Opening Ceremony and Description of the New Building

Extract

The ceremony of opening the new building of the Scott Polar Research Institute was preceded by a lunch given hi Gonville and Caius College by the Vice-Chancellor of the University to a large number of guests closely associated with polar work. Besides the Chancellor and Sir Edward and Lady Hilton Young (Lady Scott) there were at the High Table several polar explorers of the past, including Admiral Sir George Egerton of the 1875 Nares Expedition. A close link with a still more remote past was the presence of Mrs Baynes and Miss Nias, daughters of the late Admiral Nias, who was not only a member of Parry's 1819 expedition, but was also on boat duty round the Bellerophon when Napoleon was on board preparatory to being taken to St Helena. Several foreign visitors were present including Dr Daugaard Jensen, Head of the Greenland Department in Denmark, Captain Mikkelsen and Dr Lauge Koch. In the body of the Hall were many active explorers as well as friends, relations and benefactors.