Part III: Antarctica and Academe - Scott Polar Research Institute

in 1973 the total staff was some 350 and the annual budget about £1.5 million
(equivalent to about £10.6 million today).
At times the Survey’s survival had been in doubt, but he successfully led the
organization through the transition from the aftermath of the ‘heroic age’ of polar
research, through the change from static observatory science and essentially
geographical exploration, towards the modern era of global science, when the
Antarctic is increasingly seen as a key component in understanding global
environmental problems. All this had come about through the energy and
determination of Sir Vivian, helped by the eminence he had achieved as a result of
the TAE. After the peak of achievement in l958 he made no more lengthy field
expeditions, but made regular Antarctic field visits, of a couple of months, every 2-3
years.
But the organisation of the science still left much to be desired. The Survey was
a collection of isolated units, whose main connections were with the University
Departments or Governments Laboratories they were associated with, rather than
their colleagues within BAS. The common ground was limited to an annual briefing
conference for new recruits, to time spent together on the ships travelling to and
from the Antarctic field operations. Even in the southern summer communications
between BAS HQ (in London) and the scientific units (scattered around Britain) and
the Antarctic stations and ships were very limited. In winter communications with
the Antarctic deteriorated as the Ionosphere fluctuated and affected radio
communications.
When BAS was incorporated within NERC in 1967 a Review of BAS was
undertaken.
In the UK it had long been desirable to bring together the head office and
numerous BAS research groups, which were scattered around the country, and the
transfer of BAS to Cambridge was approved. In 1972 NERC agreed a site and
sufficient funding; Planning Permission was granted in 1973, and work on the BAS
HQ complex was begun.
Appointment as Director of BAS, September 1973.
I was not really interested in the Directorship, because I wanted to keep up my
research - though as Head of Division I was having difficulty finding time for it. But I
was invited to apply and was successful. How did this happen?
Having see a short list and realizing that I might find myself working under
someone whom I might not respect, reluctantly, and undecided what I would do if
actually offered the job, I put in a late application. I was interviewed by a Committee
that was chaired by Ray Beverton, and included Admiral "Egg" Irving (Chairman of
the NERC Antarctic Committee), Brian Roberts and Professor Tony Fogg FRS,
Professor John Sutton FRS as well as a representative from the Civil Service
Commission. I was pretty relaxed about it and enjoyed the interview. When Ray
Beverton telephoned in July to offer me the job I accepted, but decided to delay
assuming the position for about six weeks until after the annual BAS Conference in
early September for the new people going south. I put in some time in the London
HQ to begin to familiarize myself with unknown elements of the job, like the politics.
When I succeeded Bunny, we set up a fund by subscription to institute an annual
award for people who had made outstanding contributions to the Survey - the Fuchs
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