Captain F.R.M. Crozier, R.N.: Captain Crozier's plant and algae collections

A photograph of Crozier's Flora Arctica opened at Papaver Nudicaule

Royal Navy & Arctic botany–––Crozier's exsiccata–––Flora Arctica–––Polar Plants–––Algae

Royal Navy and the Arctic botany

The concept of a herbarium emerged in the 16th c. By 19th c. it was no longer an occupation only of interest to science – collecting and pressing plants had become a pastime for people from all walks of life. Arctic botany, however, was still catching up, and was mainly based on the Scandinavian collections, as the shores where the North American polar plants were growing were not yet charted and appropriated. Things changed rapidly when the Royal Navy headed to those distant regions.

Herbarium specimens from Parry's first voyage

Parry I (source)

The first of the sea expeditions, commanded by John Ross, ended up as a reconnaissance mission, marred by controversy. W. Edward Parry, taking over, embarked on a much longer and better arranged scientific exploration journey. By the time the yield from Parry's second voyage was handed over to Prof. Hooker for scientific verification, he was able to consult a much wider botanical library – publications by Brown (John Ross, Parry I, Scoresby journeys), Dr. Richardson (Franklin), Greville (Jameson), and by himself (Scoresby) (Appendix No. IV, Botany, p. 381). The experienced, if makeshift, naturalists were once again involved, and the standards were even higher

The public collection of plants and minerals on board the Fury has been in great part made and entirely arranged by Mr. Halse [clerk], to whose industry and attention in these departments for several years past I am particularly desirous to do justice. So general however have the taste for collecting and the skill in preserving become, among the individuals employed on these Expeditions, that much additional interest has been derived from an examination of the distinct collections of plants and minerals made by several of the officers, and particularly from that of Mr. Edwards [surgeon], whose notes on the Natural History of these regions have added much valuable information on this subject. (Parry, p. xv)

There was no lack of enthusiasm, and the novices were learning quickly. F.ex. at Repulse Bay (Aug 22, 1821) Parry observed plants being "carefully preserved by our numerous collectors." Aside from botany, the flora was also in focus for medical reasons. During the first journey, plenty of sorrel was found, picked and consumed, during the second scurvy grass was encountered.

Crozier's exsiccata

The officers would collect both for the official survey and for their personal herbaria. Unlike logs, journals, charts and drawings, such collections were not included in the hand-over orders. Crozier’s collection of plants from Parry’s Northwest Passage forays is bound in at least two volumes. As Crozier had no permanent place of residence, it's possible that the specimens were sent or brought to Ireland for keeping, perhaps in parts after each Parry expedition.

"Flora Artica [sic] 1821, 2, 3, & 4 [sic]" (Parry II-III, 1821-1825)

The cover of Flora Arctica

The herbarium, currently at Aberdeenshire Council Museums, originally contained 70 specimens, 69 of which survive (ten are clearly damaged or incomplete). The plants are fixed with paper strips, the mounts are inserted in backings. The contemporary half leather binding has a red title field to front. The title in Latin, Flora Arctica, carries an unfortunate typo (within, two of the three 'arctica's are spelled 'artica', and one has a 'c' inserted), and the date range doesn't reflect the actual contents. According to Helen R. Chavez of ACM Service, "the book was originally owned by a niece of Crozier's [Jane Magee] who gave it to a gentleman in Kilkenny. He donated it to the Arbuthnot Museum in 1893" (private correspondence). The volume is accompanied by a letter addressed to Jane's father, Charles Magee (not Charles Major as Walpole & Potter suggest), but it seems the artefacts are only connected by their shared provenance.

Olga Kimmins has more on the volume, Jane Crozier and the gentleman from Kilkenny, J.G. Robertson: the book's journey to Scotland – background – gallery (Among Robertson's donations there was a model kayak that Crozier had also brought back from the Arctic; the artefact unfortunately has not been traced.)

A photograph of yellow flowers, Draba alpina

Draba alpina (source)

It's worth highlighting a special inclusion of a plant successfully grown from seed in Ireland. Draba alpina, common name alpine whitlowgrass, Inuit name nap-poo-yat, is represented by specimens from Igloolik, 1823, Port Bowen, 1825 – and Colnacran, Co. Down. Parry name-checks the plant on Jun 29, 1822, at Winter Island

The vegetation had also felt the good effects of the late mild and moist weather, and a number of plants were now appearing in flower. Among these, specimens of the potentilla nivea [snow cinquefoil], saxifraga cæspitosa [tufted alpine saxifrage], draba alpina, and oxytropis arctica [arctic locoweed], had been procured within the last three or four days.

Thanks to Kimmins' research, the contents of the herbarium can be mapped. The majority of plants, 51, stem from the second journey (53, if the unlabelled and the missing ones are counted), 16 from the third, and 1, as mentioned, comes from Ireland. The first 50 specimens are organised chronologically and geographically, there's less order afterwards, with Whale Fish Isles, Colnacran and two Winter Isle plants inserted randomly. The distribution:

"Igloolik 1823" – 29 specimens

The expedition arrived in Jul 1822, returned to overwinter, left Aug 1823

"Winter Isle 1821" – 18

Overwintering Oct 1821 – Jul 1822

"Port Bowen" – 9 (of which three dated 1825)

Baffin Island, overwintering Oct 1824 – Jul 1825

"North Somerset" – 5

Now Somerset Island, Kuuganajuk; across Prince Regent Inlet from Port Bowen and home to Fury Beach

"Barrow River 1822" – 3

Seag-gasse-o-wik; a big excursion to the river and its falls occurred on Jul 13, 1822, as the expedition was travelling north along the coast of Melville Peninsula; "the most gratifying visit we had ever paid to the shore in these regions" (Parry, p. 266)

"Fury & Hecla Straits, Liddon Isle 1822" – 1

Where the ships were stopped by ice in Aug 1822

"Whale Fish Isles" – 1

Greenland

1825 – 1

Colnacran – 1

[no label] – 1

"Polar Plants" (Parry III, 1824[?]-1825)

The cover of Polar Plants

This smaller herbarium contains 36 specimens (Whale Fish Islands, Port Bowen, North Somerset) and is in private hands. One specimen is loose, another one is missing. The oblong volume is bound in contemporary blue half roan, with a long-grain morocco label to front; the spine is missing and the covers are detached. In 2011 it was acquired at an auction by Frieda Hughes (the artist and daughter of Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath). It was sold again in 2018, apparently still not rebacked and deteriorating.

Comparison of handwriting from the two volumes

Salix Arctica, Port Bowen

The exact provenance of Polar Plants is unknown. The flyleaf bears a later inscription in pencil, "These Flowers were brought by Captain Crozier in the year 1825. He was afterwards lost with Sir John Franklin." The captions for the two examples provided by the auction house are more ornate, but it's not clear if they're representative of the whole collection. The title, on the other hand, is simpler. It would appear that this volume, unlike Flora Arctica, only includes specimens from the third voyage. While both herbaria were created sometime after 1825, the bindings are not uniform, so they were probably assembled separately.

Algae (Ross, 1839-1843)

The non-flowering flowers of the sea

The Ross–Crozier Antarctic expedition had even more ambitious scientific goals, encompassing astronomy, hydrology, geology, palaeontology, meteorology, botany, ornithology, zoology. A number of algae specimens the expedition brought from the Falklands, Cape Horn and other places had been dispersed to assorted herbaria.

Aberdeenshire Museums hold a tiny, but remarkable fragment of Crozier's personal algae collection, comprised of 5 specimens from the same areas as above. Kimmins has established that the well-preserved set is enclosed in a paper wrap, which is original and bears a pencilled inscription in Crozier's hand, "For Miss Magee / Banbridge." Unlike the other two items in the bundle (the herbarium and the letter), this is clearly a specific gift intended for a specific person, confirming the provenance.

South American algae collected by Crozier

Crozier's S. American algae, NHM

National Museums Liverpool

Natural History Museum – those directly associated with Crozier are nos. BM000005124 (ill.), BM000519426, BM000569567 (ill.), BM000569574 (ill.), BM000569577 (ill.), BM000569579 (ill.), BM000640302 (ill.), BM000769742 (ill.), BM000771220, BM001212747, BM001212748.

Royal Museums Greenwich (on loan from the Hopton Hall Derbyshire Collection)

AAB0211 "Seaweed specimens in paper between two boards covered with red baize. Inscribed on a label: 'Collection of sea weed made by Capt. Crozier when surveying the southern and Antarctic Sea 1839-1842. 17 specimens collected in New Zealand in 1841 and the Falkland Islands and Cape Horn during 1842. Each specimen is pressed between paper sheets with the date and place of collection noted by Crozier."

AAB0213

AAB0212 "Specimens of seaweed between two boards covered with black baize. A label on the cover is inscribed inscribed: 'Collection of sea weed made by Capt. Crozier when surveying the southern and Antarctic Sea 1839-1842.' There are ten specimens, collected in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand in 1841. Each specimen is pressed between paper sheets with the date and place of collection noted by Crozier."

AAB0213 "Specimens of seaweed between sheets of paper in a paper package. Inscribed: 'Specimens of moss and seaweed made by Capt. Crozier when surveying S. Australia 1839-42.' There are approximately 32 specimens collected at Cape Horn and in the Falkland Islands during 1842. Each specimen is pressed between paper sheets with the date and place of collection noted by Crozier."

The full extent of Crozier's collection is not known, and other parts of it are yet to surface.