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Reference: GB 0015 Lawrence Edward Grace Oates
Title: Lawrence Edward Grace Oates collection
Dates of creation: 1899-1912
Held at: Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge
Extent: Expedition material and correspondence
Name of Creator: Lawrence Edward Grace Oates
Level of Description: fonds
Language of Material: eng

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Lawrence Edward Grace Oates was born in Putney, London, on 17 March 1880. He was educated at Eton College and privately until 1898, when he was gazetted to a militia regiment. Two years later, he joined the Iniskilling Dragoons, a cavalry regiment, and served with distinction in the Boer War in South Africa. Severely wounded in March 1901, he was invalided home for a short time, before returning to the front by the end of the year. Promoted lieutenant in 1902, Oates served with his regiment in Ireland, then in Egypt, where he became captain, and later in India.

Oates volunteered to join the British Antarctic Expedition, 1910-1913 (leader Robert Falcon Scott), and was placed in charge of the nineteen ponies, which he cared for throughout the expedition, assisted by the Russian, Anton Omelchenko. During January and February of 1911, Oates took a prominent part in depot laying in preparation for the following summer's polar journey. Setting out from Hut Point in November 1911, the Polar and support parties reached the foot of the Beardmore Glacier in December 1911, here the remaining ponies were shot and the dog teams sent back. Somewhat to his surprise, Oates was included in the five-man Polar Party, with Scott, Edward Adrian Wilson, Henry Robinson Bowers and Edgar Evans. Continuing south, they reached the Pole on 17 January 1912, only to find that Roald Amundsen had forestalled them by almost five weeks. On the return journey, the weakened party faced exceptionally unfavourable weather and sledging conditions, and Oates suffered gravely from frostbite. On 16 or 17 March 1912, laid up in a blizzard and concerned that he was reducing his companions' chances of survival, he ended his life by leaving the tent, his famous last words being "I am just going out. I may be some time."

Biographical work A very gallant gentleman by Louis Charles Bernacchi, Thornton Butterworth Ltd. London (1933) SPRI Library Shelf 92[Oates, L.E.G.] Captain Oates, soldier and explorer by Sue Limb and Patrick Cordingley, Batsford, London (1982) SPRI Library Shelf 92[Oates, L.E.G.]

The collection comprises of notes regarding the British Antarctic Expedition, 1910-1913 (leader Robert Falcon Scott) and correspondence regarding his army career and the expedition.

System of Arrangement

The collection is split into two sub-fonds covering expedition material and the mass of correspondence by Oates.

Accruals

Further accessions possible.

Access Conditions

By appointment.

Some materials deposited at the Institute are NOT owned by the Institute. In such cases the archivist will advise about any requirements imposed by the owner. These may include seeking permission to read, extended closure, or other specific conditions.

Copyright/Reproduction

Copying material by photography, electrostat, or scanning devise by readers is prohibited. The Institute may be able to provide copies of some documents on request for lodgement in publicly available repositories. This is subject to conservation requirements, copyright law, and payment of fees.

Copyright restrictions apply to most material. The copyright may lie outside the Institute and, if so, it is necessary for the reader to seek appropriate permission to consult, copy, or publish any such material. (The Institute does not seek this permission on behalf of readers). Written permission to publish material subject to the Institute's copyright must be obtained from the Director. Details of conditions and fees may be had from the Archivist.

Anyone wishing to consult material should ensure they note the entire MS reference and the name of the originator.

The term holograph is used when the item is wholly in the handwriting of the author. The term autograph is used when the author has signed the item.

Finding Aids

Clive Holland Manuscripts in the Scott Polar Research Institute, Cambridge, England - a catalogue. Garland Publishing New York and London (1982) ISBN 0824093941.

Additional finding aids are available at the Institute.

Descriptions compiled by N. Boneham, Assistant Archivist with assistance from R. Stancombe and reference to The Geographical Journal (April 1913) volume 41 number 4 p394-395 and Encyclopaedia of Antarctica and the Southern Oceans ed. Bernard Stonehouse, John Wiley & Sons, Chichester (2002) ISBN 0471986658 SPRI Library (& #42;7) and Dictionary of National Biography Twentieth Century 1912-1921, with index 1901-1921, Oxford University Press (1927) and Robert Keith Headland Antarctic Chronology, unpublished corrected revision of Chronological list of Antarctic expeditions and related historical events,(1 December 2001) Cambridge University Press (1989) ISBN 0521309034

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Reference: GB 0015 Lawrence Edward Grace Oates

Dates of creation: 1910-1912
Extent: Notes (21 loose leaves)
Name of Creator: Lawrence Edward Grace Oates

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The British Antarctic Expedition, 1910-1913 (leader Robert Falcon Scott) spent two winters at Cape Evans on Ross Island. Extensive scientific investigations and exploration was conducted along the coast of Victoria Land and on the Ross Ice Shelf. The first ciné documentary film of an Antarctic expedition, 90& #176; South was made during the expedition. After successfully reaching the South Pole on 17 January 1912 Scott and his four companions (Oates, Henry Robinson Bowers, Edgar Evans, and Edward Adrian Wilson) perished during the return journey.

Oates had special responsibility for the ponies used during the expedition.

• MS 1317/2;D Notes on ponies, 1910-1912 [Travelling arrangements and characteristics of each pony] 21 leaves, holograph

System of Arrangement

Chronological.

Related Units of Description

See SPRI collection GB 0015 British Antarctic Expedition, 1910-1913 for a fuller list of archival collections held by the Institute containing material on this expedition.

Reference: GB 0015 Lawrence Edward Grace Oates

Dates of creation: 1899-1912
Extent: Circa 351 letters
Name of Creator: Lawrence Edward Grace Oates

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The majority of the Oates collection comprises of letters to his mother Mrs Caroline Oates. The correspondence covers of letters written during his military service in India, Egypt, South Africa and Ireland. During the Boar War Oates suffered a leg wound. The later letters refer to the British Antarctic Expedition, 1901-193 (leader Robert Falcon Scott). These contain information primarily on the ponies with some mention of other maters and expedition personnel. Most of the letters are no mote than 300 words in length.

• MS 1495;D Letter to his brother Bryna, 3 January [1912] [Apparently written just before his last letter to his mother (MS 1317/1/4;D) regarding the pole journey] 1 leaf, holograph (Xerox)
• MS 1016/1-339;BJ&D Letters (339) to his mother, 1899-1910 [This collection of letters covers the years of Oates's service in the army (Ireland, South Africa, Egypt and India) and the first months of the British Antarctic Expedition, 1910-1913 (leader Robert Falcon Scott). Much of the correspondence is on family matters, the weather and his sporting activities. The letters are split into twelve annual folders comprising of letter numbers 1-35, 36-81, 82-99 (mainly from South Africa regarding Boar War), 100-109, 110-139 (Army barracks in Ireland), 140-171, 172-201, 202-240, 241-254 (written from Ciro but mainly on family, army and horse racing matters), 255-282, 283-323 (From Mhow, India, regarding hunting, shooting and polo), 324-339 (Covering joining and setting out on the British Antarctic Expedition, 1910-1913 particular mention of the ponies)] 9 letter books and 16 unbound letters, holograph
• MS 1478/1-2;D Letters (2) to his mother, 20 October 1905 and 24 June 1909 [These letters are additional to the series of 339 letters from Oates to his mother (see MS 1016;D), written from Bulford Camp, Salisbury and Yacht Saunterer, Flushing] 4 leaves, holograph (Xerox)
• MS 1317/1/1-4;D Letters (4) to his mother, 22 January 1911 to 3 January 1912 [British Antarctic Expedition, 1910-1913, regarding ponies, account of the depot journey, 31 January to 1 February 1911, regarding setting out on the pole journey, and the last letter, 3-4 January 1912 announcing he has been selected to make the final journey to the pole] 12 leaves, holograph
• MS 1416/1-4;D Letters (4) to Haig and Ansell (regimental colleagues) and [Naval] friend William, 14 August 1910 to 20 January 1911 [Regarding the early stages of the British Antarctic Expedition, 1910-1913, ponies, Amundsen and future plans] 10 leaves, holograph
• MS 1373;D Letter to Major Jackson (Squadron leader, Iniskilling Dragoons), 22 August 1908 [Account of engagement at Aberdeen, Cape Colony, South Africa 6 March 1901 for Jackson who was writing a history of the regiment's activities in the Boar War] 7 leaves, holograph

System of Arrangement

The correspondence is arranged alphabetically by recipient.

Related Units of Description

See SPRI collection GB 0015 Caroline Oates for correspondence to or regarding her son.

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