Bonhams 1793 : MORRISON (JOHN DONALD) Three albums containing upwards of 250 images recording the two voyages to McMurdo Sound by S.Y. Morning, of which Morrison was Chief Engineer, 1902-1904

MORRISON (JOHN DONALD) Three albums containing upwards of 250 images recording the two voyages to McMurdo Sound by S.Y. Morning, of which Morrison was Chief Engineer, 1902-1904

4 Dec 2012 11:00 GMT London, Knightsbridge
Antarctic
Back to auction 19952

MORRISON (JOHN DONALD)

Three albums containing upwards of 250 images recording the two voyages to McMurdo Sound by S.Y. Morning, of which Morrison was Chief Engineer, gelatin silver prints, one album with contemporary captions, the others in window mounts and including a number of duplicates images, original bindings, one with cover detached and several leaves loose, images (with 2 exceptions see below) each approximately 100 x 75mm., 1902-1904

Estimate:

£6,000 - 8,000
€7,100 - 9,500
US$ 9,100 - 12,000

Footnotes

Morning was purchased as a relief ship for the 1901-1904 British National Antarctic Expedition. She left London in July 1902, Captain William Colbeck RNR and the other officers (Rupert G. England, First Officer; Lieutenant E.R.G.R. Evans RN, Second Officer; Gerald Doorly RNR, Third Officer; Sub-Lieutenant G.F.A. Mulock RN, fourth officer; Doctor G.A. Davidson; J.D. Morrison, Chief Engineer; and the midshipmen F. L. Maitland-Somerville and Neville Pepper) are pictured onboard Morning in one of two larger images (150 x 193mm.), the other being of Morning leaving Lyttelton accompanied by the paddle tug Lyttelton. Morning arrived at Lyttelton in mid-November and left for the Antarctic in 6 December. Colbeck discovered two uncharted islands and named one Scott Island, before proceeding to Cape Crozier to discover the expected message at the record post detailing where Discovery was to be found. Discovery was sighted 23 January, but was fast in ice and following two months with little or no improvement, Morning left Discovery for Lyttelton, with a reluctant Ernest Shackleton who was invalided out by Scott. His place was taken by G.F.A. Mulock. At the end of October Morning rendezvoused with Terra Nova and set out once more to the relief of Discovery, arriving on 5 January 1904, but separated from her by 20 miles of ice. Sawing the ice in the previous year had proved futile, and instead explosives were used to enable the relief ships to close with Discovery, which was finally achieved when a swell combined with the expedition's efforts, and by 19 February Discovery and her escorts were at sea.

The order of the images is not neccesarily chronological, but the captioned album includes: Scott Island (4); Possession Island (3, including Record Post); Franklin Island (7, including rookery); Cape Crozier (3, Colbeck reading the message at the Record Post, Mulock, Morrison and Davidson, others an uncaptioned album); 'Crew of the Morning looking out for Discovery'; 'A busy day on the Ice near 'Discovery'; 'Farewell to the Discovery crew March 1903'; Beaufort Strait and Island (5); Capt. Scott leaving the 'Morning'; 'Sledging McMurdo Strait' (one of a number similar); Terra Nova (6); 'First meeting with Discovery crew'; 'Lieut. Royds sitting on Firing Battery' (by Firing Tent, and about 9 others showing placing of charges, explosions and effect); 'Dr. Davidson & Lieut. Evans'; 'Capts. Scott & Colbeck (using telescope on tripod); 'Dr. Wilson and Cross packing seal skins'; 'Discovery breaking free from Winter Quarters'; 'Terra Nova coaling Discovery'.

Untitled images include: Morning's wardroom (several with women visitors); view of Funchal; good group of Morning in rough weather; many shipboard portraits including three of Shackleton; Discovery in drydock (2); shipping a spare rudder (3); and a number recording hospitality and good times enjoyed in New Zealand. The smaller of the two albums with window mounts has an ownership inscription of "Marguerite L. Ramsay 14/1/03", the future Mrs. Morrison.

Provenance: John Donald Morrison (1873-1938), and by descent.