Griffith Taylor Collection

Thomas Griffith Taylor was a geographer and Antarctic explorer who participated in Scott's 1910-1913 British Antarctic Expedition as the senior geologist of the Western Geological Party. He later became a pioneering academic geographer, holding positions at the University of Sydney, the University of Chicago, and the University of Toronto.

This collection documents Taylor's scientific and academic career, with a particular focus on his Antarctic expeditions. Materials include original handwritten diaries and journals from the British Antarctic Expedition (1910-1913), correspondence with fellow explorers including Captain R.F. Scott, extensive photographs of Antarctic landscapes and expedition activities, maps, publications, and personal expedition equipment. Materials relating to his academic work—such as lecture notes, publications, and research on Australia, Canada, and Chile—are also represented.

Notable items include Taylor's Antarctic sledge diaries, original correspondence with Captain Scott, equipment used during Antarctic expeditions including his wind-proof helmet and compass, and photographs documenting the Terra Nova expedition.

The collection was initially gifted to the Department of Geography by Professor Thomas Griffith Taylor in 1960 and was formally donated to the University of New England Archives by the Geography & Planning Department in 1988.