Archibald Douglas collection

The collection comprises of correspondence by Douglas to Robert Falcon Scott regarding both the British National Antarctic Expedition, 1901-1904 and the British Antarctic Expedition, 1910-1913 (both led by Scott).

Archibald Lucius Douglas was born in Quebec in 1842. He was educated at Quebec High School, joining the Royal Navy in HMS Boscawen in 1856. In 1860, he served with the Naval Brigade in the Congo and Gambia and the following year was promoted lieutenant. Advancing to commander in 1872, he held the directorship of the Japanese Imperial Naval College between 1873 and 1875. Douglas was commander-in-chief of the East Indies Station from 1898 until 1899, when he was appointed lord of the admiralty, a post he retained until 1902. Promoted vice-admiral in 1901 and knighted in 1902, he served as commander-in-chief of the North American and West Indian Stations between 1902 and 1904. He served as commander at Portsmouth from 1904 until his retirement in 1907. He died in 1913.

The correspondence is arranged chronologically.

By appointment.

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Descriptions compiled by N. Boneham, Assistant Archivist with assistance from R. Stancombe and reference to Who was who, 1897-1916, A & C Black Limited, London (1920) and Robert Keith Headland Antarctic Chronology, unpublished corrected revision of Chronological list of Antarctic expeditions and related historical events, (1 December 2001) Cambridge University Press (1989) ISBN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

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

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