City Marks Centenary of Captain Scott’s Expedition to South Pole

17th June 2010

The centenary of Captain Scott’s expedition to the Antarctic which departed from Cardiff on 15 June 1910 was fittingly commemorated with a number of exciting events in the city. These included a lecture by explorer and author, Sir Ranulph Fiennes OBE entitled “Living Dangerously in the: In the genre of Captain Scott” and the unveiling of the ship’s binnacle at the Pierhead Building which contained the original compass.

Captain Scott’s expedition, with the backing of Cardiff’s business community and Welsh politicians, including the then Prime Minister, David Lloyd George left the city’s shores one hundred years ago in a bid to become the first expedition team to reach the South Pole. Scott and his men reached their destination on 17 January 1912, only to hear news that the Norwegian team led by Roald Amundsen had achieved the same feat 33 days earlier. Captain Scott and his companions perished on the return journey. This was considered to be one of the final great voyages of discovery of the time.

The city has always been proud of its association with Captain Scott and his Antarctic expedition. A week-long series of activities and events were held in the capital culminating in the departure of the SS Stavros Niarchos, on 15 June 2010, one hundred years to the day after the SS Terra Nova left the city. The Niarchos was waved off by well-wishers as it passed Penarth Head and headed towards the Bristol Channel.

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