One of the oldest clubs in the north-east of Scotland has launched a new book about a little-known Arctic explorer from the area.
Longside-born Thomas Abernethy was involved in expeditions to both the North and South Poles in the early 19th century and was awarded five Polar Medals for his efforts.
Now, the Buchan Field Club, who were first founded in the 19th century, have joined forces with local writer and historian Alex Buchan to publish a book about Mr Abernethy.
The non-fiction work, A Grand Polar Veteran, charts the incident-packed life of Mr Abernethy from his first sea voyage aged just 12.
Club president Sandy May explained: “This fascinating book is about polar exploration to both the Arctic and Antarctic regions in the first half of the 19th century.
“It is related not from the standpoint of one of the great explorer captains, but through the eyes of Thomas Abernethy from Peterhead.”
Mr Abernethy originally took to the ocean waves before his teenage years and soon joined a whaling ship as an apprentice which taught him about “the incredible hardships of life in the Arctic”.
Mr May continued: “He then joined the Royal Navy, initially as an able seaman, but rose in rank eventually to be a senior non-commissioned officer.
“He was awarded no less than five Polar Medals for his Arctic journeys, involving the search for the North-West Passage and, latterly in his career, in the search for Sir John Franklin.”
Mr Abernethy served on Franklin’s vessels, the Erebus and Terror, both of which were later lost in the region. He also took part in the search for Franklin’s expedition.
The Buchan seaman spent a total of 10 winters and 17 summers in the freezing polar regions and held the rare distinction of having been both “furthest north” and “furthest south”.
The question Mr Buchan strove to address in his book was why, in light of his incredible exploits, so little was known about the man.
Mr Buchan concluded he had not been accorded due prominence because he was “neither an officer nor a gentleman”. The new work is an effort to right what the author believes is a historic wrong.
It will be officially launched at Peterhead’s Arbuthnot Museum on Saturday, November 12 at 2pm.
