the ship, which was still icebound, in February 1903. Following the 1903 winter, several exploring trips were made, with Scott's party discovering the Polar Plateau. Two relief ships, the Morning Star and Terra Nova, arrived in January 1904. Plans were made to abandon the Discovery, but in February it broke free from the ice. The three ships then returned to New Zealand and the Discovery reached England in September 1904.

HMS Discovery was a barque-rigged auxiliary steamship, believed to be the strongest wooden ship ever built. It was owned by the Royal Geographical Society and launched on March 1901 by Lady Markham, the wife of the president of the Society. It was sold to the Hudson Bay Company in 1905.

Access and use

Conditions Governing Access:
Available for Access.
Conditions Governing Use:
Many of the records digitised as part of the AJCP are still in copyright. Readers wishing to publish or reproduce documents should seek permission, in the first instance, from the owner of the original material.
Preferred citation:

Acknowledgement of use of this material should refer to the location of the original material and to the Australian Joint Copying Project.

Items from this collection should include references to the location of the original material and to the AJCP nla.obj number, which serves as the online identifier for the digital copy.

Example: M Series: Journal of Capt. James Cook, 18 February-23 September 1770, British Library Add. MS 27885 (AJCP ref: http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1234)

Location of this collection:
Parkes Place
Canberra ACT 2600, Australia
Contact: