William Scoresby Routledge
Encyclopedia
William Scoresby Routledge (1859–1939) was a British ethnographer, anthropologist and adventurer. With his wife, Katherine Routledge
, he completed the first ethnographies of the Kikuyu (East Africa) and the people of Rapa Nui
(Easter Island
).
, a family friend. Scoresby spent his early years at "Vaucluse" in Richmond, Victoria
, before returning to England in about 1867 with his parents and three younger sisters following the death of his father’s brother and business partner. His family then lived at "Yarra-Yarra", Eastbourne
, Sussex
.
Wiiliam was the first cousin of British seismographer, John Milne
(1850–1913) who worked in Japan during the Meiji Restoration
.
His paternal family had roots in Nova Scotia
where his great grandfather, Mr Justice
Thomas Chandler Haliburton
, was an MP ,and author of an important history of the area: “Historical and Statistical Account of Nova-Scotia.” The two volumes were published by Howe in 1830.
, Oxford University
, Routledge studied medicine at University College Hospital
, London. In 1883 he won the Physiology prize. He was also elected to the Royal Geographical Society
, and in 1888 received the Erichsen prize for practical surgery. He did not complete his medical degree
.
In later years he was elected to other clubs, namely the Royal Cruising Society of Antiquaries, the Geological Society, the Royal Anthropological Institute and the Royal Geographical Society
. The latter holds a collection of eight boxes of mostly unpublished field notes
, sketches, maps, and photographs by the Routledges.
In 1906 Scoresby Routledge married a fellow Oxford graduate, Katherine Pease
and an extraordinary, yet troubled collaboration took place that lasted for 20 years producing an irreplaceable body of scholarly work that has for the most part stood the test of time.
As an ethnographer and anthropologist Scoresby Routledge spent his life visiting and documenting primitive culture
s that were changing and disappearing in the early 20th century. The Routledges both did so with an urgency that indicated that they understood how quickly the history of these cultures would be lost forever as the stirrings of globalization started to take place when western ideas were introduced in formerly isolated areas (with access to remote areas of the earth by new roads or by sea routes being a major factor).
in 1915 that Scoresby Routledge was living with the Mic-macs in Central Newfoundland where he learned hunting and woodcraft.
Scoresby Routledge later described in the book he co wrote with his wife Katherine on the Kikuyu, of traveling for four months on a beaver hunting expedition with the Mic-Macs in densely forested country.
, in the former British East Africa
. He set up a fixed base camp at Fort Hall
which was a then remote area located sixty miles to the north east of Nairobi
. The camp included a stone room for photographic work. Information regarding native customs was gathered as he rode about the country with members of the tribe and in the evening when everyone was welcome at the big fire in front of his tent. He gathered 36 artifacts on this trip which he presented to the British museum
.
In 1906 on a trip to Naples to view the ruins of Pompeii, he met Oxford
scholar, Katherine Pease and they married shortly thereafter.
Katherine and Scoresby returned to Africa together for another two years and in 1910 jointly published a book entitled "With a prehistoric people, the Akikuyu of British East Africa." Katherine also embraced the anthropological work with enthusiasm and sensitivity stating that the destiny of the Kikuyu would be determined by the British Parliament
and hoped that readers of the book in Britain would overcome indifference towards their fellow-subjects of the British Empire
. She spoke in the introduction to the book of the urgent need for an exact and full record of native customs. She also observed that the impressions of both a man and a woman of similar topics were of great advantage.
The Routledges covered various aspects of the culture with chapters on social and political life (where Katherine focused on the position of women), dress, land and agriculture, flocks and herds, food and cookery and warfare. Arts and crafts
such as methods of hut building, firemaking, music and potterymaking were also recorded. Religion and folklore sections in the book recorded the beliefs of the Kikuyu about how they came to be who they were. 136 photographs and illustrations made a permanent record of Kikuyu people and their customs. A few key members of the Kikuyu tribe were singled out as invaluable to their research. The Routledges collected Kikuyu artifacts including quivers, arrows and other weapons, pottery, tools and body ornaments which were eventually donated to the British Museum and the Pitt Rivers Museum
in Oxford.
Scoresby Routledge’s perspective on their work in East Africa in the preface concluded with an observation that the study of the Kikuyu could offer the British an understanding and living reality of their Saxon ancestors, whose burial mounds
were then being studied in England.
, the Routledges set out on an extraordinary expedition, (1914–1915). In 1913 they built a custom made yacht , which they named Mana
or "Great Spirit". It was a magnificent 90 foot Schooner
which they then sailed from Falmouth, England, taking more than a year on a sea voyage that crossed halfway across the globe under sail. En route to the Pacific
they passed through the Patagonia Passage in South America
, collecting artifacts that are now held at the Pitt Rivers Museum. In 1914, they finally arrived on Easter Island. The voyage of the Mana which eventually covered 100,000 miles only under sail led to Scoresby Routledge being awarded the Challenge Cup of the Royal Cruising Club, which had not been awarded since 1876. At the time there was growing public interest in the giant statues of the island, the moai
and so the British media followed their story. It was unknown in 1914 how the statues came to dominate the spare landscape of the isolated Pacific island which is 3510 km (2,181 mi) west of Chile and a total area of 164 km (63 sq miles).
The Times
of 1915 carried a report that described the Routledges arriving in England from Easter Island
after voyages aggregating 100,000 miles in the schooner-yacht Mana. The article mentioned that there were 23 persons on board the yacht during its voyage. Katherine wrote a book describing the trip, "The Mystery of Easter Island: The Story of an Expedition" which went into a second publishing. She intended to write a more academic work in later years which never came about. Scoresby and Katherine were the first qualified scholars to carry out an archeological survey of the island. Much of their research has stood the test of time.
Once again, the Routledges' timely visit to Easter Island preserved cultural and historic information that would otherwise have been lost. The material evidence of their expedition can be seen in the form of artifacts, papers, and photographic images.
and East Polynesia
in 1921-1923 but the work they did was never published as their relationship became strained. They had hoped to determine the origin of the Rapa Nui
before missionaries arrived there and the information, legends and traditions were lost. An example of their work there is reflected in the vocabulary cards held by the Royal Geographical Society and the large model of an outrigger canoe
from Mangareva
that is on display on the first floor of the Pitt Rivers Museum
.
in Jamaica as indicated by unpublished correspondence held by the Royal Geographical Society.
, in 1923, although for several years they periodically lived together in both London
and "The Ewers", their home in the countryside of Hampshire
. They finally parted company in 1928 when Katherine’s encroaching mental illness lead to her being institutionalised. This brought to a sad end an extremely productive collaboration that provided invaluable research and preservation of the anthropology
and ethnography
of Kenya and Easter Island.
Scoresby preserved as much of Katherine’s work as could be found by donating it to both the British Museum and the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford.
Scoresby spent his last days on the island of Cyprus
, living in a villa at Tjiklos, Kyrenia
. His papers were discovered by the daughter of a friend on the island and were also sent to join the large collection already held by the Royal Geographical Society.
Scoresby died in London where he is buried at Putney Vale
Cemetery. The lettering on his gravestone reads, WM. Scoresby Routledge Explorer, Anthropologist, Only Son of Wm. and Anne Sophia Routledge, Died in London, 31st July, 1939, Aged 80 years. There is an added inscription on his grave in Latin, "Quo Modo Lucem DieMoge Omnibus Hominbus Ita Omnis Terra Fortibus Virus Natura Aperuit" This translates "like light and day to all men, thus nature opens all lands to brave men".
In 2003 Jo Anne Van Tilburg , of UCLA, an American archaeologist, well known for her research on Rapa Nui wrote the biography of Katherine Routledge. "Among Stone Giants: The Life of Katherine Routledge and Her Remarkable Expedition to Easter Island" . Although the book was somewhat interpretive of Scoresby's character, it was based on fact, and a large amount of research.
Soon after another book was released written by Yale
graduate Jennifer Vanderbes. In a comprehensive travel article written for the New York Times, "A Faraway Land Steeped in Mystery" in late 2003, she does not mention the Routledges. However, her book, "Easter Island , A Novel", shows more than a passing similarity to the story of the Routledges and Easter Island.
Both books were intriguing and displayed the fascination that writers and readers feel when coming across this great adventure set in the days when hidden worlds were first opening up to travellers and scientists and the general fascination that people feel to this day for Easter Island and its mysteries.
Katherine Routledge
Katherine Maria Routledge, née Pease was a British archaeologist who initiated the first true survey of Easter Island....
, he completed the first ethnographies of the Kikuyu (East Africa) and the people of Rapa Nui
Easter Island
Easter Island is a Polynesian island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian triangle. A special territory of Chile that was annexed in 1888, Easter Island is famous for its 887 extant monumental statues, called moai, created by the early Rapanui people...
(Easter Island
Easter Island
Easter Island is a Polynesian island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian triangle. A special territory of Chile that was annexed in 1888, Easter Island is famous for its 887 extant monumental statues, called moai, created by the early Rapanui people...
).
Early life
William was first child of William Routledge and Anne Sophia Twycross, who met and married in Melbourne, Australia. He was named after the British arctic explorer and whaler Dr. William ScoresbyWilliam Scoresby
William Scoresby , was an English Arctic explorer, scientist and clergyman.-Early years:Scoresby was born in the village of Cropton near Pickering 26 miles south of Whitby in Yorkshire. His father, William Scoresby , made a fortune in the Arctic whale fishery...
, a family friend. Scoresby spent his early years at "Vaucluse" in Richmond, Victoria
Richmond, Victoria
Richmond is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra...
, before returning to England in about 1867 with his parents and three younger sisters following the death of his father’s brother and business partner. His family then lived at "Yarra-Yarra", Eastbourne
Eastbourne
Eastbourne is a large town and borough in East Sussex, on the south coast of England between Brighton and Hastings. The town is situated at the eastern end of the chalk South Downs alongside the high cliff at Beachy Head...
, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
.
Wiiliam was the first cousin of British seismographer, John Milne
John Milne
For other uses, see John Milne .John Milne was the British geologist and mining engineer who worked on a horizontal seismograph.-Biography:...
(1850–1913) who worked in Japan during the Meiji Restoration
Meiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
.
His paternal family had roots in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
where his great grandfather, Mr Justice
Judiciary of England and Wales
There are various levels of judiciary in England and Wales — different types of courts have different styles of judges. They also form a strict hierarchy of importance, in line with the order of the courts in which they sit, so that judges of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales are generally...
Thomas Chandler Haliburton
Thomas Chandler Haliburton
Thomas Chandler Haliburton was the first international best-selling author from Canada. He was also significant in the history of Nova Scotia.-Life:...
, was an MP ,and author of an important history of the area: “Historical and Statistical Account of Nova-Scotia.” The two volumes were published by Howe in 1830.
Education
Following graduation in 1882 with a Masters from Christ Church collegeChrist Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
, Oxford University
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, Routledge studied medicine at University College Hospital
University College Hospital
University College Hospital is a teaching hospital located in London, United Kingdom. It is part of the University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and is closely associated with University College London ....
, London. In 1883 he won the Physiology prize. He was also elected to the Royal Geographical Society
Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society is a British learned society founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences...
, and in 1888 received the Erichsen prize for practical surgery. He did not complete his medical degree
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
.
In later years he was elected to other clubs, namely the Royal Cruising Society of Antiquaries, the Geological Society, the Royal Anthropological Institute and the Royal Geographical Society
Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society is a British learned society founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences...
. The latter holds a collection of eight boxes of mostly unpublished field notes
Fieldnotes
Fieldnotes refer to various notes recorded by scientists during or after their observation of a specific phenomenon they are studying. Fieldnotes are particularly valued in descriptive sciences such as ethnography, biology, geology, and archaeology, each of which have long traditions in this...
, sketches, maps, and photographs by the Routledges.
In 1906 Scoresby Routledge married a fellow Oxford graduate, Katherine Pease
Pease family (Darlington)
The Pease family was a prominent English and mostly Quaker family associated with Darlington and County Durham and descended from Joseph Pease of Darlington, son of Edward Pease . They were 'one of the great Quaker industrialist families of the nineteenth century, who played a leading role in...
and an extraordinary, yet troubled collaboration took place that lasted for 20 years producing an irreplaceable body of scholarly work that has for the most part stood the test of time.
As an ethnographer and anthropologist Scoresby Routledge spent his life visiting and documenting primitive culture
Primitive culture
In older anthropology texts and discussions, the term "primitive culture" is used to refer to a society that is believed to lack cultural, technological, or economic sophistication/development...
s that were changing and disappearing in the early 20th century. The Routledges both did so with an urgency that indicated that they understood how quickly the history of these cultures would be lost forever as the stirrings of globalization started to take place when western ideas were introduced in formerly isolated areas (with access to remote areas of the earth by new roads or by sea routes being a major factor).
The Mi'kmaq (Mic-macs) of Newfoundland
As an anthropologist he worked initially amongst the Mi'kmaq (Mic-macs) of Newfoundland. It was noted in The TimesThe Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
in 1915 that Scoresby Routledge was living with the Mic-macs in Central Newfoundland where he learned hunting and woodcraft.
Scoresby Routledge later described in the book he co wrote with his wife Katherine on the Kikuyu, of traveling for four months on a beaver hunting expedition with the Mic-Macs in densely forested country.
The Kikuyu of East Africa
In 1902 Scoresby Routledge visited the Kikuyu tribe of KenyaKenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, in the former British East Africa
East Africa Protectorate
East Africa Protectorate was an area of East Africa occupying roughly the same terrain as present-day Kenya from the Indian Ocean inland to Uganda and the Great Rift Valley...
. He set up a fixed base camp at Fort Hall
Fort Hall
Fort Hall, sitting athwart the end of the common stretch shared by the three far west emigrant trails was a 19th century outpost in the eastern Oregon Country, which eventually became part of the present-day United States, and is located in southeastern Idaho near Fort Hall, Idaho...
which was a then remote area located sixty miles to the north east of Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
. The camp included a stone room for photographic work. Information regarding native customs was gathered as he rode about the country with members of the tribe and in the evening when everyone was welcome at the big fire in front of his tent. He gathered 36 artifacts on this trip which he presented to the British museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
.
In 1906 on a trip to Naples to view the ruins of Pompeii, he met Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
scholar, Katherine Pease and they married shortly thereafter.
Katherine and Scoresby returned to Africa together for another two years and in 1910 jointly published a book entitled "With a prehistoric people, the Akikuyu of British East Africa." Katherine also embraced the anthropological work with enthusiasm and sensitivity stating that the destiny of the Kikuyu would be determined by the British Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
and hoped that readers of the book in Britain would overcome indifference towards their fellow-subjects of the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
. She spoke in the introduction to the book of the urgent need for an exact and full record of native customs. She also observed that the impressions of both a man and a woman of similar topics were of great advantage.
The Routledges covered various aspects of the culture with chapters on social and political life (where Katherine focused on the position of women), dress, land and agriculture, flocks and herds, food and cookery and warfare. Arts and crafts
Arts and crafts
Arts and crafts comprise a whole host of activities and hobbies that are related to making things with one's hands and skill. These can be sub-divided into handicrafts or "traditional crafts" and "the rest"...
such as methods of hut building, firemaking, music and potterymaking were also recorded. Religion and folklore sections in the book recorded the beliefs of the Kikuyu about how they came to be who they were. 136 photographs and illustrations made a permanent record of Kikuyu people and their customs. A few key members of the Kikuyu tribe were singled out as invaluable to their research. The Routledges collected Kikuyu artifacts including quivers, arrows and other weapons, pottery, tools and body ornaments which were eventually donated to the British Museum and the Pitt Rivers Museum
Pitt Rivers Museum
The Pitt Rivers Museum is a museum displaying the archaeological and anthropological collections of the University of Oxford in Oxford, England. The museum is located to the east of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, and can only be accessed through that building.The museum was...
in Oxford.
Scoresby Routledge’s perspective on their work in East Africa in the preface concluded with an observation that the study of the Kikuyu could offer the British an understanding and living reality of their Saxon ancestors, whose burial mounds
Tumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
were then being studied in England.
Easter Island (Rapa Nui)
Following a suggestion from the British MuseumBritish Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
, the Routledges set out on an extraordinary expedition, (1914–1915). In 1913 they built a custom made yacht , which they named Mana
Mana
Mana is an indigenous Pacific islander concept of an impersonal force or quality that resides in people, animals, and inanimate objects. The word is a cognate in many Oceanic languages, including Melanesian, Polynesian, and Micronesian....
or "Great Spirit". It was a magnificent 90 foot Schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
which they then sailed from Falmouth, England, taking more than a year on a sea voyage that crossed halfway across the globe under sail. En route to the Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
they passed through the Patagonia Passage in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, collecting artifacts that are now held at the Pitt Rivers Museum. In 1914, they finally arrived on Easter Island. The voyage of the Mana which eventually covered 100,000 miles only under sail led to Scoresby Routledge being awarded the Challenge Cup of the Royal Cruising Club, which had not been awarded since 1876. At the time there was growing public interest in the giant statues of the island, the moai
Moai
Moai , or mo‘ai, are monolithic human figures carved from rock on the Chilean Polynesian island of Easter Island between the years 1250 and 1500. Nearly half are still at Rano Raraku, the main moai quarry, but hundreds were transported from there and set on stone platforms called ahu around the...
and so the British media followed their story. It was unknown in 1914 how the statues came to dominate the spare landscape of the isolated Pacific island which is 3510 km (2,181 mi) west of Chile and a total area of 164 km (63 sq miles).
The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
of 1915 carried a report that described the Routledges arriving in England from Easter Island
Easter Island
Easter Island is a Polynesian island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian triangle. A special territory of Chile that was annexed in 1888, Easter Island is famous for its 887 extant monumental statues, called moai, created by the early Rapanui people...
after voyages aggregating 100,000 miles in the schooner-yacht Mana. The article mentioned that there were 23 persons on board the yacht during its voyage. Katherine wrote a book describing the trip, "The Mystery of Easter Island: The Story of an Expedition" which went into a second publishing. She intended to write a more academic work in later years which never came about. Scoresby and Katherine were the first qualified scholars to carry out an archeological survey of the island. Much of their research has stood the test of time.
Once again, the Routledges' timely visit to Easter Island preserved cultural and historic information that would otherwise have been lost. The material evidence of their expedition can be seen in the form of artifacts, papers, and photographic images.
Polynesia
Katherine and Scoresby later traveled to MangarevaMangareva
Mangareva is the central and most important island of the Gambier Islands in French Polynesia. It is surrounded by smaller islands: Taravai in the southwest, Aukena and Akamaru in the southeast, and islands in the north...
and East Polynesia
Polynesia
Polynesia is a subregion of Oceania, made up of over 1,000 islands scattered over the central and southern Pacific Ocean. The indigenous people who inhabit the islands of Polynesia are termed Polynesians and they share many similar traits including language, culture and beliefs...
in 1921-1923 but the work they did was never published as their relationship became strained. They had hoped to determine the origin of the Rapa Nui
Rapanui
The Rapa Nui or Rapanui are the native Polynesian inhabitants of Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, in the Pacific Ocean. The easternmost Polynesian culture, the Rapa Nui people make up 60% of Easter Island's population, with some living also in mainland Chile...
before missionaries arrived there and the information, legends and traditions were lost. An example of their work there is reflected in the vocabulary cards held by the Royal Geographical Society and the large model of an outrigger canoe
Outrigger canoe
The outrigger canoe is a type of canoe featuring one or more lateral support floats known as outriggers, which are fastened to one or both sides of the main hull...
from Mangareva
Mangareva
Mangareva is the central and most important island of the Gambier Islands in French Polynesia. It is surrounded by smaller islands: Taravai in the southwest, Aukena and Akamaru in the southeast, and islands in the north...
that is on display on the first floor of the Pitt Rivers Museum
Pitt Rivers Museum
The Pitt Rivers Museum is a museum displaying the archaeological and anthropological collections of the University of Oxford in Oxford, England. The museum is located to the east of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, and can only be accessed through that building.The museum was...
.
Jamaica
At some point following this Scoresby went on an expedition to cross the John Crow MountainsJohn Crow Mountains
The John Crow Mountains are a range of mountains in Jamaica. They extend parallel with the north east coast of the island, bounded to the west by the banks of the Rio Grande, and joining with the eastern end of the Blue Mountains in the southeast...
in Jamaica as indicated by unpublished correspondence held by the Royal Geographical Society.
The final years
Scoresby and Katherine separated in Sydney, AustraliaSydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, in 1923, although for several years they periodically lived together in both London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and "The Ewers", their home in the countryside of Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
. They finally parted company in 1928 when Katherine’s encroaching mental illness lead to her being institutionalised. This brought to a sad end an extremely productive collaboration that provided invaluable research and preservation of the anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
and ethnography
Ethnography
Ethnography is a qualitative method aimed to learn and understand cultural phenomena which reflect the knowledge and system of meanings guiding the life of a cultural group...
of Kenya and Easter Island.
Scoresby preserved as much of Katherine’s work as could be found by donating it to both the British Museum and the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford.
Scoresby spent his last days on the island of Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, living in a villa at Tjiklos, Kyrenia
Kyrenia
Kyrenia is a town on the northern coast of Cyprus, noted for its historic harbour and castle. Internationally recognised as part of the Republic of Cyprus, Kyrenia has been under Turkish control since the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974...
. His papers were discovered by the daughter of a friend on the island and were also sent to join the large collection already held by the Royal Geographical Society.
Scoresby died in London where he is buried at Putney Vale
Putney Vale
Putney Vale is a small community at the foot of Roehampton Vale, just off the A3. It is part of the Roehampton Ward of the London Borough of Wandsworth.The area is bordered by:* Roehampton* Putney* Putney Heath* Kingston* Richmond Park* Wimbledon Common...
Cemetery. The lettering on his gravestone reads, WM. Scoresby Routledge Explorer, Anthropologist, Only Son of Wm. and Anne Sophia Routledge, Died in London, 31st July, 1939, Aged 80 years. There is an added inscription on his grave in Latin, "Quo Modo Lucem DieMoge Omnibus Hominbus Ita Omnis Terra Fortibus Virus Natura Aperuit" This translates "like light and day to all men, thus nature opens all lands to brave men".
Two books, 2003
The Routledges in history and in historical fiction.In 2003 Jo Anne Van Tilburg , of UCLA, an American archaeologist, well known for her research on Rapa Nui wrote the biography of Katherine Routledge. "Among Stone Giants: The Life of Katherine Routledge and Her Remarkable Expedition to Easter Island" . Although the book was somewhat interpretive of Scoresby's character, it was based on fact, and a large amount of research.
Soon after another book was released written by Yale
YALE
RapidMiner, formerly YALE , is an environment for machine learning, data mining, text mining, predictive analytics, and business analytics. It is used for research, education, training, rapid prototyping, application development, and industrial applications...
graduate Jennifer Vanderbes. In a comprehensive travel article written for the New York Times, "A Faraway Land Steeped in Mystery" in late 2003, she does not mention the Routledges. However, her book, "Easter Island , A Novel", shows more than a passing similarity to the story of the Routledges and Easter Island.
Both books were intriguing and displayed the fascination that writers and readers feel when coming across this great adventure set in the days when hidden worlds were first opening up to travellers and scientists and the general fascination that people feel to this day for Easter Island and its mysteries.