Mill, Hugh Robert, 1861-1950

Hugh Robert Mill was born at Thurso, Scotland, on 28 May 1861. He read chemistry and physics at Edinburgh University and specialised in marine chemistry, working on the scientific reports of the Challenger expedition under Sir John Murray. In 1887, he became lecturer in geography and physiography at Heriot-Watt College, Edinburgh, and four years later, published The realm of nature, an important textbook of scientific geography. In 1892, he was appointed librarian of the Royal Geographical Society, where one of his first tasks was to draw up a set of instructions for naturalists visiting the Antarctic regions. Soon afterwards, he recommended William Speirs Bruce and Charles William Donald as naturalists for the British whaling exploration (from Dundee), 1892-1893. He was also responsible for the Antarctic bibliography, published in The Antarctic manual for the use of the expedition of 1901 . On Robert Falcon Scott's invitation, he accompanied the British National Antarctic Expedition, 1901-1904, to Madeira in order to give practical instruction in meteorology and oceanography to the scientific staff.

Mill resigned his post with the Royal Geographical Society to become Director of the British Rainfall Organization, a post which he occupied from 1901 until 1919, when he handed over the work to the Meteorological Office. He was a member of many scientific societies and for eight years was British representative on the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. In 1901, he was appointed President of the Geography Section of the British Association, and in 1907 became President of the Royal Meteorological Society, receiving the society's Symons Memorial Medal in 1918. Mill was closely involved with the Scott Polar Research Institute from its foundation, becoming a member of the Institute's Committee of Management in 1926 and Chairman of the Committee from 1930 until 1939. On his retirement, he presented the Institute with his unique collection of Antarctic books. Throughout his life, he maintained personal friendships with many Polar explorers and acquired an expert knowledge of Antarctic exploration. He died in East Grinstead on 5 April 1950.

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