‘It is what one is oneself and what one makes of one’s life that matters.’
— Sir E. H. Shackleton

Preface

Rightfully, this should begin with two admissions:


            This is a work of compilation.

As a Dubliner, I have never been south of the equator, let alone anywhere near Antarctica.

What follows is an attempt to give place to Perce Blackborow in the telling of the story of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Imperial Transcontinental Antarctic Expedition. In this, no new research has been done, but various and sundry sources have been utilised to create the narrative.

In Spring 2015, John O’Reilly asked me about the possibilities of compiling information concerning Perce with the creation of a poster of sorts in mind. I began using the more easily accessible sources to see what could be done and, in a week or so, produced a short sketch of my findings. However, I was unhappy with the piece. I started again, turning then to a larger range of sources. To cut to the point, I had produced the work below by May 2015, not sure what had happened in the elapsed time.

It has been a challenge to place Perce at the centre of the story for various reasons. Firstly, he himself was a humble man and spoke little of his polar adventures after the expedition. Compared to those among the crew whose diaries are available (e.g. Thomas Orde-Lees, Frank Hurley) and those who later wrote of their experiences (e.g. Sir Ernest Shackleton, Frank Worsley), there is a comparative lack of sources for the young Welshman, Perce Blackborow. Despite the relative egalitarianism of the Endurance, Perce was still only a steward on board the ship—his position in the command ranking of the ship insignificant. However, his young age, stowaway status, friendliness and willing nature all contributed to his likeability among all hands, and he was probably treated as an amicable rascal by those in the crew that were up to twice his age. Hurley took him under his wing and Orde-Lees recognised his abilities in the galley.

Perce was not involved in the voyage in the James Caird or the trek across South Georgia, the most renowned and famous part of the expedition’s tale. He was among the twenty-two left behind waiting on Elephant Island, where his severely frostbitten feet, and the later amputation of his toes, kept him fairly inactive. This placed Perce away from the momentum and outside the main action scene. However, understanding the four and a half months spent on Elephant Island is crucial to appreciating the experience of the expedition for the majority of the men as well as the fears that plagued Shackleton, and how close it was to utter tragedy.

In following the story of Perce in this account, the harrowing journey in the James Caird, and the most admirable exertions of its crew, have been only briefly mentioned. However, it is hoped that the footnotes at the relative points and the bibliography will provide the reader with sufficient inspiration to look elsewhere to further inform their interest.

*

My time at the Shackleton Endurance Exhibition at Dún Laoghaire has spanned from March 2014 to the present. When I began, I was heavily absorbed by the final phases of an MA programme in University College Dublin. For the first few months, until the submission of my thesis, the exhibition afforded me a break from the material in which I was completely submerged, but also gave me an opportunity, during a hazy, lazy Saturday afternoon, to get some work done. Following the commencement of my MA experience, the exhibition was a wonderful chance to engage with something completely different from my early modern history interests. Although I did my best to make seventeenth-century connections to the story (via the Shackleton family’s Quakerism and other such historical allusions) I had to ground myself in an unfamiliar epoch and get into it—quickly.

Since then, with the assistance and support of John O’Reilly and Donal O’Neill, I have learned so much of polar exploration as well as operating a small museum space. I have researched and written a few pieces for the exhibition’s blog and have learned to engage with the online social media that has been such a success for the exhibition. Donal has been instrumental in establishing the online presence and discovering what works for us as a small museum in Dún Laoghaire with limited resources.

Although we aim to cater to the individual visitors that walk through our door, there have been a few things along the way that have caught my attention and interest and have converted into information, anecdotes, and extra context that I have provided for our visitors. In no particular order, this has, at one time or another, included:

The Shackleton family; religious, cultural origins of the family and Sir Ernest; his Irish background and his dual identity; his leadership qualities; his worldview and religiosity/ spirituality; his character and ambition; his love and use of poetry throughout his life;

The place of Shackleton’s expeditions in the story of Antarctic exploration; British colonial and exploration traditions and those of the Norwegian explorers of the Antarctic; the logistics and planning of the expedition; the characteristics of the men of the Endurance; the day-to-day living aboard; the significance of the dogs for the men; the diet and activities of the crew during the different stages of the ill-fated expedition; the livings of those on Elephant Island and those of the James Caird party; the rescue’s delays and the context of the First World War on the expedition;

The post-Endurance careers and lives of the men involved; Shackleton’s legacy and that of Capt. Scott and others; the historiography of the expedition and of Shackleton; dramatic and literary adaptation of the Endurance epic.

In these and innumerable other topics, I have enjoyed discussions with visitors and many light-hearted chats with Donal as we sipped coffee and interspersed good music, humour and informed opinions of all matters Shackletonian.



*

A welcome variation to the standard day at the exhibition has been visiting school groups. As the wonderful story of Tom Crean has been become part of the primary school syllabus (to the approval of teachers and students alike), we have had many schools come to the exhibition. After a short welcome, the children watch the documentary Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure. An often amusing chat and question session then occurs. Assembled into small groups the children then use the photographs, information panels, an occasional hint from myself and/or Donal, and the videos to answer a short quiz sheet. This format has always proved popular and congenial to the discussions we have with the class groups that have ranged from senior infants up to sixth class.

The books that we have stocked at the exhibition for a younger audience have also been popular. They are a pleasant blend of illustrations showing the experiences of the crew and the scenes of the Antarctic continent. Though based aboard the Terra Nova expedition, Tom Crean’s Rabbit has consistently been a favourite. Michael Smith’s shorter versions of his works on Shackleton and Crean have been used in primary schools and have been read by many of our younger visitors.

Michael Smith’s 2014 biography, Shackleton: By Endurance We Conquer (Collins Press), has augmented and broadened the field of study of Shackleton and the expeditions to the Antarctic. We had the pleasure of Michael’s presence at the exhibition and the Royal St. George Yacht Club Dun Laoghaire, just prior to the 14th Annual Ernest Shackleton Autumn School in 2014. Following a wine reception in the exhibition, Michael gave an engaging lecture in the Royal St. George to a very entertained audience.

The publication of the recent biography of Shackleton mirrors the continued, and increasing, interest in the person of Shackleton in Ireland. There is a greater knowledge on this side of the Irish Sea of Sir Ernest’s Irish birth (Kilkea, Co. Kildare) and a more visible willingness to understand the duality of his identity and that of many others like him. Another example of this would be the desire to see the place and role of Irish men and women in the conflict that coincided with the Endurance expedition, World War I. Perhaps the recent discussion concerning a possible statue to commemorate Shackleton in Ireland speaks more of this than I possibly can, here, in this space. Nevertheless, the sustained engagement with the life and polar ambitions of Shackleton can only continue and lead to other insights into his character and that of the society from which he emerged.



LM,

Dublin, Sept 2015.