The collection comprises of material relating to the British Naval Exploring Expedition, 1825-1827 (leader John Franklin) and papers by Kendall regarding his naval career
Edward Kendall collection
This material is held atScott Polar Research Institute Archives, University of Cambridge
- Reference
- GB 15 Edward Kendall
- Dates of Creation
- 1826-1832
- Name of Creator
- Language of Material
- English.
- Physical Description
- Expedition material (1 volume) and papers (4 leaves)
Scope and Content
Administrative / Biographical History
Edward Nicholas Kendall was born in 1800, the son of a naval captain. He was educated at the Royal Naval College in Portsmouth and entered the Royal Navy in 1814, later serving as a midshipman in a succession of ships. His experience in surveying in the North Sea led to his appointment as assistant surveyor on the British Naval Exploring Expedition (leader George Lyon) in 1824, sent to the Canadian Arctic by the Admiralty with the objectives of crossing Melville Peninsula and of exploring part of the north coast of North America. Setting out in HMS Griper in June 1824, the expedition landed on Coats Island, northern Hudson Bay and reported on the Eskimo whom they met there. In Roes Welcome Sound, they were twice nearly shipwrecked and were forced to turn home before reaching Repulse Bay.
On his return, Kendall joined the British Naval Exploring Expedition [second Arctic Land expedition], 1825-1827 (leader John Franklin), sent by the Admiralty to extend exploration of the coast west from Coppermine River to Icy Cape, Alaska. In 1826, Kendall served as assistant surveyor on the eastern branch of the expedition under the command of the surgeon and naturalist, John Richardson, exploring and charting the Arctic coast between the Mackenzie River and the Coppermine River. His Observations on the velocity of sound at different temperatures was published in Franklin's narrative of the expedition in 1828.
Promoted lieutenant on his return to Britain, Kendall joined the British Naval Expedition, 1828-1831 (leader Henry Foster), serving as assistant surveyor in HMS Chanticleer on a scientific voyage to the South Atlantic and to the South Shetland Islands region of the Antarctic. In 1830, he transferred to HMS Hecla to continue a survey of the west coast of Africa that had been interrupted by the death of many of the ship's crew. After his return to England in 1830, Kendall was sent on a confidential mission to determine by astronomical observation disputed points on the boundary between New Brunswick and Maine, later compiling a map of New Brunswick on his return home in 1831.
In 1832, Kendall married a niece of John Franklin, Mary Anne Kay, and the following year was employed by the New Brunswick and Nova Scotia Land Company. Returning to Britain in 1838, he was appointed superintendent of the West India Mail Steam Navigation Company and in 1843, joined the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Packet Company, where he remained until his death on 12 February 1845 at Southampton.
Arrangement
The collection is split into two sub-fonds comprising of expedition material and papers respectively
Access Information
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.
Note
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.
Descriptions compiled by N. Boneham, Assistant Archivist with assistance from R. Stancombe and reference to Arctic, exploration and development c500 BC to 1915, an encyclopaedia by Clive Holland Garland Publishing, London (1994) ISBN number 0824076486 and William Mills Exploring Polar Frontiers, a historical encyclopaedia San Diego and Oxford, 2003 and 'Kendall, Edward Nicholas' by Clive Holland in Dictionary of Canadian Biography volume 7 ed. Francess G Halpenny, University of Toronto Press, Toronto (1988) SPRI Library Shelf 92(08)[pub.1966-] and Memoirs of Hydrography ... part I 1750-1830 by L S Dawson Cornmarket Press, London (1969) SPRI Library Shelf 92(08)[pub.1969]
Other 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.
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Accruals
Further accessions possible