Robert Falcon Scott

Robert Falcon Scot photo by Bain News Service-

 Top 10 Unbelievable Facts about Robert Falcon Scott
 
Robert Falcon Scott was an Antarctic explorer who began his career as a Royal Navy officer. He ventured into an exploration of the polar zones with a keen interest in the South polar region. Scott is most celebrated for his success in two expeditions he led in exploring the South Frigid Zone.
 
The first expedition was known as the Discovery. It happened between the years 1901 to 1904. The second expedition referred to as the Terra Nova expedition was between 1910 and 1913. Scott and the party achieved part of their mission to reach the South Pole.
 
The team never returned, after the expedition. All five party members died on their return journey having attained their mission. Explore the life of Robert Falcon Scott with these 10 incredible realities about Scott.
 
 1. Robert Scott began his naval career at 13 years
Robert Falcon Scott aged 13

Robert Falcon Scott aged 13 years photo-

 
Scott was the third born in a family of six children. His father was John Edward and his mother was Hannah Scott. Falcon Scott was born in the year 1868, on the 6th of June. Scott’s family had roots in serving in the army or navy which almost predestined his career path. Robert Scott’s grandfather and four of his uncles served in either the army or the navy.
 
Scott along with his younger brother Archie attended a local day school for four years. After which they were allowed to join the Stubbington House School of Hampshire. This was where candidates were prepared for the entrance examinations to the naval training ship HMS Britannia. Scott was excellent in the exams. He began his naval career in 1881, as a 13-year-old cadet.
 
2. Falcon Scott’s father was a brewer while in the court service
 
John Edward Scott(Robert Scott’s father) was a brewer and owned a brewery he had inherited from his father. Edward doubled up as a magistrate. John Scott went into bankruptcy after he sold the brewery. With the earnings,  he made unwise investment decisions.
 
John being bankrupt was forced to move his family to Shepton Mallet, Somerset. To provide for his family, John took up a brewery manager’s job. He was 63 years and in poor health conditions. John died of heart disease three years later. He left the family financial burden on Robert Scott and his younger brother Archie.
 
3. Robert Scott became his family’s sole provider
Robert Falcon Scott

Robert Falcon Scott photo by Daniel Albert Wehrschmidt-

 
Robert Scott and Archie were left to provide for their mother and two of their unmarried sisters who lived with her. Archie started in the army, and at the same time, Scott joined the navy. Archie quit the army to serve in the colonial service for higher pay.
 
Archie died of typhoid fever in 1898 during autumn. That meant Robert Scott had the financial responsibility to take care of his family solo. Scott needed extra income. So promotion and the additional income that came with it was a desirable consideration for Robert.
 
However, opportunities for career growth in the Royal Navy were rare and priority was given to the very ambitious officers. Scott while on leave in June 1899 in his home, met Clements Markham. The meeting changed Scott’s career to becoming an Antarctic explorer.
 
4. The Royal Navy officer, Robert Scott, game-changer was a London street bump into Clements Markham
 
During his leave, Scott had the rare opportunity of meeting Clements Markham on a London street. Markham had received a knighthood and was President of the Royal Geographical Society (RGS). Clements as RGS President learned of an impending Antarctic expedition under the auspices of the RGS with Discovery.
 
The discussions that went on between Scott and Markham are not recorded. But the result was that on June 11, a few days after the street meeting, Robert Scott showed up at Markham’s house. He volunteered to take part in the odyssey, as the leader.
 
This was not the first meeting between Robert and Clements. Scott first met Markham on March 1, 1887, while stationed in St Kitts, West Indies. Scott at the time was a Midshipman. His impressive skills won him a race with his cutter that Markham observed and noted on 1 March 1887. Clements at the time was Secretary of the Royal Geographical Society. He was mandated to get young naval officers who would be involved in polar explorations.
 
5. The Antarctic explorer, Robert Scott’s fame came from Antarctic Expeditions

 

Robert Falcon Scott in polar gear

Robert Falcon Scott photo in polar gear by Herbert Ponting-

 
Scott participated in two famous Antarctic expeditions. The first expedition was known as Discovery and took place in the years 1901 to 1904. Discovery was a joint venture of the Royal Society and the RGS. Scott was opposed by the Royal Society as they preferred to have a scientist lead the expedition.
 
Markham was firm in his choice of Scott and being the RGS President his choice prevailed. Scott was given charge to steer the expedition and was promoted to commander rank. His promotion came before the Discovery left for the Antarctic on 6th August 1901.
 
Robert Scott’s achievements in this expedition were the discovery of the Southern Plateau and reaching the latitude of 82掳17鈥睸, near the South Pole. A distance estimated at fewer than 550 miles from the South Pole. Those that reached latitude 82掳 with Scott were Ernest Shackleton and Edward Wilson.
 
The Second expedition between 1910 to 1913 was known as the Terra Nova expedition named after the ship used in sailing. Scott led the expedition that was faced with many challenges. Though they reached the South Pole, they lost their lives and never told the story of their experience. The only tales were through their diary notes and letters to their loved ones.
 
6. Robert Scott was not the first person to reach the South Pole
 
Falcon Scott in his second expedition had the objective to reach the South Pole and also clinch that achievement for the British Empire. Those that made it to the pole were five, E.Evans, Oates, Bowers, Wilson, and Scott reached the pole on 17 January 1912. To their surprise, they found a tent and a letter dated 18th December 1911. The Norwegian Roald Amundsen-led party had secured the victory for the Norwegians.
 
7. Falcon Scott received recognition by King Edward VII for his achievements in Antarctic explorations
 
King Edward VII showed keen interest in the Antarctic exploration. Before the Discovery set sail from the British shores, in August 1901, the King gave Scott a personal gift. This was an appointment as a member of the Royal Victorian Order. Upon return from the Discovery expedition, King Edward VII was pleased with Robert Scott. He promoted him to the rank of Commander of the Royal Victorian Order.
 
8. Robert Scott’s fame led him to marry a celebrity

 

Robert Falcon Scott and his wife Kathleen aboard the Terra Nova

Robert Falcon Scott and his wife Kathleen aboard the Terra Nova photo by Herbert Ponting-

 
Falcon Scott’s interaction with King Edward VII and the awards thereof by the King, made him part of the Royal Society. Thus he met his wife(Kathleen Bruce) at a private luncheon party, in the year 1907. Kathleen was a sculptor, socialite, and cosmopolitan. Scott and Katherine wedded on 2 September 1908 at the Chapel Royal Hampton Court Palace.
 
9. Scott’s only child was among World Wide Fund for Nature(WWF) founders
 
Robert Scott and Kathleen only had one child-Peter Markham Scott. He ended up founding the WWF(World Wide Fund for Nature) along with others.
 
10. Falcon Scott and his party were found 8 months later after their death
 
Scott and his companions were discovered by a search party on 12 November 1912 eight months after their deaths happened in March of 1912. Tryggve Gran who was part of the search party described the scene as something he never had seen in his life.
 
Tryggve Gran describes that snow-covered till above the door. Due to frost, their skin appearance was yellow and transparent. Scott’s body was halfway outside his tent bag. Gran summed up the scene as the final camp that turned into their tomb.
 
Next to their dead bodies were fossils-the first ever to be discovered in the Antarctic. The fossils belonged to the Glossopteris tree. The finding concluded that the Antarctic region was at some point joined to other continents. It also meant that the antarctic was once covered by vegetation.
 
Robert Falcon Scott’s last words in his diary called upon the public to take care of all of their families. This inspired giving by the public to support the families of the fallen five explorers. On behalf of Scott, his wife was awarded Knighthood which Scott would have received if he had returned from the second expedition.
 
The life of Robert Scott laid a foundation and has been celebrated through books, screenplays, monuments, and films. One such film is the Scott of the Antarctic. The film managed to be the third most popular in Britain, the next year after its release.

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