Fids Movies & Videos
Contents
- One Great Summer – 1993 on the Endurance and at Rothera – Jack Tolson
- Dog Sledging in Antarctica – Angus Erskine
- Voyage to the White South – Ed Dewhurst
- The Proudman Program – John “Jack” Tolson
- George’s Grip Show – George McLeod
- My Antarctic Journey – Dave Singleton
- Into the White – RGS/Joanna Grochowicz
- A Flight Around Marguerite Bay – Jenny Dean
- The Song of The Ice – Steve Garrett
- The Last Dog Team at Rothera – Rob McGlone
Some Science, Some Fun, and Some Old Faces. Still Fids.
In January 1993 I returned to Rothera station on the Antarctic Peninsula aboard a very new HMS Endurance, Britain’s ice patrol ship. I meet some aboard ship, fly in their helicopters and observe life. Then, it’s on to Rothera, Britain’s growing Antarctic scientific station – one of five. Last time I was here was 1977. Then, Rothera was just a shed on a beach. Here I meet a few base personnel and learn a little about activities including the first half marathon in Antarctica.
Dog Sledging in Antarctica
Filmed by Angus Erskine, BC/Surveyor, Detaille Island, 1957
Voyage to the White South – Edmund Dewhurst, Bransfield
A movie filmed by Ed Dewhurst, Third mate, aboard Bransfield during the 1973/74 season. It records a complete voyage, Monte, Stanley, South Georgia, Signy, Halley and the Peninsula, including our love affair with Adders jetty. Originally filmed on Standard 8 silent film, it was edited by Ed, a sound stripe then added for effects/commentary by Jack Tolson in 1974. Over the years iterations have degraded the film quality but we hope it will bring back some cheerful memories for all.
(Not the best quality of filming, but well worth a spare evening with visits to Monte, Stanley, Argentine Islands, Adders, Stonners, South Georgia, and Twotter action).
Voyage to The White South (90 Minutes)
Narrated by Jack Tolson – BAS Ships, 1973-1979
The Proudman Program – Jack Tolson
The Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory (POL) went down on the Biscoe and Bransfield and possibly Ernest Shackleton to do onboard work, dropping and retrieving equipment related to tidal work and deep water transportation. They also put buoys overboard for observing sea water temps, air temps etc. They were always a pleasure to deal with.
I made the video for Bob Spencer, the POL lead technician, when they were on the James Clark Ross (JCR) in 1994. No money involved. Bob and his boss Prof Ian Vassey were very pleased with their free film, which they used for many years at Open events in Liverpool. I showed it on JCR, having edited it with a camera and video player. Barry Heywood was director at the time and he was reasonably positive.
More about the Proudman Program Here
The Proudman Program (15 Mins)
Jack Tolson – BAS Ships, 1973-1979
George McLeod’s Last Grip Show
As many of you already know, George McLeod (wintered at Anvers Island – 1957, Prospect Point – 1958, Hope Bay – 1962, Stonington – 1963 & 1967) passed away at the age of 92 on July 4th, 2020, in Colorado, from complications resulting from a bout with Covid-19. George had suffered from Alzheimer’s for several years, and had successfully fought off the Covid-19 in typical George fashion, but from which he never fully recovered.
George’s family on Colorado and Utah will be sending some of George’s grips to be added to his several yarns already on the Stonington page. They have also sent the MP4 video below, which was recorded by George ten years ago when the family realized they had no such recording, and that it was almost too late with his oncoming Alzheimer’s.
Please view this for what it was – A Grip Show, by a legendary Fid, which regardless, you all know would typically be accompanied by boos, hisses, hoorays and derisive comments. The McLeod family are concerned that viewers understand that it may not be wholly accurate or cohesive – our comments are that we think George dropped his slide tray on the way to give the Show, and didn’t have time to sort them out properly. He would have laughed at that explanation.
It is possible, even likely, that not all the grips either on this site or in the Grip Show were taken by George, and so we add the following – the photos and slide show are Copyright©Ian McLeod, Denver, Colorado 2009. All rights reserved (includes copyrighted photos taken by British Antarctic Survey personnel between 1956 and 1968)
Dave Singleton – MY ANTARCTIC JOURNEY
This movie started out life as a silent super 8mm cine film. It was shot in 1973 during Dave Singleton’s second year at Stonington Base E. Editing and splicing followed and much later, in the 1990s, BAS kindly converted it to a digital format. In exchange the original film was donated to their archives. Although Dave always intended adding some sound it took the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic to finally get around to it. So, here we are, nearly 50 years on. It is a 48 minute snap shot of his personal experiences, of travel on the ships, life on base and working with dog teams and aircraft in the field. Hope it raises a smile and the music gets your feet tapping.
A History Lesson of Antarctic Exploration – Contributed by Richard Barrett
FIDS might be interested to share this years RGS lecture with their children / grandchildren “Into the White” is Joanna Grochowicz’s retelling of Scott’s Terra Nova expedition. My daughter-in-law, Sarah Lippett, after much research in my library did the illustrations for two of Joanna’s books and the irritating penguin which has been animated for this lecture.