Richard Barrett (Surveyor, Stonington 1974/75)
The Changing Role of Women in Marguerite Bay – Richard Barrett
At the start of the 20th century Charcot was divorced by his first wife for desertion while he was down south. When he came south 1908 be bought his new wife Marguerite with him as far as Punta Arenas and named a very large bay for her.
In 1939 Richard Blackburn Black brought his wife Aviza as far as Dunedin en-route to Marguerite Bay via the Ross Sea.
In 1947 Finn Ronne on the RARE decided to take his wife, and the wife of his chief pilot Darlington, as far as Panama, as there was a lot of paper work to catch up on, and then as far as Valparaiso, and then all the way.
Harry Darlington was not pleased, “There are some things women just don’t do, become Pope, become President, or go the the Antarctic” Jenny Darlington thought “Why not?” but said nothing.
Seven of the men of the expedition signed a letter to say they would leave the expedition if women joined. But they capitulated, Jenny bought some extra cosmetics a washbowl and a pot and went to Stonington.
It was not a happy expedition, the Ronnes fell out with the British already ensconced at Stonington and ultimately fell out with the Darlingtons.
When the ice failed to go out in Marguerite Bay in 1948 the US sent two ice breakers as by this time Jenny Darlington was pregnant.
The ice breakers also assisted the John Biscoe into Stonington to carry out the relief and bring in the new base commander Vivian Fuchs, later Sir Vivian, Director of BAS. I would suggest that it was this experience that resulted in no women coming to Marguerite Bay during his Directorship.
Fuchs retired in 1973 and for the 1973-4 relief Tom Woodfield master of the RRS Bransfield was accompanied by his wife Petronella (Ella)
In 1978-9 Sally Poncet with her husband Jérôme wintered on Avian Island in their yacht Damien II and gave birth to her first son on South Georgia. Sally is a botanist and biologist with a string of research projects, publications, film credits and awards including the Fuchs Medal and Polar Medal. For more details of her life and career. More about Sally
Janet Thomson became the first British female scientist to work in the Antarctic for BAS when they amended their male only policy in 1983 and 1996 saw the first women wintering at Halley. More about Janet
In 1995 Sara Wheeler visited Rothera doing research for her book Terra Incognita, Travels in Antarctica. By 1995 she had seen most of Antarctica and she wasn’t very impressed by the all-male atmosphere at Rothera. She had previously interviewed Fuchs who suggested that when women do go to Antarctica it should be in all female groups. More about Sara
The Soviets had sent women south in 1957 followed by the Australians in 1959. The Americans sent the first women to McMurdo in 1969 and the first winterers in 1974, and one of those was a nun.
In July 2003 Kirsty Brown, a marine biologist, was killed by a leopard seal when snorkelling at her research site near the base at Rothera. More about Kirsty Brown
2013 Professor Dame Jane Francis is now Director of the British Antarctic Survey.
References:
J. B. Charcot Towards the South Pole aboard the Francais
J. B. Charcot Voyage of the “Why Not ?”
Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society Vol 89 No. 1 April 1945
Reports on the Scientific Results of the United States Antarctic Service Expedition 1939-41
Sara Wheeler Terra Incognita
Jennie Darlington My Antarctic Honeymoon
Tom Woodfield Polar Mariner
Finn Ronne Antarctic Conquest
And of course frequent searches on Wikipedia etc.
Richard Barrett – International Women’s Day
8 March 2021