Papers belonging to Alfred Bray Kempe relating to the National Antarctic Expedition of 1901-1904

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 Geograpahical 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. He was also a member of the Antarctic Finance Committee; 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.

Custodial history

Collected by, and deposited with, the Royal Society by Sir Alfred Kempe, Treasurer to the Royal Society 1898-1919

Reference number

MS/547

Earliest possible date

1898-1904

Physical description

Loose papers, boxed. MS box large.

Page extent

2 boxes