Maritime Auction
Brian Goodison-Blanks previews the Autumn 2021 Maritime Sale, which includes an
important collection of British Antarctic 'Terra Nova' Expedition 1910-1913 archive
material of Leading Shipwright Francis Davies, RN.
Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821): A lock of Napoleon's hair in a Gilt Oval Locket
on a Crimson Ribbon, together with a Gilt and Enamel Legion d'Honneur and Manuscript
Provenance, dated July 12th 1818 (MA20/343) offered in our Maritime Auction starting
on 19th October 2021 at our salerooms in Exeter, Devon.
The first section of Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood's Autumn 2021 Maritime Auction
of the 16th November 2021 comprises an important collection of Antarctic
Expedition material that should appeal to those with an adventurous spirit.
Francis Edward Charles Davies (1885-1952), a Plymothian, who was the Royal Naval
Carpenter and Shipwright aboard the RYS Terra Nova and a member of many later
Polar Expeditions. Davies' name is commemorated by Davies Bay, situated between
Drake Head and Cape Kinsey which was discovered in February 1911.
Francis Davies was a Plymouth man through and through. He was born and brought
up in the Lower Crabtree and Laira Green area of the city and on leaving school,
attained a shipwright's apprenticeship at the Royal Naval Dockyard, Devonport. After
working in Devonport and as shipwright on HMS Vanguard, he heard mention of Captain
Scott's plans for an expedition to the Antarctic and that shipwrights were required.
He applied, was accepted and joined the British Antarctic Expedition on 30th May 1910.
He signed on at Poplar, London.
His recollections of the Terra Nova, her crew and of the Expedition have been recently
published in a book 'With Scott Before The Mast', from his first impressions of
seeing the Terra Nova and meeting both Captain Scott and Captain Oates, to the sadness
shared among the whole expedition party on hearing of the death of their friends
and colleagues. The auction includes many of the photographs, letters and artefacts
included within the book, which highlights the monumental task of organising and
preparing for the British Antarctic Expedition.
Charged with preparing both the ship and the expedition huts, Davies became well
known among his crewmates and his character soon earned him the nickname of 'Chippy'.
Davies established many friendships on the expedition; not only did he have a rapport
with Captain Oates, but he also became friends with sailors and scientists alike
including Harry Pennell, Edward Atkinson and Edward Wilson. Included in the auction
are numerous letters between these great friends.
As the Terra Nova was an old ship, she gave Davies many problems on the expedition.
Three pieces in particular: the windlass, hand pump and steering gear required constant
attention and they were referred to by Davies and his 'babies'. On the voyage from
Port Chalmers to the Pole, the hand pump became blocked during a severe storm and
the ship was in danger of sinking. Davies played a vital role, along with Lieutenant
Evans, cutting though a bulkhead to get to the pump to make repairs. Such
was Davies talents at keeping the Terra Nova running that despite his desires to
stay with Scott and the Southern party, Lieutenant Harry Pennell insisted that Davies
stay aboard in order to ensure that the Terra Nova could continue to sail. Original
blueprints of the Terra Nova [Terra Nova Blueprint
(MA20/39) and Terra Nova Blueprint
(MA20/40)] are included in the auction as well as several photographs of the ship
on route and ice locked in the Antarctic ice.
Large Blue Prints for the 'General Arrangement of 'Terra Nova' offered in our Maritime
Auction starting on 19th October 2021 at our salerooms in Exeter, Devon (MA20/39
and MA20/40).
Davies was vital in the successful manufacturing and construction of the huts to
be used by the expedition. It is testament to his character that he questioned the
factory sales representative supplying the timber, saying that the lengths the factory
were supplying would not be sufficient once they reached their intended destination.
After the representative rebuked Davies, he took it upon himself to go the factory
and see the foreman who agreed with him. Summoned before Captain Scott the following
day and faced by a disgruntled sales representative, Davies stood his ground
and Captain Scott sided with his crewman to demand the factory supply the correct
timber for the expedition huts. Among the papers in the collection is an updated invoice from the factory (MA20/62)
with a note 'details as taken by your carpenter'. The main hut, which has now been
conserved, is known as 'Scott's Hut', about which Captain Scott wrote 'We are simply
overwhelmed by its comfort'.
Invoice from Boulton & Paul Ltd, Norwich, dated 31st May 1910 (MA20/62).
Perhaps the most historically important pieces Davies kept after the expedition
are charts Antarctic Ocean Sheet VIII
(MA20/34) and Antarctic Ocean Sheet IV
(MA20/33). Each with details plotting the course for the Terra Nova from 1910 to
1913 with dates and annotations and detailing the voyages off South Victoria, McMurdo
Sound, the Bay of Whales together with notes of the dates entering and leaving the
pack ice. Captain Scott would have stood over these with other senior crew, discussing
the ships progress, before committing his thoughts to his dairy. Certainly the
slow progress through the pack ice from 20th December 1910 to 23rd December 1910
gave him concerns, though he writes of the crew 'A spirit of tolerance and good
humour pervades the whole community, and it is glorious to realise that men can
love under conditions of hardship, monotony and danger in such bountiful good comradeship'.
Charts from the British Antarctic Expedition 1910 (MA20/33 and MA20/34).
Francis Davies played a key part in maintaining the morale aboard the Terra Nova,
as well as honouring the lives of their friends by making the memorial cross which
still stands on Observation Hill today. A poem written aboard the Terra Nova at
McMurdo Sound on the 18th January 1913 by another crewman, entitled 'They Died Like Men'
(MA20/64) is also included in the collection.
Included in the second part of the auction is a good selection of maritime ceramics,
ship's fittings, navigational and scientific instruments as well as another historically
interesting item.
Mounted in a small locket and placed within a modest frame are a few strands of Napoleon Bonaparte's hair
(MA20/343). Accompanying the locket is a Legion of Honour and a handwritten note
detailing the origins of the hair. The hair was acquired by Thomas William Poppleton
(1775-1827) and then passed to a member of the Gregory family. It remained within
the Gregory family until it was acquired by an antiques dealer in Exeter in the
early 1980s.
An eighteen line typescript poem 'They Died Like Men', McMurdo Sound, 18th January 1913
(MA20/64).
Though perhaps still a divisive figure, interest in Napoleon should
is still very strong hence the pre-sale estimate of £5,000-£7,000.
For further information, please contact Brian Goodison-Blanks
- Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood
- Maritime Auctions
Social Bookmarks
Please click the following links to flag this article to other people on the Internet.