Armitage, Albert B. (Albert Borlase), 1864-1943

Albert Borlase Armitage was born in Scotland on 2 July 1864. He had been working for P&O for eight years when, in 1894 he joined the Jackson-Harmsworth Arctic Expedition, 1894-1897 (leader Frederick George Jackson) to Franz-Josef Land. Armitage was appointed second in command. The expedition lasted three years and Armitage took part in all the major sledging journeys. He conducted out a series of physical observations having undertaken training in meteorological and magnetic equipment prior to the expedition.

His experience gained him a place on the British National Antarctic Expedition, 1901-1904 (leader Robert Falcon Scott). Again he was appointed second in command and navigator on the Discovery . He led the first sledging party to penetrate and reach the Polar Plateau. After returning from Antarctica he worked his way up through the ranks of the merchant navy to become Commander of P&O Steam Navigation Company. He continued to write and lecture on polar exploration, while remaining in contact with polar explorers. He died on 31 October 1943.

Published work, Two years in the Antarctic, being a narrative of the British National Antarctic Expedition The Paradigm Press, Bluntisham Books, Bungay, England (1984) ISBN number 0950610453 SPRI library (7)91(08) [1901-1904] Cadet to Commodore, an autobiography, Cassell & Co. Ltd. London (1925) SPRI library 92[Armitage, A.B.)

From the guide to the Albert Armitage collection, 1894-1939, (Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge)