Widows of the Ice: The Women That Scott’s Antarctic Expedition Left Behind by Anne Fletcher

Title: Widows of the Ice: The Women That Scott’s Antarctic Expedition Left Behind
Author: Anne Fletcher
Publication: Amberley Publishing, hardcover, 2022
Genre: History
Setting: Britain and Antarctica

Description: British Naval Officer Robert Falcon Scott led two expeditions to the Antarctic: the Discovery expedition of 1901–1904 and the Terra Nova expedition of 1910–1913, from which he did not return. On the first expedition, he discovered the Antarctic Plateau, on which the South Pole is located. Between expeditions, Captain Scott, scientist Ted Wilson, and Petty Officer Edgar Evans all got married. Scott’s second venture to Antarctica was not successful: Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen beat Scott to the South Pole on December 14, 1911, five weeks ahead of Scott. Then Scott’s group of five died of cold and starvation on the way back to the camp.  It is impossible not to contemplate what a difference modern equipment/clothing would have made to their ability to survive. 

Despite the failure of the expedition, the deceased explorers became celebrated heroes back in Britain. The three widows were not given the opportunity to mourn in private but were expected to continue their roles as cheerleaders while rebuilding their lives. While many books have been written about Scott and the fatal expedition, Fletcher is the first to look at the women who were left behind and how they coped with life as widows.

My Impression: As mentioned previously, I visited the Royal Geographic Society Library and Archives in June with my study abroad group, and we were given a wonderful tour by its principal librarian, Eugene Rae. Surrounded by memorabilia full of stories, he told us about Captain Scott’s quest to reach the South Pole and mentioned an interesting book that looked at the wives left behind by the obsessed explorers. There were a number of things that made this a very rewarding read. First of all, Fletcher’s research was impeccable. When she knew what had happened, she told us. When she speculated, she made that clear. At times, she said it was likely or logical that something had taken place but she did not mislead her reader. More than once, she bemoaned the fact that Edgar Evans’ wife Lois had not left any letters or diaries. Second, Fletcher was able to bring the three wives’ stories to life. In this, she was assisted by the fact that, in contrast to Lois, Scott’s wife Kathleen and Wilson’s wife Oriana were educated women of the middle class. Kathleen and Oriana were busy correspondents and although they traveled frequently they not only generated written material they were also aware of the potential value and kept it safe. Finally, the author was able to convey why the media and contemporaries made these men heroes, although their mission concluded tragically.

Antarctica, 1912 (Encyclopedia Britannica)

According to Fletcher, there was not much of a relationship between the three women. Kathleen was a noted sculptor, known for her independence and having a career independent of her husband. Oriana worked at a school prior to her marriage but, afterward, she focused on assisting her husband’s scientific research. Lois was relatively uneducated: I can see why the other two did not have much in common with her but it is inexcusable that they didn’t help ensure she could support her children. Kathleen and Oriana’s shared loss brought them together briefly but they never became close. I suspect Kathleen was too busy hanging out with the rich and famous, although, in fairness, I suspect she would have been the most fun to hang out with (including the explorers).

However, I am disappointed that Kathleen did not support the Suffragettes, despite her status as a career woman:

She was one of many thousands who felt it was unnecessary and, in some cases, damaging to let women vote, and she became an active supporter of the anti-suffrage movement. The fight for the vote was a long one not just because of the opposition of men like [Prime Minister] Asquith, but because a significant number of women felt like Kathleen and were against it too.

Kathleen and Scott’s only son Peter became a noted ornithologist and conservationist. More interesting to me is that he was married for nine years to Elizabeth Jane Howard, author of the Cazalet Chronicles (she left him to write and wound up marrying Kingsley Amis). His second wife worked at Bletchley Park during WWII.

Source: Library