Part I: Seals teeth and whales ears - Scott Polar Research Institute ...

to study a very large established elephant seal population – probably the largest of
them all – and to apply my research findings to reviewing the management of the
sealing industry there. The Governor said that he was not in favour of people staying
for longer than two years, but that in my case as I had my teeth into a job of work he
was all in favour of it. I supposed that I should know definitely in a few months time.
Another point favouring South Georgia, apart from the practical considerations, was
that there were more people at South Georgia and after another year at a small base I
might be quite glad of that. (I didn't think that was necessarily so!). He told me that
next year he intended to turn Signy into a 5-man base and agreed with me that the
present base was not suitable. It was small, got awfully draughty in winter and was
difficult to keep clean; so next year a new hut was to be erected.
The mail brought me a letter from Christopher Waddams in Cambridge (formerly
my Tutor) in which he hinted, I thought, at my being offered a Fellowship by St
Catharine's. He said obliquely that he "would like my residence in Cambridge to be
more permanent" and that he would do all he could at that end. Of course that is
what I wanted myself, provided that I could get away occasionally on expeditions
and so on. Apparently Cath's now would have a few extra Fellowships and Research
Scholarships (Junior Research Fellowships) going. It would be nice to get back to
Cambridge. I was very pleased with what I had been able to do so far and I thought
that I would have ample material to submit for a PhD. thesis (although I was not yet
registered for it). I would also be able to write a few papers on birds and
invertebrates. It was difficult in my isolation though to be sure that it was not just
wishful thinking! There was no one currently available with whom I could discuss
these matters.
Also I still had no clear ideas about a permanent line of work in my career. I
expected to spend a year or so after my return working up my material and data,
either at the Zoology Department or perhaps at the Scott Polar Research Institute
(SPRI) with a Department of Scientific & Industrial Research (DSIR) grant, or a salary
from the Colonial Office. The latter would be preferable, as I would be able to apply
for a DSIR grant at a later date if I wanted to extend my research. Furthermore, in
financial terms the DSIR grant was a mere pittance.
I had been developing a number of quite innovative lines of work in the seal
study and my penguin research was new. The laboratory we built had been a
godsend. I sent a cable to Sydney Smith asking for specific information on
histological techniques. He was still in America but Dr. Goodhart chased up the
reference for me and Ron (Sydney's assistant) made up several solutions and
dispatched them to me.
I also had letters from friends. Only one or two of my contemporaries were left in
Cambridge now, apart from the Dons I knew. Frank Merret was hoping to get a
Lectureship in the Chemistry department; John Temple was working for his PhD in
the Geology Department, and of course there were a few people who did Part II
Zoology with me, still in the Zoological Department. Norman Holme wrote from the
Laboratory at Plymouth where he seemed to be enjoying life. Arthur Mansfield was
in Ceylon, an Instructor-Lieutenant in the Navy, Ursula Grigg was at Plymouth, Alan
Wallace and Pete Williams were working hard at Hospital and should be fullyfledged
doctors in another year; the Leeson twins were in the same stage at Kings
College Hospital; and so on. I had a letter from Arthur Lee who was working for the
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