Cheltenham in Antartica: The Life Of Edward Wilson

by D M Wilson, D B Elder

Overview

Edward Adrian Wilson is perhaps the most famous native son of Cheltenham. In the early years of the 20th century, he was one of the major influences and personalities of the heroic age of Antarctic exploration and has also been recognised as one of the top ranking ornithologists and naturalists in the UK during this period. He was also one of the last great scientific expedition artists. This is the illustrated story of polar explorer Edward Wilson, from his boyhood in Cheltenham to the diaries and letters associated with his last days as a member of Scott's ill-fated Antarctic expedition. All the royalties from this book will benefit the Wilson Collection Fund at the Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museums.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781874192701
Publisher:	Reardon Publishing
Publication date:	06/06/2014
Sold by:	PUBLISHDRIVE KFT
Format:	eBook
Pages:	198
File size:	20 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

DR. DAVID M. WILSON With over ten years experience working on Expedition cruise ships, Dr David Wilson is in increasing demand both as an ornithological field guide and as an historian. He boasts numerous explorers and ornithologists on his family tree, which add a uniquely personal flavour to many of his talks. Not least amongst these was his great uncle, Dr Edward Wilson, who was on both of Captain Scott's Antarctic Expeditions and famously died with him on the return from the South Pole in 1912. With his wide range of philosophical, artistic and biological interests, time spent talking with Dr. Wilson is not likely to be dull. He is the author of numerous books, papers and even a CD of historic Antarctic expedition songs and poems. His latest books, to be published in the autumn of 2011 will be a volume of Captain Scott's own long lost photographs; and a volume of his great uncle's Antarctic paintings. Dr. David M. Wilson, PhD. (Essex), was born in 1963. Having an early career in the theatre, he moved on to study at the United World College of the Pacific and the Universities of York and Essex, where he trained as a philosopher. He is also a trained Counsellor. With a strong interest in Aboriginal cultures, he also has a wide range of ornithological and natural history interests. He is a noted polar historian with a personal connection to his subject: his great uncle, Dr Edward Wilson, died with Captain Scott and his party on their return from the South Pole in 1912. In addition to writing The Lost Photographs of Captain Scott (2011), he has produced several books in support of our polar heritage: Cheltenham in Antarctica: the Life of Edward Wilson (2000); Discovery Illustrated: Pictures from Captain Scott's First Antarctic Expedition, (2001) The Songs of the 'Morning': a musical sketch, (cd 2002) Edward Wilson's Nature Notebooks (2004) Nimrod Illustrated: Pictures from Lieutenant Shackleton's British Antarctic Expedition (2009) Edward Wilson's Antarctic Notebooks (2011)

Read an Excerpt

The relationship that changed most dramatically on the Southern Journey was

Ted’s relationship with Scott. On the return journey, Ted, in his words, “had it out”

with Scott. Whether this was sparked by a particular incident with Scott or not, we

will probably never know. The two of them talked alone for hours, over several

days. What was discussed is unknown but it seems unlikely that much was left out

because their relationship was forged from one of mutual respect to a deep and

lasting friendship based on a profound understanding, each of the other. It is said

that, after this journey, Scott’s eyes would light up at the mention of Ted’s name.

Scott’s sister later wrote, “My brother loved him, there was a tender sympathy

between them always”. That mutual love was forged on this journey.

Shackleton’s illness was more serious than simple scurvy and it seems unlikely

that Scott had any choice but to send him home on the relief ship, Morning, which

had arrived with mail and fresh supplies. Their relationship upon return to the

ship, as written up in other people’s diaries, does not have the appearance of

mutual simmering resentment, as some have suggested: Scott was jumping up

and down cooking Shackleton sardines on toast. Ted noted that Shackleton’s

serious coughing was brought on by the approach of southern blizzards, as was

his own rheumatism which was as good as a barometer. Under those

circumstances, to have kept Shackleton south would have been an

unconscionable risk.

The ice having failed to break out from around Discovery left her frozen in for

another Antarctic winter; Morning returned to New Zealand alone. The second

winter passed much as the first, although more peacefully. Bernacchi took over

the editing of the South Polar Times. By the end of the winter Ted had produced

over 200 watercolours and sketched detailed panoramas of the newly discovered

coast from the Southern Journey. In Shackleton’s absence, he walked to the top of

Crater Hill alone, refusing company. He was anxious for the spring, when he

would be able to continue his “proper sphere of work” and finally have the

chance to go and study the most important biological discovery of the expedition

so far: Lieutenant Skelton, on one of the 1902 spring sledging parties under

Lieutenant Royds, had found an Emperor Penguin nesting colony at Cape Crozier

on the eastern end of Ross Island, the first one discovered.