Ernest Shackleton led his first expedition to Antarctica on the Nimrod. One of the objectives of the journey was to reach the South Pole. It was the second time that he tried, the first being with Robert Scott on the Discovery expedition in 1902. On that occasion he had come to within 480 miles of the Pole, this time the distance reduced, but it was still to remain an elusive goal for Shackleton.
Sir Ernest Shackleton
Crowd on Lyttelton wharf, New Zealand
as the Nimrod was leaving
Nimrod (right) and H.M.S. Powerful (behind) the flagship of the Australasian squadron, sailing in farewell out of Lyttleton Harbour New Zealand, 1st January 1908
The Towing Steamer Koonya as Seen from the Nimrod in a heavy sea
Day with the Motor-car on the sea ice
Day was the mechanic with responsibility for the running of the car
Motor hauling stores for a depot
The Nimrod expedition was the first to take a recently invented motor-car to Antarctica, it kept breaking down through over-heating and getting stuck in even shallow snow.
Arrival at the Bluff Depot
Manhauling towards Mount Erebus at the beginning of the journey.
Alistair Mackay, Professor Edgeworth David and Sir Douglas Mawson at the Magnetic South Pole
The Nimrod in sea ice
Preparing a sledge for hauling by pony
A poster for a public lecture to be given by Shackleton on his return to England, such lectures were the means by which money was raised to pay off the debts of expeditions
Originally a Yorkshire family, the Shackleton's had moved to County Kildare in Ireland where Ernest was born on February 15th 1874. His father hoped for Ernest to enter the field of medicine, though Ernest had other ideas, at the age of 16 he joined his first ship sailing out of Liverpool. He took naturally to a life at sea and progressed through the ranks, by the time he was 24 he was qualified to command a British ship anywhere she may be.
