Douglas Clavering
Douglas Clavering collection
1823-1824
Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge
Expedition material (178 leaves) and correspondence (220 leaves)
Douglas Charles Clavering
English.
Douglas Charles Clavering was born on 8 September 1794 in Holyrood House in Edinburgh. He entered the Navy circa 1808, later serving as midshipman in
HMS Shannon, employed in protecting British trade off the coast of North America. Promoted lieutenant, he served on the North America Station and in the Mediterranean until 1821 when he was appointed commander of HMS Pheasant, sailing with the astronomer Edward Sabine in a voyage to conduct pendulum observations in the Atlantic.
In 1823, Clavering was appointed to lead the British Naval Scientific Expedition, sent at the request of the Board of Longitude to Svalbard and the east coast of Greenland to enable Sabine to extend his observations on the length of the seconds pendulum. Setting out from London in
HMS Griper in May 1823, the expedition visited Hammerfest, Norway, before sailing to northwest Svalbard where Sabine was left to conduct observations while Clavering attempted to sail Griper to a high northern latitude. He reached 80° 21 minutes North on 6 July before pack ice forced him to return to the observatory.
Setting sail from Svalbard later in July 1823, the expedition reached the east coast of Greenland, exploring the coast northwards and attaining latitude 75° 12 minutes North before returning south to Sabine , where an observatory was established. Leaving Sabine to his work, Clavering set out on a boat journey south, encountering a small group of Eskimos on the south coast of Clavering the most northerly inhabitants of east Greenland ever encountered by Europeans. In August 1823, the expedition sailed south in
Griper, discovering and naming Foster's Bay [Foster Bugt], before heading for Norway for further observations, then returning to England.
In January 1825, Clavering was appointed commander of
HMS Redwing, engaged in the suppression of the slave trade on the West Coast of Africa. He was lost at sea in 1827.
Published work
Journal of a voyage to Spitsbergen and the east coast of Greenland, in his Majesty's ship Griper, by Douglas Clavering, New Philosophical Journal, Edinburgh (1830) SPRI Library Shelf Pam 91(08)(3)[1823 Clavering]
The collection comprises of material relating to the British Naval Scientific Expedition, 1823 (led by Clavering) to Svalbard and Greenland and correspondence by Clavering.
The collection is split into two sub-fonds comprising of expedition material and correspondence respectively
Further accessions possible
By appointment.
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The term holograph is used when the item is wholly in the handwriting of the author. The term autograph is used when the author has signed the item.
Clive Holland
Manuscripts in the Scott Polar Research Institute, Cambridge, England - a catalogue, Garland Publishing New York and London (1982) ISBN 0824093941.
Additional finding aids are available at the Institute.
Clavering
Douglas Charles
1794-1827
British Naval Scientific Expedition
Greenland
1823
source="lcsh"
Arctic regions
Discovery and exploration
Douglas Clavering/British Naval Scientific Expedition, 1823
Clavering, British Naval Scientific Expedition, 1823
1 March 1823 to 7 January 1824
Remark book, log book, narrative
Douglas Charles Clavering
Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge
The British Naval Scientific Expedition, 1823 (leader Douglas Clavering) was sent by the Board of Longitude to Svalbard and the east coast of Greenland to enable Edward Sabine to extend his observations on the length of the seconds pendulum. Setting out from London in
HMS Griperin May 1823, the expedition visited Norway, before sailing to northwest Svalbard where Sabine was left to conduct observations while Clavering attempted to sail Griper to high northern latitude. He reached 80° 21 minutes North on 6 July before pack ice forced him to return. Setting sail from Svalbard later in July 1823, the expedition reached the east coast of Greenland, exploring the coast northwards and attaining latitude 75° 12 minutes North before returning south where an observatory was established. Clavering set out on a boat journey south, encountering a small group of Eskimos on the south coast of Clavering , the most northerly inhabitants of east Greenland ever encountered by Europeans. In August 1823, the expedition sailed south discovering and naming Foster's Bay [Foster Bugt], before heading for Norway for further observations, then returning to England.
- MS 1074;D Remark book, 1 March 1823 to 7 January 1824 [Descriptions of Norwegian, Svalbard and east Greenland coast] 9 leaves, holograph (Xerox)
- MS 1021/1;D Log book, 3 May to 10 December 1823, 141 leaves, holograph (Xerox)
- MS 1021/4;D Narrative, 1823 [Expedition for the purpose of ascertaining the length of the second pendulum in different Latitudes] 28 leaves, holograph
Chronological
The expedition carried Edward Sabine to north Norway, Spitsbergen and east Greenland to carry out pendulum observations. The voyage was successful and William Scoresby Sr explorations of the east coast of Greenland were confirmed and extended
See SPRI collections GB 015 Henry Foster for additional material relating to this expedition. The Institute also holds an archival collection for Sir Edward Sabine and Henry Foster who served as midshipman in
HMS Griper
Scoresby
William
1787-1857
Arctic Navigator
Foster
Henry
1796-1831
Navigator
Sabine
Edward
1788-1883
Sir
Knight General Geophysicist
Griper (Warship)
Svalbard (Norway)
Greenland
Douglas Clavering/Correspondence
Clavering, correspondence
1823-1824
84 letters
Douglas Charles Clavering
Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge
The correspondence comprises of both official and unofficial letters written by Clavering during the British Naval Scientific Expedition, 1823 to Svalbard and Greenland.
- MS 1021/3;D Letters (73) to the British Admiralty, 1823-1824 [Official correspondence written in HMS Griper] 146 leaves, holograph (Xerox)
- MS 1021/2/1-11;D Letters (11) to James Smith, 1823-1824 [Mainly relating to Arctic voyage of HMS Griper] 74 leaves, holograph (Xerox)
The correspondence is arranged alphabetically by recipient
Great Britain
Admiralty