Arthur Edward Harbord was born in Hull, England in 1883. Apprenticed to clipper ships at the age of twelve, Harbord received his Extra Masters Certificate at the age of twenty-two. In 1907, he was appointed to the British Antarctic Expedition, 1907-1909 (leader Ernest Henry Shackleton), as second officer and navigator on Nimrod, later becoming chief officer on the return journey. He received a Polar Medal for his part in the expedition.
After the expedition, he served in shipping lines until 1910 when he gained his commission as Lieutenant in the Royal Navy. His peacetime service was in the Hydrographic Department of the Admiralty, and he served in both World Wars. After retiring from the Navy he joined the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board and became Marine Surveyor and Water Bailiff to the port of Liverpool. He died on 11 October 1961.
From the guide to the Arthur Edward Harbord collection, 1907-1986, (Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge)
