The 'Nimrod' hut at cape Royds, was Ernest Shackleton's expedition base during the 1907-1909 British Antarctic Expedition. It was from here that Shackleton's party achieved a number of Antarctic successes including the first ascent of Mt Erebus and the first party to reach the South magnetic Pole.
Working alongside other international experts, Gordon has been supervising the on-site repairs at Cape Royds, and helping the Antarctic Heritage Trust to develop a comprehensive set of tools for the care and maintenance of this iconic building.
The 'Nimrod' hut at cape Royds was Ernest Shackleton's expedition base during the 1907-1909 British Antarctic Expedition. It was from here that Shackleton's party achieved a number of Antarctic successes including the first ascent of Mt Erebus, the first party to reach the South magnetic Pole, the first party to cross the Trans-Antarctic ranges and gain the South Polar Plateau and perhaps most famously, to establish the record for 'farthest south'. Shackleton and his companions Jameson Adams, Frank Wild and Eric Marshal journeyed to within 112 mile of the geographic South Pole before he famously chose to turn back in order to preserve the lives of his men. In a letter that he wrote to his wife Emily, Shackleton said of this:
I thought you'd rather have a live donkey than a dead lion.
After four years of hard work and three challenging seasons on the ice at Cape Royds, M&L is hugely pleased (and not just a little bit proud) to have played an important role in the effort to save this iconic building. During a 2006 visit to Shackleton’s hut, Sir Neil Cossons (Chairman of English Heritage) remarked:
Without question, this is the most ambitious and logistically complex restoration project ever attempted.
Today the expedition hut has been made structurally sound and completely weather tight. Baring extraordinary circumstances, we are confident that it will survive for the enjoyment of many generations to come. That the fragile building survives at all is a testament to the persistence and determination of the Antarctic Heritage Trust and the generous support of its sponsors...especially the Antarctic New Zealand program. Highlights of this project have included hosting New Zealand's Prime Minister RH Helen Clarke and other dignitaries during tours of the project...but by far the greatest thrill for us was the visit this year of Sir Edmond Hillary. Sharing a mug of tea with this fine gentleman and listening to the tales of his various adventures was a wonderful and unexpected treat. 83-year old Sir Ed visited us at Cape Royds with his companion from the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition, Bill Cranfield, who told us that they enjoyed finishing off the remains of Shackleton's marmalade...the best he's ever had!
