William Adams Sr collection

The collection comprises of material relating to a whaling voyage to Greenland in Maud.

William Adams Sr. served in Princess Charlotte and Narwhal before becoming master of the whaler Arctic in 1868. In 1872, he commanded Arctic on the British Whaling and Exploration Expedition from Dundee, returning to the Davis Strait region in 1873 as captain of Arctic on a British Whaling and Reconnaissance Expedition. This voyage was joined by Albert Hastings Markham of the Royal Navy for the purpose of gaining Arctic experience with a view to further polar exploration. The following year, Arctic, commanded by Adams, was lost in Cresswell Bay, Prince Regent Inlet.

In June 1875, Messrs. Alexander Stephen & Sons of Dundee launched a new Arctic [Arctic II], commanded by Adams on several whaling voyages to the Arctic until 1883 when he bought the wooden barque Maud, converting her into a whaler in 1886.

In 1890, Adams commanded Maud on his final whaling voyage to the Arctic, accompanied by his son William Adams (1869-1942). During the return journey, the vessel was heavily battered in the Atlantic and Adams Sr. died after landing at a Caithness port in 1890.

The collection is arranged chronologically.

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.

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 'Captain William Adams and Dr. R.W. Gray' by (Sir) James Mann Wordie in The Polar Record volume 4 number 27 January 1944 p119-120 and The Arctic whalers by Basil Lubbock, Brown, Son & Ferguson Ltd. Glasgow (1955) SPRI Library Shelf 639.245.1: (3) and Dundee City Council and Tayside, maritime History

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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Further accessions possible.