George Edward Marston

George Edward Marston was born on 19 March 1882 at Southsea. He studied art at Putney School of Art and Regent Street Polytechnic and qualified as a teacher. He was appointed official artist on the British Antarctic Expedition, 1907-1909 (leader Ernest Henry Shackleton), participating in several sledging journeys including an ascent of Mount Erebus. He was responsible for illustrating Aurora Australis, a limited edition book produced at Cape Royds, and provided sketches and paintings for The Heart of the Antarctic, Shackleton's account of the expedition.

He returned to the Antarctic as artist with the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition [Weddell Sea Party], 1914-1916 (leader Ernest Henry Shackleton). After Endurance was crushed in the pack ice of the Weddell Sea, the crew lived for six months on drifting ice until this broke up north-east of the Antarctic Peninsula. Proceeding in three open boats, the party of twenty-eight men reached Elephant Island on 15 April 1916. Marston made paintings and drawings of life on the pack ice and on Elephant Island before the party was rescued on 30 August 1916.

On his return to Britain, he taught at Bedales School, and in 1925, was appointed Handicrafts Adviser at the Rural Industries Bureau, advancing to director in 1934. He died in office in 1940.

Published work, Antarctic days; sketches of the homely side of polar life by two of Shackleton's men... by James Murray and George Marston, Andrew Melrose London (1913) SPRI Library Shelf Special Collection (Ʀ7)91(08)[1907-1909]