Robert Anderson collection

The collection comprises of correspondence by Anderson regarding whaling matters and the Arctic Company.

Robert Anderson was born circa 1818 at Fettercairn, Kincardineshire. He was educated at the Academy of Montrose and studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh. Entering the Royal Navy as an assistant surgeon in 1838, he served off the coast of Syria and in the East India and China station, advancing to the rank of surgeon. He joined the British Naval Franklin Search Expedition, 1848-1849 (leader Sir James Clark Ross), as surgeon in HMS Investigator, in search of Sir John Franklin's lost expedition. Returning to the Arctic the following year, Anderson served in HMS Enterprise during the British Naval Franklin Search Expedition, 1850-1855 (leader Richard Collinson), returning to Britain with an extensive collection of zoological specimens. He died in June 1856.

The correspondence is arranged alphabetically by recipient.

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Descriptions compiled by N. Boneham, Assistant Archivist with assistance from R. Stancombe and reference to 'Robert Anderson, Surgeon, R N' by (Sir) Roderick Impey Murchison in The Royal Geographical Society Journal volume 27 1857

Clive Holland Manuscripts in the Scott Polar Research Institute, Cambridge, England - a catalogue, Garland Publishing New York and London (1982) ISBN 0824093941.

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Further accessions possible.

The Institute holds archival collections containing material on both the Franklin search expeditions Anderson was a member of.