Pelham Aldrich
Encyclopedia
Pelham Aldrich CVO
(8 December 1844 – 12 November 1930) was a Royal Navy officer and explorer, who became Admiral Superintendent of Portsmouth Docks.
, Suffolk
, the son of Dr. Pelham Aldrich and Elizabeth Frances Aldrich, and married Edith Caroline Issacson in 1875. He entered the Royal Navy
as a Naval Cadet in June 1859 and was promoted to Sub-Lieutenant
on 17 September 1864 and Lieutenant
on 11 September 1866. He served as a Lieutenant on the corvette
, then from 18 December 1869 on the broadside
ironclad and from 15 November 1872 on the .
Whilst on board the Challenger, he took part in the 4-year long Challenger expedition
of 1872-76 - a scientific expedition that made many discoveries to lay the foundation of oceanography
. In 1875 he transferred to the sloop
to take part in the British Arctic Expedition
, which was sent by the British Admiralty to attempt to reach the North Pole
via Smith Sound
. Aldrich commanded the Western Sledge Party to Ellesmere Island, and what is often described as the most northerly point of North America is named Cape Aldrich in his honour. He became a Commander
on 3 November 1876 and commanded the Sylvia and on surveying expeditions of China and the Mediterranean. He was promoted to Captain
on 29 June 1883, commanding the Sylvia and on further surveying expeditions of the Cape of Good Hope and Australia.
In 1888 Egeria visited Christmas Island
. On board was Charles Wyville Thomson
(who had been Chief Scientist on the Challenger Expedition) who named a crinoid
Bathycrinus aldrichianus after Aldrich. In 1978 a Christmas Island stamp was issued in his honour.
Mount Aldrich
, in Antarctica, was named after him by Robert Scott
to thank him for his assistance given in preparing for Scott's expedition.
He was promoted to Rear-Admiral on 21 December, then Vice-Admiral on 12 August 1903 and finally Admiral
on 1 March 1907. He was Admiral Superintendent of Portsmouth Dockyard
between 1 September 1899 and 31 August 1902.
He retired from the Navy on 22 March 1908 and moved to The Croft, Great Bealings
. He died in Great Bealings and was buried in the local churchyard on 17 November 1930. His wife was buried in the same place on 6 May 1943, aged 94.
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
(8 December 1844 – 12 November 1930) was a Royal Navy officer and explorer, who became Admiral Superintendent of Portsmouth Docks.
Biography
He was born in MildenhallMildenhall, Suffolk
Mildenhall is a small market town and civil parish in Suffolk, England. It is run by Forest Heath District Council and has a population of 9,906 people. The town is near the A11 and is located north-west of county town, Ipswich. The large Royal Air Force base, RAF Mildenhall as well as RAF...
, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, the son of Dr. Pelham Aldrich and Elizabeth Frances Aldrich, and married Edith Caroline Issacson in 1875. He entered the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
as a Naval Cadet in June 1859 and was promoted to Sub-Lieutenant
Sub-Lieutenant
Sub-lieutenant is a military rank. It is normally a junior officer rank.In many navies, a sub-lieutenant is a naval commissioned or subordinate officer, ranking below a lieutenant. In the Royal Navy the rank of sub-lieutenant is equivalent to the rank of lieutenant in the British Army and of...
on 17 September 1864 and Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
on 11 September 1866. He served as a Lieutenant on the corvette
Corvette
A corvette is a small, maneuverable, lightly armed warship, originally smaller than a frigate and larger than a coastal patrol craft or fast attack craft , although many recent designs resemble frigates in size and role...
, then from 18 December 1869 on the broadside
Broadside
A broadside is the side of a ship; the battery of cannon on one side of a warship; or their simultaneous fire in naval warfare.-Age of Sail:...
ironclad and from 15 November 1872 on the .
Whilst on board the Challenger, he took part in the 4-year long Challenger expedition
Challenger expedition
The Challenger expedition of 1872–76 was a scientific exercise that made many discoveries to lay the foundation of oceanography. The expedition was named after the mother vessel, HMS Challenger....
of 1872-76 - a scientific expedition that made many discoveries to lay the foundation of oceanography
Oceanography
Oceanography , also called oceanology or marine science, is the branch of Earth science that studies the ocean...
. In 1875 he transferred to the sloop
Sloop
A sloop is a sail boat with a fore-and-aft rig and a single mast farther forward than the mast of a cutter....
to take part in the British Arctic Expedition
British Arctic Expedition
The British Arctic Expedition of 1875-1876, led by Sir George Strong Nares, was sent by the British Admiralty to attempt to reach the North Pole via Smith Sound. Two ships, HMS Alert and HMS Discovery , sailed from Portsmouth on 29 May 1875...
, which was sent by the British Admiralty to attempt to reach the North Pole
North Pole
The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is, subject to the caveats explained below, defined as the point in the northern hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface...
via Smith Sound
Smith Sound
Smith Sound is an uninhabited Arctic sea passage between Greenland and Canada's northernmost island, Ellesmere Island. It links Baffin Bay with Kane Basin and forms part of the Nares Strait....
. Aldrich commanded the Western Sledge Party to Ellesmere Island, and what is often described as the most northerly point of North America is named Cape Aldrich in his honour. He became a Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
on 3 November 1876 and commanded the Sylvia and on surveying expeditions of China and the Mediterranean. He was promoted to Captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
on 29 June 1883, commanding the Sylvia and on further surveying expeditions of the Cape of Good Hope and Australia.
In 1888 Egeria visited Christmas Island
Christmas Island
The Territory of Christmas Island is a territory of Australia in the Indian Ocean. It is located northwest of the Western Australian city of Perth, south of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, and ENE of the Cocos Islands....
. On board was Charles Wyville Thomson
Charles Wyville Thomson
Sir Charles Wyville Thomson was a Scottish zoologist and chief scientist on the Challenger expedition.-Career:...
(who had been Chief Scientist on the Challenger Expedition) who named a crinoid
Crinoid
Crinoids are marine animals that make up the class Crinoidea of the echinoderms . Crinoidea comes from the Greek word krinon, "a lily", and eidos, "form". They live both in shallow water and in depths as great as 6,000 meters. Sea lilies refer to the crinoids which, in their adult form, are...
Bathycrinus aldrichianus after Aldrich. In 1978 a Christmas Island stamp was issued in his honour.
Mount Aldrich
Mount Aldrich
Mount Aldrich is a massive, somewhat flat-topped mountain standing at the east side of Ragotzkie Glacier in Britannia Range. Discovered by the Discovery expedition and named for Admiral Pelham Aldrich, who gave assistance to Scott in preparing the expedition....
, in Antarctica, was named after him by Robert Scott
Robert Falcon Scott
Captain Robert Falcon Scott, CVO was a Royal Navy officer and explorer who led two expeditions to the Antarctic regions: the Discovery Expedition, 1901–04, and the ill-fated Terra Nova Expedition, 1910–13...
to thank him for his assistance given in preparing for Scott's expedition.
He was promoted to Rear-Admiral on 21 December, then Vice-Admiral on 12 August 1903 and finally Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
on 1 March 1907. He was Admiral Superintendent of Portsmouth Dockyard
HMNB Portsmouth
Her Majesty's Naval Base Portsmouth is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the British Royal Navy...
between 1 September 1899 and 31 August 1902.
He retired from the Navy on 22 March 1908 and moved to The Croft, Great Bealings
Great Bealings
Great Bealings is a small village in Suffolk, England. It has about 310 people living in it, in around 120 households. Its nearest towns are Ipswich and Woodbridge . Nearby villages include Little Bealings, Playford, Culpho, Hasketon and Grundisburgh...
. He died in Great Bealings and was buried in the local churchyard on 17 November 1930. His wife was buried in the same place on 6 May 1943, aged 94.