Members' Lecture: Snow Widows

Join author Katherine MacInnes as we uncover the story of the race for the South Pole told from the perspective, for the first time, of the women whose lives would be forever changed by it. 

The men of Captain Scott’s Polar Party were heroes of their age, enduring tremendous hardships to further the reputation of the empire they served by reaching the South Pole. But they were also husbands, fathers, sons and brothers.

Katherine vividly depicts the lives, loves and losses of the five women shaped by the unrelenting culture of the empire their husbands were dutifully serving, and who were thrust into the public eye by tragedy. 

These five remarkable women offer a window into a lost age and give an insight into the thoughts and feelings of the five heroes. 

Meet the author

Author Katherine MacInnes was shortlisted for the Biographer’s Prize for an early proposal for Snow Widows over a decade ago. Since then she has continued to research the five women, both in the UK and in New Zealand, the gateway to Antarctic exploration.

She has reviewed polar literature for the Times Literary Supplement and given talks on the invisible women behind the golden age of polar exploration at the Royal Geographic Society, at history and literary festivals and on local BBC radio. She is a member of the Society of Authors and the Biographers’ Club.

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Join today for a host of exclusive benefits and events, including unlimited free entry to Cutty Sark, the Royal Observatory, shows at the Peter Harrison Planetarium, and special exhibitions at the National Maritime Museum.

With Membership starting from as little as £50, what are you waiting for? Membership is your time to explore!