Part III: Antarctica and Academe - Scott Polar Research Institute

design he was sure that a quick decision could be made in its favour. It was now
November and the relevant Committee was meeting in three weeks time. We
approached the design-and-build team for the contract and used their architect to
produce our plan within three weeks! Much midnight oil was burnt and the deadline
was met, the committee approved and we went on from there. Eventually the NERC
appointed architect was given responsibility for the interior decoration, for which
minor task he received about £45,000! Eventually, after all these ”alarms and
excursions” we got what we wanted and the building has served the Survey well.
In August 1974), I received a letter from Sir Hermann Bondi, Chairman of
NERC: "Although much pressed for time before going on leave, I must write to you
to convey the warmth of feeling and appreciation for your work which was so
widely expressed at Council and which I wholly share. Your leadership of BAS,
your always cooperative attitude, your successful stimulation of first rate science in
BAS, are very much admired and have won you many friends." This was a very
welcome endorsement.
Several aspects of my new job were new to me. I had no experience of
international politics and diplomacy, and I had never had to negotiate with a
Research Council. I had never had to control the expenditure of a large budget, nor
handle more than [40] staff. In practical terms, apart from my three years in the
Antarctic as a young man with FIDS in 1947-52 where I had become familiar with the
conditions of work in that environment, and my few years in Life Sciences, when I
visited Signy Island and South Georgia, I had no first hand experience of running
Antarctic operations.
So the first action I took was to make a comprehensive trip from 1 January to 25
March, 1974. I visited Santiago, Punta Arenas, Bransfield, Stanley, Signy Island,
South Georgia, Bird Island, Signy Island, Halley Bay, Vahsel Bay/Shackleton Base,
(flying to Shackleton Range and Theron Mountains to 81°S), Halley Bay, (flew across
Weddell Sea), Fossil Bluff, Adelaide Base, Stonington Base, Horseshoe Island,
Adelaide, Stonington, (sealing), Adelaide, Argentine Islands, Palmer Station, Signy,
South Georgia, Stanley, and Buenos Aires. I circumnavigated the South Orkney
Islands in a week to make a seal count, using a Zodiac inflatable, driven by Andy
Binder, Second Mate. In Buenos Aires I stayed in the Embassy and met Argentine
colleagues and diplomats for the first time. These varied activities quickly gave me a
strong feel for the many aspects on my new job. I describe this trip at some length in
the next chapter and it was the beginning of a new love of all things Antarctic as well
as the start of many new initiatives in improving the performance of BAS.
In Britain during that first year I spent a lot of time visiting the various scientific
units around Britain to get to know the staff at all levels and the nature of their work
in the different disciplines, at the bench and – through my field trip – in the field. I
was also very fortunate in the early years of my directorship to be able to call on
Brian Roberts, FCO, for comment and advice, both on the science in general, but also
on the political angles. We met in Cambridge on Saturday mornings when Brian
came up to Cambridge for the weekends and our discussions were very wide
ranging. They covered – politics, science, historical precedents, a feeling for and
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