A guy called Trevor Judd kindly donated this anorak having acquired it from a scientist who had been working for BAS down in the Antarctic in the 1960s. Trevor was a seaman on the BAS supply boat RRS (Royal Research Ship) John Briscoe in the 1964/5 season. The John Briscoe took folk, as well as supplies, down to the various bases each year, bringing those back who had served a year or two.

John Briscoe was sold in 1992 and we’re not sure what filled the breach in between, but a new boat was launched in 2016 and despite a large public vote in favour of calling it ‘Boaty McBoatface’, it was eventually named the ‘Sir David Attenborough’ after the famous naturalist.

Our anorak would have played a very small part in the affair, though it seems to have been well used. There are no makers’ marks, but we know that the BAS often got equipment made locally (back in the UK) by small cottage industry style enterprises, we have a tent elsewhere in the collection made in the bedroom of a lady in Fort William, Scotland.

We’re not experts in fabrics but think the anorak is made from Ventile, as much of the clothing down on the ice was, Ventile being ideally suited to the cold, dry climate.