Bowers, British Antarctic Expedition, 1910-1913

• MS 782/1-6;BJ Extracts from Bowers' journal of the expedition [Possibly made by Caroline Oates (mother of Lawrence)] 6 volumes
• MS 796;BJ Navigation book used during the South Pole journey, 5 January to 27 February 1912 [Book found in the tent by the search party] 1 volume, holograph
• MS 1261;BJ Register of the main southern polar party, summer 1911 to 1912 [Meteorological log of the South Pole party, 3 November 1911 to 12 March 1912] 1 volume, holograph
• MS 280/1;BJ Final list of base stores, 29 November 1910 [As stowed in ship leaving New Zealand] typescript
• MS 280/2;BJ Book of pencil sketches and survey notes, 2 January 1911 to 19 January 1912 [Including Southern Journey] 1 volume
• MS 280/3;ER List of stores and provisions [1910] [For shore party] typescript
• MS 280/4;ER Provision list for shore party [30 men for 2 years, Captain Scott's copy] typescript
• MS 280/5/1-21;ER List of weights of clothing and sledging gear, and consumption and allocation of stores, [19--] 21 leaves
• MS 280/6/1-55;ER Lists of stores and equipment, including stores obtained in New Zealand. [19--] 55 leaves, holograph
• MS 280/7/1-32;ER Lists of provisions and weights of equipment, [19--], 32 leaves, holograph
• MS 795/1;BJ Meteorological observations taken on Expedition to Cape Crozier, June and July 1911 [Copied from original] 1 volume, Xeroxed
• MS 759/2;BJ Copy of Polar Log [1 November 1911 to 12 March 1912] [Meteorological observations, pages 1 to 9 temperature and distance, 1 November 1911 to 9 March 1912, page 10 observations 22 to 25 December 1911 (crossed out), pages 12 to 91 full observation details, 3 November 1911 to 12 March 1912 (including pages 58 to 61 taken at the South Pole)]
• MS 505/2;D Lecture on the history of polar rations given during the first winter of the expedition
• MS 763/3;ER Summary, shore party shipping numbers [List of stores packing case numbers with contents]
• MS 783/2;D Copy of an account of the Winter Journey by H R Bowers [Copies by Mrs Caroline Oates from a copy made by Mrs Bowers] 18 leaves and map
• MS 1453/30;D Miscellaneous stores list [Compiled with Robert Falcon Scott] 56 leaves, holograph and typescript

The British Antarctic Expedition, 1910-1913 (leader Robert Falcon Scott) spent two winters at Cape Evans on Ross Island. Extensive scientific investigations and exploration was conducted along the coast of Victoria Land and on the Ross Ice Shelf.

Edward Wilson, Henry Bowers and Apsley Cherry-Garrard travelled to the emperor penguin rookeries at Cape Crozier during the winter of 1911 to collect embryos. A party led by Griffith Taylor spent three months exploring the western mountains and this work was continued after the departure of the polar party in 1911. A northern party led by Victor Campbell established a base at Cape Adare from where they conducted scientific programmes.

The first cin documentary film of an Antarctic expedition, 90° South was made during the expedition. After successfully reaching the South Pole on 17 January 1912 Scott and his companions (Bowers, Edgar Evans, Lawrence Oates and Edward Wilson) perished during the return journey.

Chronological.

The Institute holds a large number of archival collections containing material regarding the British Antarctic Expedition,1910-1913 including collections for fellow Pole party members Robert Falcon Scott, Edward Wilson, Lawrence Oates and Edgar Evans