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For twenty
summers the Morrissey, sailing out of New York
City, carried expeditions to the frozen north,
sometimes sailing past eighty degrees north
latitude (within 600 miles of the north pole).
"Captain Bob" took both
students and scientists with him on his trips
under the auspices of the American Museum of
Natural History, the Museum of the American
Indian, the National Geographic Society, the
Smithsonian Institution, Explorers Club of New
York and others.
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The
Morrissey's adventures, including running aground
and becoming icebound, are chronicled in several
books including Bartlett's autobiographical Sails
Over Ice (Charles Scribner's Sons, 1934) and
in the Pathe Newsreels that were seen in movie
houses throughout North America. Films produced
during "Captain Bob's" trips are
available on video narrated by men who sailed
with Bartlett in 1940 as teenagers, Mr. Fred Littleton
and Mr. Austen Colgate.
1931
Norcross-Bartlett
Expedition to Northeast Greenland in cooperation with the
Smithsonian Institution, Heye Foundation, American Museum of
Natural History, and the New York Botanical Gardens.
The
chief objects of the expedition were to gather flowering
plants for Botanical Gardens; specimens of wild fowl for the
Museum of Natural History and narwhal and seals for the Ocean
Hall of Life. In addition to this they carried out
oceanographic, hydrographic and meteorological work for the US
Navy, Smithsonian Institution, and others.
The Morrissey
was sheathed in Greenheart, while this was being done in
McWilliams Dry Dock on Staten Island, NY, Southmayd Hatch and
Thomas H. Soyster took off her lines and measured all her
parts for a set of lines drawings.
The
Morrissey in drydock at McWilliam's Shipyard in Staten Island
Assistant
Engineer Jack Angel
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The
crew gathering at McWilliam's Shipyard just prior to
departure.
Arthur
D. Norcross paddling amongst the ice.
Bob
Dove, medical student aboard preserving specimens.
Assistant
Engineer Jack Angel cuts the surgeon's hair
Radioman
Paul Oscanyon listens for communications.
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1932
Peary Memorial Expedition.
A
monument to Commander Robert
E. Peary was erected at Cape York, Greenland.
Peary’s grandson, Ed Stafford, participated at age 14
with his brother, Peary, age 12 and his mother in this expedition. The
next time Edward came aboard the Morrissey was in July 1998 with his wife for a
Bartlett Boy’s
Reunion.
This
expedition was co-chartered by Mrs. Marie Peary Stafford and Arthur
D. Norcross in his second year aboard.
You
can read Mrs. Stafford's Journal by clicking here....
Cmdr.
Robert E. Peary photo commemorating the reach to the North
Pole on April 6, 1909. National Geographic.
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In
this photo by Arthur D. Norcross taken in June 1932 in Staten
Island, NY, members of the University of Michigan - Pan
American Airways Greenland Expedition of 1932-1933 look over
plans. Shown here are Herbert N. Gardner, Ralph Belknap,
leader and engineer, and Evans S. Schmeling. Not shown is Paul
Oscanyon who also was aboard as radioman.
The crew of the 1932 voyage.
Shown here (lft to rt from upper left) Ralph Belknap, Ruben
Hiscock (stonecutter), Carswell (mason), Sandy Wells (mason),
Paddy James (seaman), (front row) George Richards (bosun),
George Bartlett (carpenter), Peary Stafford (Peary's
grandson), Gilbert Hiscock (stonecutter), Innuit (unnamed in
photo), and Harold Batten (seaman)
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1933
Bartlett Northwest Greenland
Expedition through the Hudson Strait and Fury and Hecla
Straits under the auspices of the American Museum of
Natural History, Museum of American Indian, American
Geographical Society and the Navy Department.
The
ship was impounded by the British and later redocumented at New
York, NY issued in ownership of Robert A.
Bartlett (c/o Explorers Club) to a Motor (oil) Screw.
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Junius Bird was scientist on
numerous voyages. He is shown here fabricating a net for
collecting specimens.
This photo shows Jack Angel
covered with mosquitoes in Foxe Basin during some archaeological
work.
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1934
Expedition to Greenland and Ellesmere
Land making scientific collections under the auspices of the
Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences.
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1935
Northwest Greenland Expedition under the
auspices of the Field Museum and the Smithsonian Institution.
A
most dramatic time was when the homeward bound
Morrissey ran into an hurricane. Captain Bob was
sailing home in time to get the teenage trainees back
for the start
school. Many a hurricane is reported headed for the waters of
Newfoundland but few actually make it. Captain Bartlett took
the chance that this one would not as he passed St. Johns, the
only sheltered harbor, to round Cape Spear and head for Cape
Race. It was just after rounding Cape Spear that the Morrissey
was hit by a full gale and lost her foresail. Now they were
caught on a lee shore with no sails set. All aboard worked
together for three hours to set a new reefed foresail in order
to have enough canvas to climb off the coast. Toward morning
breakers could be heard, and a great cliff loomed up ahead in
the Morrissey’s path. Captain Bob did everything he
knew to squeeze an extra point to windward from the old
schooner. None of them knew what the water’s depth was at
the foot of the cliff, but they found out when the Morrissey
cleared it, Bartlett said, close enough “to throw a biscuit
ashore.” The Morrissey passed safely in deep water
and the young men aboard got the greatest story of their lives
to tell when they arrived safely at school.
The
Stoddard Brothers aft at the wheel and doing some ropework
Dr. Soutter at the wheel while
Bob Bartlett pulls down a sun line
Aboard
for the 1935 voyage was Dr. Lamar Soutter (1909-1996) who later went
on to become founding dean of the University of Massachusetts
Medical School. He also pioneered revolutionary filtration and
preservation techniques at the blood bank at Massachusetts General
Hospital. Click here to download a pdf
file of a New York Times article about the 1935 trip.
Dr.
Lamar Soutter holding one of many scientific specimens (minerals)
collected during the expedition.
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Bart Gushue (assistant
engineer), student (name?), Jim Wallace, Dr. Soutter, Stoddard
(one of the brothers) sit on the forward end of the aft cabin
top.
Jim Wallace at the wheel
Dr. Soutter collecting plankton
in NW Greenland
Students, crew & Innuit in
whaleboat
An iceberg sighted to windward
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1936
Bartlett Northeast Greenland Expedition
under the auspices of the Smithsonian Institution, American
Geographical Society, Chicago Zoological Society and the Field
Museum.
David Nutt participant in four Arctic
voyages between 1936 and 1940. Four of his films are on file
at Bowdoin College. In 1990 these films were transferred to
stable safety film by the Library of Congress Motion Picture
Preservation Laboratory. David Nutt came to the Bartlett
Boy’s Reunion in 1998.
Tom
Wells sailed on this trip and has gone on to produce many
images that include the Morrissey. Please check back in for a
link to a Tom Wells page from this site!
Here
is a pastel by Tom Wells who has gone on to be a well know
maritime artist with many other images of the Morrissey
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David Nutt with a catch
Warner Kent forward on lookout
while others joke around by the mainmast. Photo by Thomas Wells,
August, 1936
Tom Wells (left) letters sea
bags for Bartlett while Leo Hansen, ornithologist for the Field
Museum looks on
Buck Morris trimming Jack
Cunningham's hair
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1937
Bartlett Northwest Greenland Expedition
under the auspices of the Smithsonian Institution and the
Chicago Zoological Society.
Howard
"Howdie" McCall aft with Ben Hazeltine at the wheel
Capt.
Bartlett would often go aloft as the ship was maneuvering
through the ice. Above him is the "ice bucket" where
crew members would stand watch for more eyes aloft
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Bosun
George Richards ashore at Etah
Ben Hazeltine and one of Ootah's
wives. Ootah was one of the men who regularly worked with
Bartlett during his many years of Arctic exploration.
We
heard from Dave Munsell, Jr. who said his father sailed on board
during this trip at age 17. John S. Connolly was also aboard and
has come back aboard in 2000.
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1938
Northwest Greenland Expedition under the
auspices of the Smithsonian Institution, Cleveland Museum of
Natural History, and the United States National Museum.
Laura van der Meulen recently sent
some scanned images of her father, Donald E. Clark,
aboard the Morrissey to Northwest Greenland
in 1938 and 1939 for the New York Zoological Society
and Smithsonian Institution. Apparently Donald, in
his mid-eighties and living in California today,
still talks about his adventures on the Morrissey
with Capt. 'Bob.' Donald was the youngest member of
the crew and served as Radio Telephone Operator. Click here
to see a picture of Donald and get a look at a FCC
(Federal Communications Commission) Radio Telegraph
Operators License.
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This
is a classic Bartlett photo sent to Ernestina by John B.
Morris of Julian Burnett Book Store in Atlanta, GA. The photo
was by Ralph B. Morris off Newfoundland in 1938.
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1939
Northeast
Greenland Expedition under the auspices of the New York
Zoological Society and the Smithsonian Institution. On this
trip was established the Morrissey’s
farthest north for the east coast of Greenland of 77o
15’N.
Donald E.
Clark was aboard the Morrissey to Northwest Greenland
in 1938 and 1939 for the New York Zoological Society
and Smithsonian Institution. Donald was the youngest member of
the crew and served as Radio Telephone Operator. Click here
to see a picture of Donald and get a look at a FCC
(Federal Communications Commission) Radio Telegraph
Operators License.
Garrison
McClure sailed as a teenager on this voyage and later came
back on a number of occasions including the "Bartlett
Boy" reunion in 1998.
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