Perce Blackborow
Perce Blackborow was a sailor who was born in Newport, Whales in 1896. Perce Blackborow
was important because he was smuggled onto the Endurance and the captain was Ernest
Shackleton. Ernest Shackleton was not happy when he found out Perce had snuck onto the ship.
He had no choice but to offer him as a steward. Perce had not been hired for this job because he
was only 19 and had not had much experience. The ship Endurance had crashed in Antarctica on
their way to Elephant Island. They were stranded there for months. Amazingly the whole crew
had survived.
The Endurance had set sail on October 26, 1914. They set sail in Buenos Aires. The crew was
stuck in Antarctica for months. They had survived with no casualty’s. He had married a local girl
Kate Keams they had 6 children. The friendship with Walter How and William Bakewell who had
smuggled him aboard the Endurance lasted long after the men had returned. Due to Chronic
Bronchitis he had died at the age of 54 at his home in Newport. He was the only stowaway ever
to go on an Antarctic expedition. He had lived from 1896 till 1949. After the trip Perce
Blackborow had gotten his leg amputated due to frostbite.
“Perce Blackborow.” Perce Blackborow (1894-1949).Cool Antarctica, n.d. Web. 1 Dec. 2014.
http://www.coolantartica.com/Antartica%20fact%file/histoty/biography/blackborow_percy.htm.
1.
What is your opinion on Perce Blackborow not being chosen for the expedition to
Antarctica? Cite text evidence from the hyperlink and the webpage to support your answer.
2.
Why was Perce Blackborow’s foot amputated? Cite text evidence from the webpage
and the hyperlink to support your answer.
3.
How does Perce Blackborow feel about the crew members throughout the
expedition? Cite text evidence from both websites and Shackletons Stowaway to support
your answer.