Museum manager Amanda Barry shares five artefacts from Bransfield House that connect the everyday life of the base’s early occupants with her own family history.
Bransfield House at Port Lockroy is more than a historic Antarctic base. For museum manager Amanda Barry, it is also a place of personal connection and family memory. Her father, George Barry, was Base Leader at Port Lockroy in 1948, and many of the objects preserved within the house echo stories she grew up hearing.
From humble domestic items to iconic features of the building itself, these artefacts offer a glimpse into daily life on the base during the post-war years, when isolation, ingenuity and routine shaped each day. Here, Amanda selects five of her favourite objects from the collection and explains why they continue to resonate with her today.
1. Naval message pad
Location: Radio room
In 1948, the only direct contact the men had with the UK was via Morse code. Messages received via the Falklands would be transcribed onto these message pads. My father kept all the messages he received from my mother in this way, so seeing the original blank pads is incredibly moving. They represent both the distance and the emotional lifeline that connected the base to home.
2. Turtle stove
Location: Lounge
I have a photograph of Dad and his colleagues sitting around a stove in the Bransfield House lounge. I cannot be certain that this is the very same one, but I like to think it is. The turtle stove is such a beautiful object and would have been the heart of the room, providing warmth and a place to gather during the long Antarctic winter.
3. Bathtub
Location: Bathroom
In one of his letters to my mum, Dad explains that he had a bath once a week – possibly in this very tub – and then washed his clothes in the bathwater afterwards. It is always a favourite story to share with visitors when I point out this cast-iron bathtub. Today, my colleagues and I rely on the kindness of visiting cruise ships to shower on board, as there is still no running water on Goudier Island.
4. Esse cooker
Location: Kitchen
I think the kitchen is my favourite room in Bransfield House. It is so light and cheerful. I like to imagine Dad taking his turn as cook, using this impressive stove to bake bread – a skill he learned during his time at Port Lockroy. The Esse cooker speaks to the self-sufficiency and adaptability that were essential to life on the base.
5. Base A front door
Location: Porch
The iconic front door of Bransfield House had to be on my list. I had longed to walk through it for so many years, knowing how important this place was to my father. I will always treasure the moment I finally did, stepping through the doorway and into a shared family history.
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