The Quest Chronicle blog and its origins
In early 2021, it was suggested that I set up a blog to document the “100-years-ago” story of the Shackleton-Rowett Expedition as an unfolding diary. The blog launched in March 2021 and ran though the year up to January 4 2022, the eve of the centenary of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s death at South Georgia. By this time, I had decided that the story should be presented in a book and so transferred efforts to that cause – resulting in The Quest Chronicle being published in September 2022. This part of our website contains just some of the posts from the original blog.
Blog posts are listed below in reverse chronological order.
Jan Chojecki
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17-21 August, 1921
Wednesday 17 August, 1921 The selection panel takes place at Scout Head Quarters at 25 Buckingham Palace Road, London, Shackleton is assisted in the selection process by Major Wade, Organising Secretary of the Scout Association, and Sir Percy Everett. Thursday 18 August, 1921 Shackleton selects two scouts to join the expedition, instead of one –…
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9-16 August, 1921
Saturday 13 August 1921 At Southampton, a lunch is held on board RMS Aquitania, attended by, amongst others, Shackleton, John Rowett, Wild, Jeffrey, Kerr, Macklin, Rickinson, Eriksen and Captain W Bridgland, the Channel Pilot. The Daily Mail (15 August) reports “Mr Harris, the manager of the Southampton office of the Cunard Line, was the host…
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1-8 August, 1921
John Charles Bee-Mason (47) joins the expedition team. Cinematographer and Assistant Naturalist. Originally J C Mason, he changed his name to Bee Mason after success making films about bee-keeping. He was a photographer during the war and he is a volunteer with the Scout movement. C E Smith, of the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company,…