Hooker, British Naval Expedition

Scope and Content

  • MS 600/3;MJ Journal, 1839-1843 [Kept during the expedition with illustration] microfilm
  • MS 600/6;MJ Journal and letters addressed to his father, mother and friends [Written during voyages made in HMS Erebus and HMS Terror. Portions of the journals kept during the expedition, 1839-1843. The volume contains copies of the letters and journal entries all in the same hand] microfilm

Administrative / Biographical History

The British Naval Expedition, 1839-1843 (James Clark Ross captain of HMS Erebus and Francis Crozier captain of HMS Terror) circumnavigated Antarctica, charted part of the coast of Victoria Land, discovered Ross Island and the Ross Ice Shelf. The voyage was designed primarily to conduct magnetic observations in the Southern Hemisphere. The expedition visited or sighted a number of islands including the South Shetland Islands, Prince Edward Islands, Iles Crozet, Iles Kerguelen (where a magnetic observatory was established), Auckland Islands, Campbell Island, Falkland Islands and Tierra del Fuego. A geophysical observatory was established in Hobart with the Governor's (Sir John Franklin) co-operation.

The collection relates primarily to the botanical collections and observations made during the expedition.

Arrangement

Chronological.

Alternative Form Available

These are copies.

Related Material

The Scott Polar Research Institute holds a number of photographs, film and other illustrative material in the Picture Library, some of which covers this expedition. The catalogue can be searched on line by going to the Picture Library Database and selecting the Enter Polar Pictures link.

Location of Originals

MS 600/3;MJ and MS 600/6;MJ are in the library of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, England (1982)

Geographical Names