Comprising: THE ENDURANCE EXPEDITION 1914-16:A TLS from Shackleton to Macklin on his application to join the Endurance expedition, dictated and signed in absentia. 1p. 16th May 1914.Shackleton writes from a train to Norway to enquire as to Macklin's skills and appropriateness for the expedition.An ALS from Shackleton to Macklin to arrange an interview for the Endurance expedition. 1p. 30th May 1914.Shackleton writes on his return from Norway to invite Macklin to interview for a place on the expedition.The original typed and signed contract for the Endurance expedition. 2pp. Signed by Shackleton and Macklin. 21st July 1914.The complete contract for the inclusion of Macklin on the Endurance expedition, detailing his wages and terms of employment.The original MS of Macklin's account of Endurance. 70pp. Seven stapled typed sections and three manuscript sections, comprising: Inception (2pp.); London-Buenos Aires (7pp.); S. Georgia (5pp.); The Pack Ice (9pp.); The Great Ice Barrier - New Land (5pp.); Preparing For Winter (4pp.); Winter (13pp.); The Spring (8pp.); Good-bye "Endurance" (10pp.); A Few Extra Notes (7pp.).Macklin's detailed, unpublished account of the Endurance expedition, spanning from his initial application to join it, to the loss of The Endurance.Two continuous ALS written by Macklin to his parents from South Georgia and onboard The Endurance. November 3rd-December 3rd 1914. 22pp.A remarkable, very long letter, written at times on board The Endurance, and at others on South Georgia, giving details of their progress, and personal confessions of discomfort in his first foray into the Antarctic.Macklin's Account Of Wages for the Endurance expedition, and covering letter. 2pp. 1st December 1916.A record of Macklin's wages for the expedition, totalling £450.Typed sheet of references to Macklin in Frank Worsley's Endurance (1931).Twenty-four press-cuttings relating to Macklin and the expedition.NORTH RUSSIA EXPEDITIONARY FORCE 1918-19:Original autograph manuscript of Macklin's "Influenza Among The Lapps". 8pp. 1919.The complete, unpublished, manuscript for Macklin's research into the preventative measures against Influenza taken by the Lapps in the employ of the North Russia Expeditionary Force.Papers relating to Macklin's service in the First World War (1918-9).Including his orders sending him to Italy and Russia.THE SHACKLETON-ROWETT EXPEDITION 1921-22:The expedition contract for the Shackleton-Rowett expedition. 8pp. Signed by Shackleton and Rowett. 16th September 1921.Finely printed expedition contract, signed by Shackleton and Rowett, detailing Macklin's wages and responsibilities. Typed sheet of Macklin's particulars for the Shackleton-Rowett Expedition, including his education, previous service and salary. 1pp. August 31st 1921.Thirteen photographs and one negative from the expedition. Mainly of the Quest, with one photograph of Shackleton.MACKLIN FAMILY PAPERS:Thornton Macklin's matriculation papers for the University of London (1904).Papers appointing Thornton Macklin to Medical Inspector of Seamen for the Port Of Scilly (1893).Papers relating to Thornton Macklin's service in the East India Railways Volunteer Corps (1885-7).Papers relating to Thornton Macklin's Missionary work in Blantyre (1901).

The extraordinary record of Alexander Macklin's service alongside Ernest Shackleton over a remarkable eight years, which saw him join two expeditions to the Antarctic, serve on the Western Front, and head to the Arctic with the North Russia Expeditionary Force.
The archive contains comprehensive and unpublished material relating to all of these exploits, with a particular emphasis on the legendary Endurance expedition of 1914-16.
Dr Alexander Macklin wrote to E. H. Shackleton on the 23rd April 1914, seeking to join The Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition as a surgeon. The two letters from Shackleton of May 1914 are in response to his application and about the arranging of an interview, and the employment contract of 21st July 1914 confirms Macklin's appointment and notes his salary of £200 per annum.
The story of the Endurance expedition up until the destruction of the ship is covered comprehensively in Macklin's own unpublished account, present here in manuscript and typescript. Additional colour is added to the early stages of the expedition by the long letters he wrote to his parents from South Georgia, written throughout November 1914.
Although surgeons typically had little medical work to do on Antarctic expeditions, the Endurance was an exception. When they had reached Elephant Island Rickinson had a heart condition, Blackborow had gangrene requiring amputation, Hudson was having a nervous breakdown, and Kerr had a tooth removed without anaesthetic; to say nothing of the repeated cases of frostbite. Despite this, Macklin and his fellow surgeon James McIlroy, kept all of their men alive. On Macklin's return to Britain, he received his Account of Wages for the expedition, the original of which is present here, totalling £450, less deductions of £141 2s 11d.
Macklin then immediately offered his services to the War Office, and served on the Western Front and in Italy, before following Shackleton and other Endurance colleagues to the Arctic circle with the North Russia Expeditionary Force. Shackleton was commissioned as a "temporary major while specially employed" to oversee the supply of Arctic equipment to troops in Murmansk. In this Arctic adventure he was joined by his Antarctic colleagues of Macklin, Joseph Stenhouse and Frank Worsley. The archive contains some of Macklin's original orders, letters referring to his service, and a complete autograph manuscript titled Influenza Among The Lapps, a medical study on the spread of the disease during wartime. For his service in North Russia, Macklin was awarded the OBE in February 1920.
The following March Macklin returned to Shackleton's service for what would become his final voyage, The Shackleton-Rowett Expedition of 1921-2. In the archive is a carbon of a letter from Macklin to Shackleton dated 31st August 1921 in which he provides his full particulars for the expedition, including his education, previous experience and military service, and salary. Also present is Macklin's full contract for the expedition, an attractively printed document, sewn with green string in the manner of the Aurora Australis. It is signed by Shackleton and Rowett, and witnessed by their solicitor. The fourteen photographs of the expedition show Shackleton on the Quest, the ship in St Catherine's Docks and at sea, and Macklin on the foremast.
In the early hours of 5th January 1922, Shackleton summoned Macklin to his quarters, complaining of discomfort. In the course of the examination, Shackleton suffered a fatal heart attack, dying at 2.50 a.m.. It was Macklin who carried out the postmortem, and prepared the body for burial in South Georgia. He later wrote of the burial, "I think this is as 'the Boss' would have had it himself, standing lonely in an island far from civilisation, surrounded by stormy tempestuous seas, & in the vicinity of one of his greatest exploits." The preparation for, and burial of, Shackleton marked an end of eight years of almost constant service to the great explorer, during which time Macklin followed him to the Antarctic twice, and to war once.
Significant original material relating to the Golden Age of Antarctic Exploration is rare, even in isolation. Extensive collections such as this, spanning letters, contracts, photographs, manuscripts and typescripts are most uncommon, and gives the record of an extraordinary Antarctic career.

PROVENANCE: Alexander Macklin (1889-1967), thence by descent.

Stock ID: 42894