The Endurance Spar

The only surviving relic of Sir Ernest Shackleton's ship Endurance, this spar was used as a distress signal flag pole by the party left on Elephant Island by Sir Ernest when he sailed to South Georgia for help.

In 1916 the spar was brought back from Elephant Island by Mr (later Sir) James Wordie, subsequently Master of St John's College, Cambridge. In 1998 it was presented to the Scott Polar Institute by Mr William Byrne, and that is where I saw it today.