Bartlett, Bob, 1875-1946

Robert A. Bartlett was born on August 15, at Brigus, Newfoundland. By the age of 17, he mastered his first ship. After his early years of sailing, he commanded Robert E. Peary's "Roosevelt" and Vilhjalmur Steffansson's "Karluk". During the depression years, Bartlett used many methods to finance his cruises. In addition to the fees and contributions from scientific institutions for which he carried out commissions, he caught animals for zoos, photographed for Pathe News, and shipped boys as paying, but working, passengers. During the winters he wrote, lectured and showed his films. These activities brought him into contact with Greville A. G. Haslam. Haslam (1891-1967) was the Headmaster of the Episcopal Academy in Philadelphia, where Bartlett lectured and recruited boys for his cruises, and he shared Bartlett's interest in exploration, being a member of the Royal Geographical Society, a world traveler, and the author of several papers for geographical journals. In 1941, Bartlett's schooner, the "Effie M. Morrissey" was commandeered by the United States Government as a supply ship and utility vessel. Bartlett and his crew volunteered to serve on her and spent five years in the Arctic. Bartlett died on April 28, 1946.