Thomas Whitefield was born in 1868 at Newport, Shropshire. He was serving in the Royal Navy in HMS Resolution when he applied to join the British National Antarctic Expedition, 1901-1904 (leader Robert Falcon Scott), as stoker. During the expedition, he participated in sledging activities, including a journey in January 1903 to lay a depot for the Southern Party at Minna Bluff and later in the year, a journey to the emperor penguin rookery at Cape Crozier.
On return from the expedition, he was promoted to chief stoker and was awarded the Polar Medal. He was also awarded the First World War, Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medals. He died in 1942.
From the guide to the Thomas Whitefield collection, (Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge)
