Chairman's Message - September 2024 - Trevor Cornford FRGS
Zoom! And here we go again already, onwards at both the AGM and Committee meetings, the new enabler is helping us run the Society. With new plans for our future you can read elsewhere with reports as appropriate and it was especially good to see new faces from members using technology to chat and listen with us, and some known but not seen since before the Covid interruptions – remember that difficult time.
There have been some very exciting Polar related events, not least a good sale of material at Grosvenor again in June – sadly in some ways I was on a train heading west to a lovely lunch organised by the Devon & Cornwall Polar Society – Scott’s birthday 6th June, but I still got a couple of successful bids in despite train Wi-fi terrible links! But the lunch was fantastic meeting, talking with and listening to the nephew of Apsley Cherry Garrard no less, talk about his “curmudgeonly uncle “ – his words! How often due to the passage of time can you meet someone so directly related. I was able to give him some information he had not seen before and will keep in touch. My good friend David Wilson great nephew of Ted Wilson ‘uncle Bill’ to his Terra Nova colleagues also attended with other Scott Last Expedition members descendants and other friends of my own acquaintance.
I recently acquired the photo postcard of the statue to Edward Wilson in Cheltenham Promenade which is an earlier type than the Frith publisher cards of 1950s. Trevor in the Post Office of the South Museum at Grytviken. Always a slightly faded look but very scarce (Figure 1 on the front cover) credit E M Bailey photographer, plain back. Sculpted by Scott’s widow Kathleen, in bronze, as per that of her husband in London and Christchurch New Zealand. The official dedication unveiling took place on 9th July 1914 (Figure 2 on the front cover).
Another link is the card of the Fine Art set For My Own Sake (Figure 3 - the picture side Figure 3A and address side Figure 3B shown on the front cover) but even more poignant. It combines my love of Social and Polar History - it is dated 24/11/16 in the middle of WW1 – and you may recall at the time contemporary thoughts were that the Scott story could be used to encourage the troops and boost morale. Ponting’s’ film was sent out to France for that reason.
The message (Figure 3C) from son to Mummy touches that nerve - “I wish Father Xmas would give me a longer holiday “ then realising what he is saying – in smaller letters ”never mind we must make guns for the boys in the trenches”. The Battle of the Somme has just officially ended. These message cards are now scarce and especially posted.
I enjoyed other key Polar events at the RGS in May, about Shackleton, and news that the wreck of Shackleton’s last ship Quest has been found. AT my local club I retained the Advanced Cup with 91 points, judged by qualified external judges with “Captain Scott’s Last Expedition – A Memorial”, 16 pages . (Figure 4 ). Finally can I emphasise again that the Society is solvent, moving forward with exciting plans to keep our hobby vibrant. My thanks as ever to all Officers and others past and present as I said before who keep the work done.
Don’t forget John Youle will oversee/edit the December 2024 issue of Polar Post, so still send items to him to make a bumper quality finale.
There have been some very exciting Polar related events, not least a good sale of material at Grosvenor again in June – sadly in some ways I was on a train heading west to a lovely lunch organised by the Devon & Cornwall Polar Society – Scott’s birthday 6th June, but I still got a couple of successful bids in despite train Wi-fi terrible links! But the lunch was fantastic meeting, talking with and listening to the nephew of Apsley Cherry Garrard no less, talk about his “curmudgeonly uncle “ – his words! How often due to the passage of time can you meet someone so directly related. I was able to give him some information he had not seen before and will keep in touch. My good friend David Wilson great nephew of Ted Wilson ‘uncle Bill’ to his Terra Nova colleagues also attended with other Scott Last Expedition members descendants and other friends of my own acquaintance.
I recently acquired the photo postcard of the statue to Edward Wilson in Cheltenham Promenade which is an earlier type than the Frith publisher cards of 1950s. Trevor in the Post Office of the South Museum at Grytviken. Always a slightly faded look but very scarce (Figure 1 on the front cover) credit E M Bailey photographer, plain back. Sculpted by Scott’s widow Kathleen, in bronze, as per that of her husband in London and Christchurch New Zealand. The official dedication unveiling took place on 9th July 1914 (Figure 2 on the front cover).
Another link is the card of the Fine Art set For My Own Sake (Figure 3 - the picture side Figure 3A and address side Figure 3B shown on the front cover) but even more poignant. It combines my love of Social and Polar History - it is dated 24/11/16 in the middle of WW1 – and you may recall at the time contemporary thoughts were that the Scott story could be used to encourage the troops and boost morale. Ponting’s’ film was sent out to France for that reason.
The message (Figure 3C) from son to Mummy touches that nerve - “I wish Father Xmas would give me a longer holiday “ then realising what he is saying – in smaller letters ”never mind we must make guns for the boys in the trenches”. The Battle of the Somme has just officially ended. These message cards are now scarce and especially posted.
I enjoyed other key Polar events at the RGS in May, about Shackleton, and news that the wreck of Shackleton’s last ship Quest has been found. AT my local club I retained the Advanced Cup with 91 points, judged by qualified external judges with “Captain Scott’s Last Expedition – A Memorial”, 16 pages . (Figure 4 ). Finally can I emphasise again that the Society is solvent, moving forward with exciting plans to keep our hobby vibrant. My thanks as ever to all Officers and others past and present as I said before who keep the work done.
Don’t forget John Youle will oversee/edit the December 2024 issue of Polar Post, so still send items to him to make a bumper quality finale.