Vintage Edmonton: Commander Evans Comes To Edmonton, April 23, 1914


The ill-fated Terra Nova Expedition (1910-1913), led by Robert Falcon Scott, was still fresh in the minds of those around the world in April of 1914. Hoping to be the first humans to stand at the South Pole in history, all 5 of Scott's South Pole party perished after reaching the Pole on January 18, 1912. The party discovered (via a Norwegian Flag and a small tent with a letter addressed to Scott inside) upon reaching the Pole that Norwegian Explorer Roald Amundsen's own party had reached there first on December 16, 1911.

Scott and his polar party became tragic heroes in the United Kingdom and around the world after word they had perished was cabled to New Zealand on February 10, 1913. Scott's 2nd In Command, Lt. Edward "Teddy" Evans (who himself nearly perished earlier on the expedition) went on to lecture around the world about The Terra Nova Expedition in 1914, with film and photos taken by Terra Nova Expedition Photographer Herbert Ponting, as well as Scott's own photos.

With great fanfare, Commander Evans's lecture and presentation came to The Empire Theatre in Edmonton, April 23, 1914. Much thanks to The Journal, Bulletin, and Capital for their reports:

April 13, 1914: 


April 18, 1914: 





April 23, 1914:


April 24, 1914:







In 1933, a proper release of Ponting's film and photos was compiled as "90 Degrees South" with Ponting himself doing the narration, although Commander Evans appears on screen at the beginning of the film to speak for a few minutes and introduce Ponting:

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