When it comes to boy’s own tales of heroism, hardship, and self-sacrifice, Captain Scott’s ill-fated 1910-1913 expedition to the South Pole is the stuff of legend. The expedition was ultimately doomed and Scott and four colleagues, beaten to the pole by Roald Amundsen, perished on their return trip. Captain Titus Oates’ act of self-sacrifice and the words “I am just going outside and may be some time” ensured that the expedition was etched into history forever.
However, during the preparation for the push to the Pole, Captain Scott’s expedition had enjoyed considerable comfort at its shore base at Cape Evans in a prefabricated hut which was the largest building constructed in Antarctica at the time and which provided a secure and comfortable base for the 25-strong shore party. The original hut featured the use of Ruberoid bitumen waterproofing membranes in the floors, walls and roof, as Captain Scott recorded in his diary: “The roof has a single matchboard inside, but on the outside is a matchboarding, then a layer of 2-ply ‘ruberoid’, then a layer of quilted seaweed, then a second matchboarding, and finally a cover of 3-ply ‘ruberoid’… The hut is becoming the most comfortable dwelling place imaginable. We have made ourselves a truly seductive home, within the walls of which peace, quiet and comfort remain supreme.”
The 15m x 8m hut remains to this day and is crammed with thousands of items from the expedition, from furniture to supplies. The great irony is that the harsh, sub-zero conditions which claimed the lives of Captain Robert Falcon Scott and his team are also the conditions which have preserved the hut and its contents and frozen them in time.
Today the hut is protected and designated as an Antarctic Specially Protected Area and the Antarctic Heritage Trust is embarking on a programme of conservation. As part of its Centenary celebrations, Ruberoid Building Products has pledged to support the conservation of the roofing fabric with technical guidance, design support, donation of free materials and delivery of materials to New Zealand. The company is even sending a volunteer technical advisor to Antarctica to advise on the correct fixing of material.
The conservation of Scott’s Hut must rank as one of the most complex, difficult and dangerous conservation projects on the planet, but it is one which excites the team at IKO, as Managing Director Chris Droogan explains: “This is a very exciting project for Ruberoid in this its Centenary Year. The fact that Ruberoid material was originally used and documented in such an important historical building is of immense importance to Ruberoid as a company. The fact that the original Ruberoid material survived for such a significant period of time in the harshest environment on the planet underlines the durability of bitumen membranes. In addition, the fact that Ruberoid is still here to provide this replacement roof nearly 100 years later, shows the proven durability of the Ruberoid brand. We are delighted to be helping with this important preservation project and are proud that we will be helping to protect Scott’s Hut for another century.”