Augustine Courtauld
Encyclopedia
Augustine Courtauld often called August Courtauld, was a yachtsman and British Arctic explorer, best known for serving as the solo meteorologist of a winter observation post, Icecap Station, located in the interior of Greenland
in 1930-1931. He was the son of British industrialist Samuel Courtauld
.
in the 1920s, it was already clear that an all-ocean route was suboptimal, especially when flying from east to west. The Great Circle routes from much of Europe to much of North America approach or pass over the island of Greenland, and strong jet stream
winds are a further incentive to the westbound flier to take a northern route. During the 1920s, however, little was known of climatic conditions on the coastline of Greenland, and almost literally nothing was known of the weather in the interior of Greenland during the polar winter. The Gino Watkins
-led expedition of 1930-1931, the British Arctic Air Route Expedition
, was intended to gather data aimed at solving these puzzles.
Augustine Courtauld, a young City
stockbroker and graduate of Cambridge University, joined the Watkins/BAARE expedition and volunteered to conduct meteorological observations at Icecap Station, a purpose-built post atop the Greenland ice cap, 8600 feet (2,621.3 m) above sea level and 112 miles (180.2 km) west of the expedition's main base. Courtauld volunteered and served as a solo observer at this post for a five-month tour of duty during the height of the 1930-1931 winter. Watkins and other expedition members relieved him on May 5, 1931, just as Courtauld's food and fuel were running out.
Upon his return to England, Courtauld was awarded the Polar Medal
.
, Essex
. In later life (1953), Courtauld served for a year as High Sheriff of Essex
, and also turned to what become his first love, yachting
; Mollie was to later recall that "life with August was to consist largely of life at sea." Augustine became ill with multiple sclerosis
in 1953, and died as a result of complications of this illness in March 1959. Mollie Courtauld survived her husband and enjoyed a second marriage to Conservative Home Secretary
Rab Butler
from 1959 until Rab's death in 1982. Mollie Courtauld (by then, Mollie Butler) died on 18 February 2009 at the age of 101.
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
in 1930-1931. He was the son of British industrialist Samuel Courtauld
Samuel Courtauld (art collector)
Samuel Courtauld son of Sydney Courtauld and Sarah Lucy Sharpe was an English industrialist who is best remembered as an art collector...
.
British Arctic Air Route Expedition
During the pioneer powered flights over the Atlantic OceanAtlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
in the 1920s, it was already clear that an all-ocean route was suboptimal, especially when flying from east to west. The Great Circle routes from much of Europe to much of North America approach or pass over the island of Greenland, and strong jet stream
Jet stream
Jet streams are fast flowing, narrow air currents found in the atmospheres of some planets, including Earth. The main jet streams are located near the tropopause, the transition between the troposphere and the stratosphere . The major jet streams on Earth are westerly winds...
winds are a further incentive to the westbound flier to take a northern route. During the 1920s, however, little was known of climatic conditions on the coastline of Greenland, and almost literally nothing was known of the weather in the interior of Greenland during the polar winter. The Gino Watkins
Gino Watkins
Henry George "Gino" Watkins FRGS was a British Arctic explorer.Born in London, he was educated at Lancing College and acquired a love of mountaineering and the outdoors from his father through holidays in the Alps, the Tyrol and the English Lake District...
-led expedition of 1930-1931, the British Arctic Air Route Expedition
British Arctic Air Route Expedition
The British Arctic Air Route Expedition was a privately-funded expedition to the east coast and interior of the island of Greenland. The expedition, led by Gino Watkins, aimed to draw improved maps and charts of poorly-understood sections of Greenland's coastline, and to gather climate data from...
, was intended to gather data aimed at solving these puzzles.
Augustine Courtauld, a young City
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
stockbroker and graduate of Cambridge University, joined the Watkins/BAARE expedition and volunteered to conduct meteorological observations at Icecap Station, a purpose-built post atop the Greenland ice cap, 8600 feet (2,621.3 m) above sea level and 112 miles (180.2 km) west of the expedition's main base. Courtauld volunteered and served as a solo observer at this post for a five-month tour of duty during the height of the 1930-1931 winter. Watkins and other expedition members relieved him on May 5, 1931, just as Courtauld's food and fuel were running out.
Upon his return to England, Courtauld was awarded the Polar Medal
Polar Medal
The Polar Medal is a medal awarded by the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. It was instituted in 1857 as the Arctic Medal and renamed the Polar Medal in 1904.-History:...
.
Climbing Gunnbjorn Fjeld
Courtauld was a member of the party to make the first ascent of Gunnbjorn Fjeld (3963m), the highest mountain in the Arctic in 1935.Personal life
Courtauld married Mollie Montgomerie in 1932. The couple raised six children at their seat, Spencers, in Great YeldhamGreat Yeldham
Great Yeldham is a village in north Essex, England, about from the Suffolk border. Surrounding villages and towns include Little Yeldham, Tilbury Juxta Clare, Toppesfield, Stambourne, Ridgewell, Sible Hedingham, Castle Hedingham, Halstead and Sudbury...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
. In later life (1953), Courtauld served for a year as High Sheriff of Essex
High Sheriff of Essex
The High Sheriff of Essex was an ancient High Sheriff title originating in the time of the Angles, not long after the invasion of the Kingdom of England, which was in existence for around a thousand years...
, and also turned to what become his first love, yachting
Yachting
Yachting refers to recreational sailing or boating, the specific act of sailing or using other water vessels for sporting purposes.-Competitive sailing:...
; Mollie was to later recall that "life with August was to consist largely of life at sea." Augustine became ill with multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
in 1953, and died as a result of complications of this illness in March 1959. Mollie Courtauld survived her husband and enjoyed a second marriage to Conservative Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
Rab Butler
Rab Butler
Richard Austen Butler, Baron Butler of Saffron Walden, KG CH DL PC , who invariably signed his name R. A. Butler and was familiarly known as Rab, was a British Conservative politician...
from 1959 until Rab's death in 1982. Mollie Courtauld (by then, Mollie Butler) died on 18 February 2009 at the age of 101.