British Antarctic Territory
Port Lockroy

Issue Date: 29 November 2001









Port Lockroy (Base A) is historically important as the earliest example of a British scientific station on the Antarctic Peninsula. It was established by the Royal Navy during the Second World War as part of the UK's military campaign bearing the code name Operation Tabarin. The station was occupied almost continually until 1962, after which it was boarded up.

Following a survey by the United Kingdom Antarctic Heritage Trust (UKAHT) in 1994, the decision was taken to restore the station and reopen it for the benefit of the increasing numbers of tourists to the area. The station was restored in early 1996, and each summer since it has been open to visitors. Tour leaders on cruise ships describe Port Lockroy as a highlight of their itinerary.

UK Exploration of the Antarctic
UK interests in Antarctica and the surrounding oceans started with Captain Cook's expedition (1768-80), and always had a scientific component. Exploration and observation became more systematic after 1923 when a series of expeditions under the Government sponsored Discovery Committee were organised.

The British Antarctic Survey itself started as Operation Tabarin. This was a wartime armed forces expedition whose dual purpose was to deny Antarctic waters, and the shelter offered by abandoned whaling stations, to enemy warships and submarines, while asserting the UK's territorial claim. It set out from the UK in 1943 and established year-round stations at Deception Island, Port Lockroy and Hope Bay.

In addition to strategic concerns, scientific studies including biology, geology, meteorology and topographical survey were undertaken by the expedition. With the end of the war in 1945, the stations and their scientific work were transferred to a new civilian organisation, the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS). This operated under the auspices of the Colonial Office (which became part of the Commonwealth Office, itself later absorbed into the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, in the 1960's). Additional stations were opened for varying periods. The largest number open at any time was 13, in 1958-59. FIDS was renamed the British Antarctic Survey in 1962. Since 1967, it has been a component of the Natural Environment Research Council.

History of Port Lockroy
Port Lockroy was established on 16 February 1944 as Base A during Operation Tabarin under the command of James Marr, who had first visited the Antarctic under Sir Ernest Shackleton. The station remained occupied almost continually until 16 January 1962.

Initially, scientific research carried out from the station was topographical survey, geology, meteorology and botany. From 1948, the station played and important role in ionospheric research, and was a key monitoring site during the International Geophysical Year of 1957-58.

The original station hut, "Bransfield House", still survives as the core of the main building and is the oldest British structure remaining on the Antarctic Peninsula. The main base was enlarged in 1952 and 1953. A boathouse was added in 1956 and a generator building in 1958. The normal occupancy of the station was four to nine people, comprising a meteorologist, ionosphericist, biologist, surveyor, mechanic, radio operator and handyman.

Prior to the establishment of the station, whalers and early explores had used Port Lockroy as a sheltered anchorage. Many artefacts of this period remain, including the remnants of wooded waterboats, chain moorings and pieces of whalebone.

Restoration of Port Lockroy
In 1944 the UKAHT commissioned a survey of abandoned British bases in the Antarctic Peninsula, in order to consider the historic importance of the sites, and make recommendations for designation under the Antarctic Treaty as Historic Sites & Monuments (HSMs). At the XIX Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting in 1995, Port Lockroy was designated as HSM No 61. A Conservation Plan was drawn up in June 1995, and funding was obtained from the Government of the British Antarctic Territory (BAT) and UKAHT. Following this, a team of five experienced personnel was recruited, and materials were purchased and shipped.

The conservation Team was deployed in January 1996 from HMS Endurance and withdrawn eight weeks later by RRS Bransfield. The team transformed the buildings and the surrounding area from dereliction, and the base was restored as closely as possible to its 1962 appearance in a stable, weather-tight condition. The team recorded and conserved the contents and artefacts associated with station and added interpretative material which is on display today.

Port Lockroy since its restoration
Following the restoration it became evident that Port Lockroy was at the hub of the Antarctic tourist traffic, with visitors being landed both at the station and at the nearby penguin rookery at Jougla Point on Wiencke Island. It was recognised that much could be gained by staffing Port Lockroy to present a range of Antarctic issues to visitors, to ensure the security of the site, and to carry on with the conservation work. Each summer since November 1996 teams have welcomed visitors to the island, and opened the Post Office. Many issues of postage stamps for the British Antarctic Territory have been released first at Port Lockroy with First Day Covers bearing the Port Lockroy postmark.

Port Lockroy is a popular stopping-off place for the tourist vessels cruising the Antarctic Peninsula, and in recent years has attracted the greatest number of visitors for any Antarctic site. According to the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators, Port Lockroy had 6,426 visitors in 1997-98, 6,473 in 1998-99 and 7,804 in 1999-2000.

Other activities at Port Lockroy
The large number of people visiting Port Lockroy presents an opportunity to monitor the potential human disturbance caused to the gentoo penguins that nest around the station. So, in 1996, when the station was reopened, an environmental monitoring programme was established. Results show that the large number of visitors have had no discernible impact on the breeding success of the penguins, which is more closely linked to local environmental conditions, such as snow cover or the availability of krill. In addition to this programme, the staff at Port Lockroy have mapped the island, carried out routine maintenance, added artefacts to the hut interior, installed further interpretative material and cleaned up Jougla Point.

Stamp Details

Designer: CASB Studio
Photographs: British Antarctic Survey
Printer: The House of Questa
Process: Lithography
Stamp size: 31.75 x 48.26 mm
Sheet size: 50 (2 x 25)
Values: 33p, 37p, 43p, 65p
Text supplied by Dr J Paren, British Antarctic Survey



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