Duncan Carse
Encyclopedia
Duncan Carse was born in 1913 and attended Sherborne School
. A British actor and explorer, he died on 2 May 2004, aged 90. He had lived in Fittleworth
, West Sussex, for over 40 years. His father was the artist A. Duncan Carse
.
He was part of the South Georgia Survey during the fifties, surveying much of the interior of the island - Mount Carse
and Carse Point
are named after him. He was an explorer with a special place in South Georgia’s history. His comprehensive 1951-57 survey
of the island resulted in the classical 1:200000 topographic map
of South Georgia, occasionally updated but never superseded since its first publication by the British Directorate of Overseas Surveys in 1958.
A full account of the survey expeditions to South Georgia led by Duncan Carse was written by the geologist on 1951-52 and 1953-54 Surveys, Alec Trendall
.
In 1961, he decided to become a modern day Robinson Crusoe
, and became a hermit
at Ducloz Head
on the south coast of South Georgia. After three months of living in the house he had built there, surge waves destroyed his camp. He managed to salvage enough gear to survive the winter until making contact with a ship 116 days later.
A second Polar Medal clasp was awarded in 1982 for his leadership of the later Survey work - this mapping being of particular value in the period of conflict in the Falklands.
on BBC Radio
, for 265 of the 711 episodes.
The Goshawk (David Cobham
/BBC, 1968) Lead role (Falconer): Duncan Carse
Survival in Limbo (David Cobham
/BBC, 1976)
The BFI Filmography record for Carse lists over 140 roles from Presenter/Commentator/Narrator to scriptwriting, music and acting through his near-50 year career.. The listing suggests an alternative name J.York Scarlett or Yorke Scarlett was used for Sound Recording work.
Between 1981 and 1983 Carse presented three series of the programme "Travellers in Time" on BBC2. These presented archive films from the early 20th Century, including those from Antarctic expeditions and early attempts to climb Mount Everest.
on line archive, Freeze Frame.
The Falkland Islands
Philatelic Bureau issued postage stamps to commemorate Carse's life.
One photographic portrait exists in the National Portrait Gallery by Howard Coster
.
Duncan Carse died shortly after finally agreeing to a portrait sitting but in discussion with his wife Venetia, it was agreed that it would be fitting to work on the sculpture with reference to visual memories, a photographic archive of 60 years of images and with her help. Bronze portrait busts of Carse by sculptor Jon Edgar
are now held in public collections at South Georgia Museum
, South Atlantic and the Scott Polar Research Institute
, Cambridge University, UK. The terracotta original is held in the collection of the artist.
Sherborne School
Sherborne School is a British independent school for boys, located in the town of Sherborne in north-west Dorset, England. It is one of the original member schools of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference....
. A British actor and explorer, he died on 2 May 2004, aged 90. He had lived in Fittleworth
Fittleworth
Fittleworth is a village and civil parish in the District of Chichester in West Sussex, England located seven kilometres west from Pulborough on the A283 road and three miles south east from Petworth. The village has an Anglican church, a primary school and one pub, the Swan...
, West Sussex, for over 40 years. His father was the artist A. Duncan Carse
A. Duncan Carse
A. Duncan Carse was an artist working in Britain, of Norwegian/Scottish parents. His two large works Birds of the Old World and Birds of the New World were selected by Cunard in 1933 to be on their new flagship liner, the Queen Mary. Documents are held in the National Archive. He illustrated the...
.
Exploration
Carse's role in the Grahamland Peninsular Expedition was recognised by the award of the Silver Polar Medal and Clasp in 1939.He was part of the South Georgia Survey during the fifties, surveying much of the interior of the island - Mount Carse
Mount Carse
Mount Carse is a mountain having several peaks, the highest , standing north of the head of Drygalski Fjord in the south part of the Salvesen Range of South Georgia. Surveyed by the South Georgia Survey between 1951 and 1957 and named for V. Duncan Carse, leader of the four SGS expeditions during...
and Carse Point
Carse Point
Carse Point is the western extremity of a rock massif with four peaks, the highest at , standing at the south side of the mouth of Riley Glacier, Palmer Land, and fronting on George VI Sound. It lies separated from Mount Dixey to the northeast by a low ice-filled col, and from Mount Flower to the...
are named after him. He was an explorer with a special place in South Georgia’s history. His comprehensive 1951-57 survey
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
of the island resulted in the classical 1:200000 topographic map
Topographic map
A topographic map is a type of map characterized by large-scale detail and quantitative representation of relief, usually using contour lines in modern mapping, but historically using a variety of methods. Traditional definitions require a topographic map to show both natural and man-made features...
of South Georgia, occasionally updated but never superseded since its first publication by the British Directorate of Overseas Surveys in 1958.
A full account of the survey expeditions to South Georgia led by Duncan Carse was written by the geologist on 1951-52 and 1953-54 Surveys, Alec Trendall
Alec Trendall
Alec Trendall, geologist and author, was born in 1928 at Enfield, Middlesex, and in 1949 graduated in geology at London University. His PhD degree from Liverpool University was under the supervision of Robert Shackleton, a cousin of Sir Ernest Shackleton....
.
In 1961, he decided to become a modern day Robinson Crusoe
Robinson Crusoe
Robinson Crusoe is a novel by Daniel Defoe that was first published in 1719. Epistolary, confessional, and didactic in form, the book is a fictional autobiography of the title character—a castaway who spends 28 years on a remote tropical island near Trinidad, encountering cannibals, captives, and...
, and became a hermit
Hermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
at Ducloz Head
Ducloz Head
Ducloz Head is a headland which forms the northwest side of the entrance to Undine South Harbour on the south coast of South Georgia. First charted in 1819 by a Russian expedition under Bellingshausen...
on the south coast of South Georgia. After three months of living in the house he had built there, surge waves destroyed his camp. He managed to salvage enough gear to survive the winter until making contact with a ship 116 days later.
A second Polar Medal clasp was awarded in 1982 for his leadership of the later Survey work - this mapping being of particular value in the period of conflict in the Falklands.
Radio
From 1949-50, he was the voice of Special Agent Dick BartonDick Barton
Dick Barton - Special Agent was a popular radio programme on the BBC Light Programme. Between 1946 to 1951 it aired at 6.45 each weekday evening and at its peak it had an audience of 15 million listeners. Despite popular belief, it was not actually the BBC's first daily serial...
on BBC Radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
, for 265 of the 711 episodes.
Film & Television
Proud Canvas (BBC, 1947) Narrator: Duncan CarseThe Goshawk (David Cobham
David Cobham
David Cobham is a UK Film and TV producer and director, notable for the film Tarka the Otter. He also directed children's TV series Bernard's Watch, Brendon Chase, Out of Sight and Woof...
/BBC, 1968) Lead role (Falconer): Duncan Carse
Survival in Limbo (David Cobham
David Cobham
David Cobham is a UK Film and TV producer and director, notable for the film Tarka the Otter. He also directed children's TV series Bernard's Watch, Brendon Chase, Out of Sight and Woof...
/BBC, 1976)
The BFI Filmography record for Carse lists over 140 roles from Presenter/Commentator/Narrator to scriptwriting, music and acting through his near-50 year career.. The listing suggests an alternative name J.York Scarlett or Yorke Scarlett was used for Sound Recording work.
Between 1981 and 1983 Carse presented three series of the programme "Travellers in Time" on BBC2. These presented archive films from the early 20th Century, including those from Antarctic expeditions and early attempts to climb Mount Everest.
Portraits of Carse
A number of expedition images of Carse from 1934-1937 are now in the Scott Polar Research InstituteScott Polar Research Institute
The Scott Polar Research Institute is a centre for research into the polar regions and glaciology worldwide. It is a sub-department of the Department of Geography in the University of Cambridge, located on Lensfield Road in the south of Cambridge ....
on line archive, Freeze Frame.
The Falkland Islands
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located about from the coast of mainland South America. The archipelago consists of East Falkland, West Falkland and 776 lesser islands. The capital, Stanley, is on East Falkland...
Philatelic Bureau issued postage stamps to commemorate Carse's life.
One photographic portrait exists in the National Portrait Gallery by Howard Coster
Howard Coster
Howard Sydney Musgrave Coster was a British photographer, opening a London studio in 1926. He was a self-styled 'Photographer of Men'....
.
Duncan Carse died shortly after finally agreeing to a portrait sitting but in discussion with his wife Venetia, it was agreed that it would be fitting to work on the sculpture with reference to visual memories, a photographic archive of 60 years of images and with her help. Bronze portrait busts of Carse by sculptor Jon Edgar
Jon Edgar
Jon Edgar is a British artist born in Rustington, West Sussex in 1968, the grandson of British cartoonist Brian White. He direct-carves in wood and stone using methods of improvisation, and works in clay.-Biography:...
are now held in public collections at South Georgia Museum
South Georgia Museum
The South Georgia Museum is situated in Grytviken, the administrative centre of the UK overseas territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands....
, South Atlantic and the Scott Polar Research Institute
Scott Polar Research Institute
The Scott Polar Research Institute is a centre for research into the polar regions and glaciology worldwide. It is a sub-department of the Department of Geography in the University of Cambridge, located on Lensfield Road in the south of Cambridge ....
, Cambridge University, UK. The terracotta original is held in the collection of the artist.