The Antarctic Letters, written from the British Antarctic ex...

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The Antarctic Letters, written from the British Antarctic expedition of 1901-1904 From Thomas Vere Hodgson (1864-1926) Letter 1. Dated 22th February 1903 To: Mrs Waymouth From T V Hodgson (Marine biologist on the Discovery) Written from: Winter Quarters McMurdo Bay On Discovery Antarctic Expedition 1901 headed paper, no envelope. One sheet folded into four pages, two and half pages covered in handwriting. Excerpts: “The ice is very late getting out and the Morning has been here a month and is still five miles away. As the intervening ice is dead level we have done a good deal of hob-nobbing and got in most of our stores by sledge. She will leave at the end of this month with the mails and we shall follow if and when we can.” “We have been able to work all through the winter contrary to expectation. The only thing to do is to keep out of the wind. A wind adds 20 to 40 degrees on to the perception of cold, but all the extreme low temperatures occur in almost minus 50 is then warmer than zero in a breeze. "We are just 20 miles from the crater of Mount Erebus which is constantly smoking, but it has never given us any other entertainment.” Note: Thomas Vere Hodgson was born in Birmingham on 19 February 1864. He started his career in a bank, but studied biology in his spare time and applied successfully for a job as assistant in the Marine Biological Association's laboratories in Plymouth. He joined the British National Antarctic Expedition 1901-04 (Discovery), led by Robert Falcon Scott, as biologist. He took part in several sledging journeys and collected many biological specimens during the expedition. He was awarded a Polar Medal for his part in the expedition. Hodgson returned to the laboratories in Plymouth after the expedition, becoming curator of the city's museum and art gallery. His contributions to scientific journals won him distinction and he became an expert on porcelain. He died in 1926 and is commemorated in the Antarctic with Cape Hodgson (78°07' S 166°05' E). (Biography courtesy of the Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge) From the estate of the Lamorna artist Eleanor Hughes, née Waymouth, thence by descent. Mr & Mrs. Frederick Waymouth and their family lived in Christchurch on the South Island of New Zealand, in their grand home 'Karewa' now known as 'Mona Vale,' an important historic homestead. Mr Waymouth, a successful businessman, was the managing director of Canterbury Frozen Meats, and with his wife Alice, were prominent members of Christchurch society. The 'Discovery' docked in Lyttelton, the port for Christchurch, on 29th November 1901. The Waymouth family entertained members of the expedition in their beautiful home 'Karewa' and Frederick Waymouth also provisioned them with supplies. On December 21st, after a three-week stay in New Zealand, the 'Discovery' set sail and headed south for Antarctica. The correspondence that followed their visit is a testament of affection towards Alice Waymouth, and the warmth and hospitality she showed them is gratefully reflected back in the light-hearted conversational nature of these letters even when discussing the hardships of extreme cold and being locked long-term within the ice pack. In the introduction to his account of the 1901 expedition ‘The Voyage of the Discovery’ Robert F Scott writes about the kindness his team received from the people of New Zealand. He goes on to list nine men who provided particular assistance and this includes Frederick Waymouth. “In considering such general kindness it is almost invidious to mention particular names, but the following gentlemen are among those who must be especially remembered by us for the manner in which they were ever ready to assist us: His Excellency the Governor Lord Ranfurly, the Premier Mr Sedden, the Hon. C C Bowen, Captain Hutton of the Christchurch Museum, Mr Kinsey, Mr Waymouth, Mr A Rhodes, Mr Coleridge Farr of the Christchurch Observatory and Mr H J Miller of Lyttelton.” Further information in our blog