A painting depicting Captain Scott’s ship, the SS Terra Nova, leaving Cardiff Docks on its ill-fated Antarctic Expedition on June 15 1910, has been bought at auction by The Cardiff Story Museum.
The painting, by Richard Short, an accomplished painter who settled in Cardiff after retiring from life as a Master Mariner, was bought for £13,000 at an auction at Bonhams, London on Friday March 30.
Scott’s expedition is now renowned in world history, as he and his companions were not only beaten to the Pole by Norwegian Roald Amundsen, but also because it ended in the death of five of the expedition members, including Scott, from starvation and the extreme temperatures.
Cardiff was not only the Terra Nova’s home port, but it had also been extremely instrumental in the expedition proceeding. Until now, The Cardiff Story Museum had nothing in its collection to represent this significant event in the city’s history. Thanks to funding from Cardiff Council, the V&A Purchase Fund and UK Antarctic Heritage Trust, the museum now has the perfect piece to help tell the story of Scott and his relationship with Cardiff.
Scott had named Cardiff as the Terra Nova’s home port in recognition of the support the expedition had received from Wales, and Cardiff in particular. It can be argued that without this support, in both money and in kind, Scott would not have left in time to reach the Pole in 1912.
Funds were raised and sponsorship secured from businesses in the area resulting in donations from steam coal to cooking utensils, lamp oil to the provision of dock facilities. Cardiff had also raised more cash than any other city for Scott, and two leading Cardiff shipowners, Daniel Radcliffe and William J Tatem became two of the expedition’s most fervent supporters.
The painting was commissioned by Alderman W H Renwick and W H Newtown to mark the city’s pride in playing such a key role in the expedition, and the money required for commissioning it was raised from public subscription. Hanging in the library of the Coal Exchange building in the docks, when news reached Britain of Scott’s death in February 1913, the Union flag and black crepe were draped around it, echoing the profound sense of shock that was felt in the city. When the Terra Nova returned to Cardiff in that same year, 60,000 people welcomed it home.
Cardiff Story Museum Officer Victoria Rogers said: “We’re delighted to have secured this stunning painting for the museum and the people of Cardiff. The tragedy of the expedition had a profound effect on the city, which had taken Scott and his companions to its heart, and this painting is the perfect piece to commemorate the expedition and to help tell the story to our visitors.
“Items like this don’t come up at auction very often, so we’re very thankful to Cardiff Council, UK Antarctic Heritage Trust and the V&A Purchase Fund for their support in securing the painting for generations of Cardiffians to come.”
For more information on the Cardiff Story visit www.cardiffstory.com
