Allan Gordon
Encyclopedia
Allan Gordon of Aberdeen
, Scotland
, was the sole survivor of the Anne Forbes, a whaling ship that disappeared without a trace in 1757.
reportedly preserved the autobiographical accounts of Allan Gordon to schoolmaster John Duff. According to the accounts, Allan was the son of Adam Gordon, a farm worker. Allan was born in "a small cottage three miles above" Huntly, Scotland. http://www.english.stir.ac.uk/centres/Allan%20Gordon.pdf Adam Gordon taught his son to read but not write. He then arranged for his son an apprenticeship
to a tailor
of Huntly, starting c. 1751.
The tailor was reportedly a "little crooked wretch" http://www.english.stir.ac.uk/centres/Allan%20Gordon.pdf who repeatedly took out his anger on his apprentice in the form of physical
and psychological abuse
. After nearly a year of maltreatment, Allan refused to take another beating. Subsequent arguments amongst the pair escalated into physical fighting and, on one particular day of violence, Allan left his employer unconscious on the ground. On that same day the 12-year-old Allan left Huntly for Aberdeen.
Allan first found employment as a cabin boy and later as a sailor, which remained his occupation for the following five years. By this time Allan had reportedly become attached to the "nautical life" and enjoyed visiting new cities with every voyage. http://www.english.stir.ac.uk/centres/Allan%20Gordon.pdf He joined the crew of the Anne Forbes for the first time in 1757. John Hughes, captain of the Anne Forbes, was described by Allan as a "drunken rash headlong fool" of an Englishman. http://www.english.stir.ac.uk/centres/Allan%20Gordon.pdf
in the Arctic
fog somewhere off the coast of Greenland
. According to the amazing story Allan told when he returned to Aberdeen in 1764, he was thrown from his lookout point onto the iceberg by the force of the collision.
The Anne Forbes, soon after apparently sinking, resurfaced (presumably due to air trapped in the holds of the ship) and was eventually forced onto an underwater ledge of the iceberg where it quickly froze in place. Allan lived for some time in the imprisoned ship before finally escaping. This is remarkably similar to the events that transpired in September of 1854 when noted explorer Captain Elisha Kane
's ship, the USS Advance
, sank in the Arctic seas.
The Adventures of Allan Gordon is the name of a song by The Fall of Troy
.
On their 'Live At The Paradox' EP (back when they were called The Thirty Years War) Guitarist Thomas Erak
made reference to 'The Iceberg Hermit' before playing the song.
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, was the sole survivor of the Anne Forbes, a whaling ship that disappeared without a trace in 1757.
Early life
The Surpassing Adventures of Allan Gordon by James HoggJames Hogg
James Hogg was a Scottish poet and novelist who wrote in both Scots and English.-Early life:James Hogg was born in a small farm near Ettrick, Scotland in 1770 and was baptized there on 9 December, his actual date of birth having never been recorded...
reportedly preserved the autobiographical accounts of Allan Gordon to schoolmaster John Duff. According to the accounts, Allan was the son of Adam Gordon, a farm worker. Allan was born in "a small cottage three miles above" Huntly, Scotland. http://www.english.stir.ac.uk/centres/Allan%20Gordon.pdf Adam Gordon taught his son to read but not write. He then arranged for his son an apprenticeship
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill. Apprentices or protégés build their careers from apprenticeships...
to a tailor
Tailor
A tailor is a person who makes, repairs, or alters clothing professionally, especially suits and men's clothing.Although the term dates to the thirteenth century, tailor took on its modern sense in the late eighteenth century, and now refers to makers of men's and women's suits, coats, trousers,...
of Huntly, starting c. 1751.
The tailor was reportedly a "little crooked wretch" http://www.english.stir.ac.uk/centres/Allan%20Gordon.pdf who repeatedly took out his anger on his apprentice in the form of physical
Physical abuse
Physical abuse is abuse involving contact intended to cause feelings of intimidation, injury, or other physical suffering or bodily harm.-Forms of physical abuse:*Striking*Punching*Belting*Pushing, pulling*Slapping*Whipping*Striking with an object...
and psychological abuse
Psychological abuse
Psychological abuse, also referred to as emotional abuse or mental abuse, is a form of abuse characterized by a person subjecting or exposing another to behavior that may result in psychological trauma, including anxiety, chronic depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder...
. After nearly a year of maltreatment, Allan refused to take another beating. Subsequent arguments amongst the pair escalated into physical fighting and, on one particular day of violence, Allan left his employer unconscious on the ground. On that same day the 12-year-old Allan left Huntly for Aberdeen.
Allan first found employment as a cabin boy and later as a sailor, which remained his occupation for the following five years. By this time Allan had reportedly become attached to the "nautical life" and enjoyed visiting new cities with every voyage. http://www.english.stir.ac.uk/centres/Allan%20Gordon.pdf He joined the crew of the Anne Forbes for the first time in 1757. John Hughes, captain of the Anne Forbes, was described by Allan as a "drunken rash headlong fool" of an Englishman. http://www.english.stir.ac.uk/centres/Allan%20Gordon.pdf
Sole survivor
Allan was only 17 years old when the Anne Forbes hit an icebergIceberg
An iceberg is a large piece of ice from freshwater that has broken off from a snow-formed glacier or ice shelf and is floating in open water. It may subsequently become frozen into pack ice...
in the Arctic
Arctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
fog somewhere off the coast of Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
. According to the amazing story Allan told when he returned to Aberdeen in 1764, he was thrown from his lookout point onto the iceberg by the force of the collision.
The Anne Forbes, soon after apparently sinking, resurfaced (presumably due to air trapped in the holds of the ship) and was eventually forced onto an underwater ledge of the iceberg where it quickly froze in place. Allan lived for some time in the imprisoned ship before finally escaping. This is remarkably similar to the events that transpired in September of 1854 when noted explorer Captain Elisha Kane
Elisha Kane
Elisha Kent Kane was a medical officer in the United States Navy during the first half of the 19th century. He was a member of two Arctic expeditions to rescue the explorer Sir John Franklin...
's ship, the USS Advance
USS Advance (1850)
The first USS Advance was a brigantine in the United States Navy which participated in an arctic rescue expedition. Advance was built in 1847 as Augusta in New Kent County, Virginia and loaned to the Navy on 7 May 1850 by Mr. Henry Grinnell to participate in the search for Sir John Franklin's...
, sank in the Arctic seas.
In fiction and modern-day media
Allan Gordon is the main character of Arthur J. Roth's book The Iceberg Hermit.The Adventures of Allan Gordon is the name of a song by The Fall of Troy
The Fall of Troy
The Fall of Troy was an American progressive math rock trio from Mukilteo, Washington. The trio consisted of Thomas Erak , Andrew Forsman and Frank Ene...
.
On their 'Live At The Paradox' EP (back when they were called The Thirty Years War) Guitarist Thomas Erak
Thomas Erak
Thomas Joseph Erak , is the former lead guitarist and lead vocalist from Mukilteo, Washington based progressive rock band The Fall of Troy. His new project, Just Like Vinyl, was officially announced on July 8, 2010. Thomas is currently endorsed by Gibson USA, Orange Amplification, Ernie Ball and...
made reference to 'The Iceberg Hermit' before playing the song.
Further reading
- Roth, Arthur J. (1974). The Iceberg Hermit. New York, NY: Scholastic. ISBN 0-590-44112-4