Material relating to the SS Vega

Correspondence, newspaper cuttings and other related documents relating to the raising of the wrecked ship, 'Vega'. The 'Vega' was the first ship to navigate the Northeast Passage in 1879-1880 under the famous Swedish explorer, Erik Nordenski246ld. Built in 1872, the 'Vega' was later used as a whaler in Norway [Norway belonged to Sweden at the time] before being sold to Robert Ferguson who registered the ship in Dundee in 1903. The 'Vega' sank in ice 3 May, 1903, in Melville Bay off Greenland, and her crew of 45 travelled 300 miles over ice to safety. A plan to raise the 'Vega' was undertaken by the Swedish Royal Institute of Technology in the 1990s. [See also MS 73/13 p.93.] /1 Correspondence relating to the attempts of Bengt Grisell to purchase the 'Vega', c.1992-1994. Includes letters to Alice Kerr, granddaughter of Robert Ferguson. [Photocopies] /2 Documents relating mainly to the crew of the 'Vega', 1903. Includes Seaman's Register of Seamen engaged on the 'Vega', 9 April, 1903, and extracts from Lloyd's Register. [Photocopies] /3 Newspaper cuttings and leaflets relating to the sinking of the 'Vega' and to the plans to raise her, 1903, 1954, c.1994. [Photocopies]. Includes a photograph of the 'Vega' in Dundee harbour in 1903, held in Dundee District Libraries, Photographic Collection. /4 Photocopy of a photograph of Bengt Grisell, n.d.

Open for consultation subject to preservation requirements. Access must also conform to the restrictions of the Data Protection Act (2018), General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR, 2018) and any other relevant legislation or restrictions. Clinical information is closed for 100 years.

Description compiled by Kenneth Baxter, August 2018

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