Eric Stevenson, Peebles, Scotland went to the whaling as a young lad. He found his calling on the whaling catchers and worked for them over eleven seasons for the factory ships. His keen interest in photography is represented in the Whalers’ Memory Bank and you will see many of his photographs throughout. Especially in the Whale Catcher section. Here his documentary photographs of conditions on board the whale catcher help to bring to life the roughness of being ‘down at the ice.’
At South Georgia Museum, we are extremely grateful to have been donated clothing Stevenson wore at the whaling, and even a jacket that was brand new. After his return home in 1962, he was making ready for another season at the whaling. Sewing a new canvas jacket for himself with cosy blanket tweed inside from the local mill in Peebles. It was then he got word that there would not be another whaling season.