| RefNo | MS/547 |
| Previous numbers | MS 547, MS 548 |
| Level | SubFonds |
| Title | Papers belonging to Alfred Bray Kempe relating to the National Antarctic Expedition of 1901-1904 |
| Creator | Kempe; Sir; Alfred Bray (1849-1922) |
| Date | 1898-1904 |
| Description | Letters and papers collected by Alfred Bray Kempe, relating to the planning and oversight of the expedition to Antarctica from 1901-1904. This was jointly organised by the Royal Geogrpahical Society and the Royal Society, with the expedition party led by Robert Falcon Scott on board the 'Discovery'.
Kempe served on the Joint Antarctic Committee, initially the 'Antarctic Committee', which comprised 12 representatives from the Royal Society (of which Kempe was one) and 12 representatives from the Royal Geographical Society. Kempe's role as Treasurer of the Royal Society meant he was responsible, along with his counterpart at the RGS, for authorising cheques to make payments from the expedition fund for the ship, supplies and wages. The papers include correspondence received by Kempe on various expedition matters, as well as minutes of Joint Committee meetings, working papers such as draft instructions for the expedition, copies of correspondence considered by the committee, financial records, and printed epeherma such as news cuttings. |
| Extent | 2 boxes |
| PhysicalDescription | Loose papers, boxed. MS box large. |
| AccessStatus | Open |
| AdminHistory | The Antarctic Discovery Expedition was led by Robert Falcon Scott (1868-1912) between 1901-1904 and was a journey into the unknown. With the objective of "scientific discovery and exploration", the expedition's main achievement was a new 'farthest south' record - some 480 miles from the Pole. |
Fellows associated with this archive
| Code | PersonName | Dates |
| NA6638 | Kempe; Sir; Alfred Bray (1849 - 1922) | 1849 - 1922 |