The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Many are aware of English explorer Lt. Ernest Shackleton and his South Pole explorations. In 1909, he recorded a short recount of his failed 1907 expedition to reach the South Pole, on a 4 minute wax Amberol Edison cylinder. The recording was made mainly as an attempt to pay expenses and raise funds for future expeditions.

He is more famously known for his failed 1914 / 15 / 16 expedition in which his ship Endurance was trapped and crushed by the winter South Pole ice flow. He and a small crew traversed 800 miles in a small life boat from his ship Endurance to South Georgia Island, using only a sextant for navigation. From there, he staffed a rescue mission and recovered his entire expedition, losing not a single life.

The Indiana State Museum currently has a travelling exhibit devoted to Shackelton and his missions. While visiting today, I snapped this photo of a photo, of Shackelton and his crew gathered around a gramophone in what they called the Ritz, which was the common gathering area within the ship Endurance. The photo was taken during the 1915 mission.

The snapshot of Wax Amberol 473 is from my collection.

The book "Endurance" is a detailed account of the 14-16 expedition and a great read. In that book, it told how they ordered thousands of phonograph needles when stocking the ship and didn't find out until they were underway that they were really supplied with sewing needles. No mention if they modified the sewing needles but ruining records was the least of their worries once stuck in the ice.
Scott

Rod, do you have a brother Todd and once live in Noblesville? A Rod and Todd Picket lived down the street from me growing up.

I have not read the book Endurance but it is now on my reading list. Thanks for the information.

No relationship to anyone in Noblesville that I’m aware of and we have never met. However, some interesting things occurred several years ago when we each apparently checked into the same hotel at the same time in Chicago a number of years ago. But, that’s a story for a different place and time.

I found my Shackelton cylinder 30 years ago in a box full of ordinary wax Amberols at an antique show. Up to that point I had never heard of him, but the title caught my attention, so I plunked down $3.50. The same seller also had a dozen 2M Blue Amberols in Spanish. I thought that was strange and bought all of those, too. I did not fully realize it then, but that was a GOOD day!