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No.2/2003. News Update…Mawson Centre open 10am-4pm on the weekend of
Science Week (16-17 August) together with SAM’s Science Centre other public
areas.
CONTENTS
Pages 1-3
Letter to members
Page 3
Plans and events for mid 2003
Pages 4-5
Profile of expeditioner ‘Amax’ by Mike Chambers
Page 5
Contemporary Comments Patricia Frith’s report of the 2003
AGM
Pages 5-8
Recent publications and stereo update
Dear Friend,
We are busy planning events and strategies for the Mawson Collection
at the S.A. Museum. As part of this it has proven useful for us to
determine what Mawson-related material is distributed beyond our
Centre. If you should know of any material (and have not already been
in contact with us about this) please could you let us know.
As part of the Museum’s ‘Treasures from the Collections’ displays, a
damaged ‘puffometer’ (wind gust measuring instrument) made in the
Antarctic on Mawson’s 1911-14 expedition with accompanying
electronic visual interpretation can be seen in the new Centre.
The story of the puffometer’s use in Antarctica has been the focus of
many school groups that have visited the new facilities, as well as a
tour group from the Waterhouse Club. If you can, take a look at this
while the Science Centre is open:10:00 – 4:00 Monday-Friday from
inside the entrance (or at only the interpretation screen most nights
since it runs on these nights and can be viewed in the dark from
outside, near the entrance).
We have also had a number of new researchers since our last
newsletter, the latest being Professor Petter StrØmme, from the
University of Oslo, who was pursuing his neurological interest in
historic polar accounts of vitamin A poisoning. Other research, in this
instance carried out by us, has led to, dare I say, a definitive list of
expeditioners on the first venture Mawson led. This is to be used in a
publication about one of these previously unknown crew of Aurora –
details to follow in the next newsletter.
The Friends of Mawson Inc newsletter is produced quarterly and contributions are welcomed.
The Friends of Mawson c/o South Australian Museum, North Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia 5000.
Secretary: Simon Langsford Phone 088207 7427 Email [email protected]
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Preparations for a recreation of one of Sir Douglas Mawson’s lantern slide and
film shows is currently underway. This will be held later in the year, as research
into the specific images used continues.
Incidentally the research has conclusively proven that a very famous Hurley
photograph inside a cavern is not a composite, or combination print, as was
previously suggested:
AAE W88, similar to
W153 – both were in
fact taken at the same
time in the cavern.
One transcript of Mawson's lecture he gave accompanied by film and lantern
slides (AAE 181 in the ‘Guide to the Papers') for Lee Keedick and perhaps the
Lloyd Film Agency, specifically states on page 21 that:
"A cavern carved out in the base of the coartal [sic] ice cliffs. Below is the partially
frozen sea. The taking of this picture was a risky procedure. Hurley and his
companion [Whetter] were lowered down outside on a rope and entered on the
unstable sea-ice."
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Also anticipated is a paper assessing Mawson’s geological work on the New
Hebrides. This, it is planned, will be presented in late September. Depending on
interest, this may be accompanied by several other slide presentations, and/or be
published in the newsletter – if you think you might want to attend such an
evening, please let us know.
Mark Pharaoh
President, Fom, & Curator, Mawson Collection
PLANS AND EVENTS IN
MID 2003
6:30pm on Monday August 18, the
ABC’s ‘New Dimension’ looks at our
Antarctic connection.
Host George Negus leads viewers
through a fascinating history of
Australians in Antarctica, including a
series of interviews ranging from an
ANARE director, to a Mawson family
member.
Included
are
several
Friend’s of Mawson, and the
Museum’s
Mawson
Centre
and
Collection.
Put the following Mawson-related
events into your diary
September (no date yet), a
proposed
evening
of
talks
bringing to a close celebrations
for the Centenary of the New
Hebrides (Vanuatu) expedition
A last opportunity to visit the
Mawson Centre to view the display
marking the Centenary of what
was Mawson’s first overseas
expedition.
The Mawson Centre interpretation
folder will be available, and a
series of interpretation sheets that
relate to Collection items which
are of special interest.
ABC Radio National's "Ockam’s
Razor" Mawson Collection talk by
Nancy Robinson
Listen to FOM committee member
Nancy Robinson Flannery's talk in the
ABC's "Ockam’s Razor" series.
The title of her 14 minute talk is
‘Beyond The Balaclava’, a profile of
Mawson
as
an
inveterate
collector. Ockham's
Razor
is
broadcast each Sunday at 8.45a.m.
(EST), though we don't yet know the
date for Nancy's contribution. But as
it's broadcast nationally, with an
overseas Radio Australia audience of
68 million, there could be an
interesting spin-off for the Mawson
Collection.
July 29 - August 19, Adelaide’s
‘The Advertiser’ newspaper will
include a series of Antarctic
supplements each Tuesday
These will cover the subjects Land
& Geology (1), Life (2), History
(3), and The Future (4).
Sir Douglas Mawson will feature in
the third supplement and includes
a map of the four Mawson-related
sites that are located off North
Terrace, Adelaide.
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An extract of some voyages by Michael Chambers, about his father’s uncle:Captain Arthur Max Stanton (Schneider)
Second child of an engineer and inventor who had migrated from Germany in the
1890's, AMax was born in London in 1900. In all he had three brothers and six
sisters and was known to his siblings as Arthur, but to his family and friends he was
always AMax. He first went to sea on 1st July 1918 working in the boiler room on an
Anglo Saxon (his daughter's recollection, probably Anglo Iranian which became BP)
Oil Company steamship. After three months leave he joined the sailing ship
Clavendon, and subsequently Augenshire.
The family's name was changed to Stanton following persecution during the Great
War, and shortly after this AMax emigrated to Sydney, Australia.
RSS DISCOVERY
In his youth AMax sailed under Sir Douglas Mawson on the RSS Discovery to the
Antarctic in the 1929-31 BANZARE [British, Australian, and New Zealand Antarctic
Research Expedition] as a late substitute First Officer (1930-31), even though he
had a masters ticket. Captain J.K. Davies had retired shortly after the 1929/30
voyage, and the first officer K.N. Mackenzie took over the captaincy, the vacancy
being taken over by Amax. Whilst in the Antarctic he retrieved a box of Bryant &
May Yachting matches from a cabin; these matches were six inches long with a
striking head of about ¾" long. During this voyage a group of islands were named
the Stanton Group after him.
Matchbox depicted
extreme left, and
matches seen in
the foreground
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Rockhopper Penguins King George V Land, Antarctica
A letter dated 4th April 2003 from scientific officer Alf Howard who was also
aboard the Discovery states that Max was a very pleasant fellow who was always
happy to stop for a chat during trips around the deck. Max was frequently involved in
trips to the land, and to claim the land.
During one of the world wars (probably the 2nd, given his age) when his ship was
sunk by a submarine off the Cornish coast, he swam ashore and hitch-hiked back to
London in his pyjamas.
AMax died in Hongkong in 1963.
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Contemporary Comments
Report of the 2003 FOM AGM at the S.A. Museum by Patricia Frith
A small group of friends gathered at the Museum for the A.G.M. and a birthday
toast to Mawson himself. He would have celebrated his 120th birthday on May 5.
Birthday cake and nibbles with a glass of wine and we were led into a largely
unknown chapter of the Explorer’s collection located in the Museum Science
Centre.
Under the enthusiastic guidance of Mark and his team we were shown some rare
specimens of Vanuatu culture and pottery. Best of all I was overwhelmed by the
huge number of photographic pictures of the early expeditions south. All
catalogued in sizes and crammed into a tiny space just waiting for a chance to be
displayed somehow!!
My appetite for things Antarctic began at the time my late husband wintered over
at Mawson Base in 1970.
During my preschool age I discovered my father’s haversack he had used on
geology excursions with Mawson during Uni days. My excursions were more of an
adventure in ‘leaving home’.”
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BOOKS
There are a considerable number of books on Antarctic subjects available at the
moment, especially titles dealing with Ernest Shackleton, as well as the expeditions
and personnel from the early decades of the 20th Century.
Two are devoted to the images of Frank Hurley, taken on the Imperial TransAntarctic
Expedition.
- "The Endurance," by Caroline Alexander is a square format paperback of mid size
with prints of high quality. At $35 it is a worthwhile purchase.
- For those with a deeper photographic interest the large format hardcover "South
with Endurance - the photography of Frank Hurley" is a must. It contains every
photographic image saved from the Endurance part of the TransAntarctic expedition.
These are displayed as a portfolio of selected images as well as a Gallery of the
complete photographs. Accompanying the images are articles by various writers
about the Expedition, Hurley and polar photography. Copies of this book are
available from two different publishers at $100 & $125 respectively.
"Shackleton's Forgotten Men," by Lennard Bickel, the subject of an earlier report in
this newsletter, covers the Ross Sea Aurora part of this story.
- A photographic book "The Shackleton Voyages" is of similar size to "South with
Endurance." It records Shackleton's participation in the Scott-led 1901 Discovery
Expedition, from which he was invalided home, his privately financed British
Antarctic Expedition of 1907-09, the 1914 TransAntarctic (Endurance and Aurora)
Expedition and his last, the Quest Expedition. At $65 it is a worthwhile buy for
someone with a particular interest in Shackleton.
- A number of versions of Shackleton's "South" are available in paperback. Recently
(but currently unavailable) Wakefield Press released a hardcover book "Shackleton the Polar Journeys" which incorporates his "The Heart of the Antarctic" and "South."
Unlike the paperback copies this is liberally illustrated, containing almost a half the
number of illustrations in the original two-volume edition. Although the prints are of
mediocre quality, they add significantly to the text. Available from Angus and
Robertson only, it is worth querying if there is a copy stowed away in the basement.
Wakefield Press may be releasing a further printing sometime in the future.
- "The Coldest March," by Susan Solomon and the subject of a recent TV
documentary presentation is also available. A scientist and Antarctic researcher, she
attempts to redeem Scott's somewhat tarnished reputation as an explorer, by
reference to more recent scientific data. In particular she draws upon almost a
century of weather recordings to argue that while Scott’s party’s return was very late
in the season, the conditions they encountered were unusually harsh. A blend of
first-person narrative, historic quotes and science, it makes interesting reading.
We would be interested in member’s responses to these and other titles, particularly
in relation to the July ABC documentary based on Susan Solomon’s research.
The Museum Shop carries a number of these, and other titles relating to the
Antarctic. Producing your F.O.M. card entitles you to a discount for 'card'
transactions, even more for cash payments.
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Another reason to call in at the Mawson Centre when you next visit the Museum, is to
see for yourself some of the fifty odd replica Stereographs. The majority date from
Shackleton's BAE of 1907-09, and were taken by Professor Edgeworth David. The
balance are AAE images taken by Frank Hurley at Commonwealth Bay and Andrew
Watson at the Western Base (See below).
AAE Stereographs of the Western Base taken (inside the hut, and at night) by Watson
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Two original hand-held stereo viewers were purchased with F.O.M. funds to
make this part of the collection more accessible to the public. I hope, over
time, to add to these examples. These Antarctic stereo images are virtually
unknown to the general public. Some years ago an English collector acquired
32 BAE original stereo cards at auction and had made extensive enquiries,
without any success until he contacted the Mawson Collection. We were able
to inform him that we held around 150 original half-plate negatives and some
prints. Publication in some form might well be a means of helping fund the
needs of the Collection.
AAE Hurley stereograph
taken from Aurora at night
These examples can be viewed stereoscopically by crossing your eyes (so the
left hand image is being viewed by the right eye, the right by the left eye.)
This is necessary because the original twin images had to be separated and
transposed before mounting.
You might like to consider why this was necessary.
Hint – the camera had twin lenses, and produced a pair of images on one
negative.
Clive Wilson-Roberts
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