In 1905, Cardiff became a city and the chief citizen became a Lord Mayor. My maternal grandfather, John Chappell, became the Lord Mayor in 1910, and hosted a visit of Scott of the Antarctic when they came in the Terra Nova. The Welsh coal-owners had agreed to provide him with the fuel for his journey.
There were all kinds of celebrations. It seems that some of the English men among the crew were not so keen on Cardiff. In particular, Edward Wilson thought the civic leaders were not impressive. All the same, my mother collected all the crew's autographs in the little book which was discovered by my brother and his wife in recent years.
What is even more precious is a postcard with a photo of the Terra Nova on one side, and the following message from New Zealand on the other. It was from Scott himself to my grandfather.
It reads "Just a line to say goodbye. We sail south next week and shall take pleasant memories of Cardiff and of the Lord Mayor of 1910. I don't know who has followed you, but wish you all the best. Kind regards to Mrs.Chappell".
Scott sent this to the City Hall, and it was forwarded from there to grandfather's home in 29 Moorland Road. Strangely when I went to just two doors away.
© Owen Hardwick - 2005
See a photo of the Lord Mayor of Cardiff 1910
Liz Stanway, Mount Evelyn, Australia, sent this response:
John Chappell was my great-grandfather. Here are some excerpts from letters received by him from Captain Scott and Lieut Edward Evans during the ill-fated exhibition to Antarctica:
Undated from Robert Scott
"I hasten to express the warm thanks of myself and the officers and men of the Terra Nova, to the citizens of Cardiff and South Wales for the magnificent send off which the expedition has received on its departure from Cardiff as well as for the true hospitality with which we have been entertained in your city.
"I feel that such an expression of warm sympathy and hearty goodwill as an inspiration for success and we wish to assure our many friends in Wales that we shall endeavour to draw on the confidence they impose in us and to merit the welcome which we know is in store when our work is done and the Terra Nova returns to Cardiff."
June 23rd 1910 from Teddy Evans
"My Dear Lord Mayor, I am just writing to let you know that we are at Madeira having made a good passage with fine weather and light fair winds. I now take the opportunity of thanking you for your welcome hospitality at Cardiff and will you also thank the Lady Mayoress.
"I am afraid we were a very unpunctual handful but we had a really good time. It is very hot here. We passed a few ships which cheered us, on the way out.
"Madeira is a fine pretty place, most of our fellows are ashore for the evening."
19th October 1910 (At sea from Teddy Evans)
"We are now on our way to New Zealand from Melbourne.
"We have had a long but pleasant voyage, all hands doing their duty with all their hearts. We shall reach New Zealand in a week and then prepare for the final stage of our work. It would have delighted your heart to see the Terra Nova sailing into Melbourne with every stitch of canvas on her. We sailed both in and out without a pilot and the crews of the ships at anchor cheered themselves hoarse.
"All the coal trimming, from Cardiff to here, has been done by the officers and scientists and they show a spirit that some of our young gentlemen in England might well take as their standard. Every man here I feel is really a man."
