Voyage of the Scotia 1902-04

The Antarctic

Camp at Cape Whitson, South Orkney Islands

Cape Whitson, on the south coast of Laurie Island in the South Orkney Islands, was named after Mr (later Sir) Thomas B Whitson, honorary accountant of the funds (in other words the treasurer) of the 1902-1904 Scottish National Antarctic Expedition led by William S Bruce.

The first proper survey of Laurie Island was undertaken by members of the expedition during the winter of 1903. Here we see one of the camps established in September 1903 during that arduous operation.

Many of the topographical features of Laurie Island were named after members of the expedition, or persons otherwise connected with it, and several of these names (including Cape Whitson) have survived to the present day as the official names of their respective features.