Arctic climate change 1750 to 1850: new insights from old documents

Catharine Ward and Matthew Ayre, University of Sunderland

ESEH conference, Turku, Finland, 30th June 2011

ESEH, Turku, Finland, 30th June 2011Follow our work! http://arcdoc.wordpress.com/

ESEH, Turku, Finland, 30th June 2011Follow our work! http://arcdoc.wordpress.com/

Objectives1. To identify the full range of UK-based documentary and old

instrumental sources for the Arctic region

2. To abstract the written, non instrumental and instrumental data

3. To develop and improve methods for working with historical data and narrative accounts and expressing them in a format that can be used for scientific analysis

4. To use the calibrated data (wind circulations, ice coverage, temperature and pressure) to provide an improved picture of the Arctic climate between 1750 and 1850

ESEH, Turku, Finland, 30th June 2011Follow our work! http://arcdoc.wordpress.com/

Logbook sources

• RN and other ships on voyages of scientific exploration: 1750 onwards relatively few but potentially valuable – imaged and available on www.corral.org.uk

• Ships in the service of the Hudson’s Bay Company: twice yearly, outward from London in July, returning in September (1750-1870)

• Whaling logbooks in UK archives, principally Hull.

ESEH, Turku, Finland, 30th June 2011Follow our work! http://arcdoc.wordpress.com/

Royal NavyADM 55: Supplementary logs and journals of ships on exploration. (1757-1861;1904)

Most were kept by naval captains, masters, lieutenants and masters mates.

Contains logbooks and meteorological journals kept on board ships voyaging in search of a NW passage during the 19th century.

ESEH, Turku, Finland, 30th June 2011Follow our work! http://arcdoc.wordpress.com/

Royal Navy

HMS Hecla and Fury cutting into Winter harbour (Melville Peninsula)

October 1821.

Met Journal was kept by Officers ofthe Watch on board HMS Hecla during it’s first winter in 1821

ESEH, Turku, Finland, 30th June 2011Follow our work! http://arcdoc.wordpress.com/

The Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC)

17th century Inuit trading furs with a HBC ship

ESEH, Turku, Finland, 30th June 2011Follow our work! http://arcdoc.wordpress.com/

The Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC)

ESEH, Turku, Finland, 30th June 2011Follow our work! http://arcdoc.wordpress.com/

Whaling

The dangers of the Whale FisheryPenny Magazine 1833

ESEH, Turku, Finland, 30th June 2011Follow our work! http://arcdoc.wordpress.com/

Whaling

ESEH, Turku, Finland, 30th June 2011Follow our work! http://arcdoc.wordpress.com/

Thanks for listening Project blog:

www.arcdoc.wordpress.org

Contact us:catharine@oceanclimate.co.uk

Matthew.ayre@sunderland.ac.uk