IDENTITY STATEMENT
Reference code(s): GB 0402 REP
Held at: Royal Geographical Society
Title: PEARY, Adm Robert Edwin (1856-1920)
Date(s): 1903-1989
Level of description: Collection level
Extent: 1 box and 3 files
Name of creator(s): Peary | Robert Edwin | 1856-1920 | Admiral | Arctic explorer
CONTEXT
Administrative/Biographical history:
Born in Pennsylvania, 1856; educated Bowdoin College, Maine; land surveyor; Civil Engineer Corps Officer in the United States Navy, 1881; engaged on the survey of the projected Nicaragua Ship Canal, 1885-1887; attempted to cross Greenland, 1886; naval dock construction in the US; second expedition to Greenland, 1891-1892; third expedition to Greenland, 1893-1895; expedition to the North Pole where he reached the northern limits of the Greenland archipelago, 1898-1902; second attempt to the North Pole, achieving a Farthest North world record at 87°06'; reached the North Pole, 1908-1909 (although this claim has been subject to doubt); awarded a special Gold Medal by the Royal Geographical Society; died, 1920.
CONTENT
Scope and content/abstract:
Papers relating to Robert Edwin Peary, 1903-1989, including report by Peary to the Peary Arctic Club, 'Field work of the Peary Arctic Club 1889-1902', 1903; letter to Ellis D Robb on the subject of Dr. F A Cook's Chautauqua lectures, 5 Mar 1912; summary of findings of the Navigation Foundation, 1989, recognising Peary as the first to the North Pole; Photostats of messages left at Cape Bourne in 1906 and 27 Letters written to Sir John Scott Keltie, 1892-1910.
ACCESS AND USE
Language/scripts of material: English
System of arrangement:
Conditions governing access:
Accessed via the Foyle Reading Room. Free of charge for Fellows, Members and those with valid academic identification. All other users pay a charge and must bring identification in order to register on arrival.
Conditions governing reproduction:
Photocopying at the discretion of the Archivist,and subject to completing 'application for copies' form. No reproduction without the permission of the RGS-IBG Archivist.
Finding aids:
Hand list available in the Foyle Reading Room.
ARCHIVAL INFORMATION
Accruals:
Archival history:
Immediate source of acquisition:
Various sources
ALLIED MATERIALS
DESCRIPTION NOTES
Archivist's note: Prepared by an Archives volunteer using existing finding aids. Revised by Sarah Drewrey.
Sources: The Geographical Journal, Vol. 55, No. 5 (May, 1920), pp. 405-408.
Date(s) of descriptions: June 2001; Aug 2008.