Lewis Raphael Rickinson, 1883-1945
Biographical notes

Chief engineer Endurance Endurance 1914-17 - 31 at the start of the expedition

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Lewis Rickinson had a particular aversion to the cold, so it seems rather odd that he should volunteer for a trip to Antarctica, however, he was a good engineer with a good understanding of the still relatively new and little used internal combustion engines.

He is known also for a good sense of humour, during a head shaving event on the Endurance, he agreed to have his own head shaved on the condition that he could shave Shackleton's head first.

He suffered particularly on the voyage to Elephant Island with salt-water boils and it is thought to have had a mild heart attack on  landing on Elephant Island. In Shackleton's words:

"The blubber-stove was quickly alight and the cook began to prepare a hot drink. We were labouring at the boats when I noticed Rickenson turn white and stagger in the surf. I pulled him out of reach of the water and sent him up to the stove, which had been placed in the shelter of some rocks. McIlroy went to him and found that his heart had been temporarily unequal to the strain placed upon it. He was in a bad way and needed prompt medical attention. There are some men who will do more than their share of work and who will attempt more than they are physically able to accomplish. Rickenson was one of these eager souls. He was suffering, like many other members of the Expedition, from bad salt-water boils. Our wrists, arms, and legs were attacked. Apparently this infliction was due to constant soaking with sea-water, the chafing of wet clothes, and exposure."

He was diagnosed by the doctors as having had a mild heart attack, much of his time on Elephant Island was spent in the makeshift hut (the snuggery) with Blackborow and Hudson, the other two injured men in the party.

 

On return from Antarctica, in the First World War he served in the Royal Navy. Afterwards becoming a Naval Architect and Consulting Engineer.

He died during the Second World War at the age of 62 as Engineer Commander on shore based H.M.S. Pembroke.

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References to Lewis Rickinson in Shackleton's book "South!"- buy USA   buy UK
(Shackleton misspells the surname as Rickenson)

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References to Lewis Rickinson by Orde-Lees in "Elephant Island and Beyond" buy USA   buy UK

• We nearly all find something to occupy ourselves with; some sleep in the afternoon, others play cards and Hussey and Rickinson (the chief engineer) the banjo and fiddle respectively, and fortunately, in concert.

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  We have had side-splitting fun this evening. Everyone submitted to having their hair cropped close with shears. Rickinson our chief engineer really has very handsome dark wavy hair and was not at all anxious to have it cut off, so in fun he told Sir Ernest that he would let him cut it if Sir Ernest would afterwards permit him to cut his. This Sir Ernest agreed to , so now we are all practically bald, leader and all.

• Rickinson (chief engineer) attired as a rather as a rather sprightly dame rendered a love ballad, appearing in the second half of the programme as a horrid little dwarf when he sang Sam Mayo's song, Push it under the door.

• Rickinson is about 33 and possesses unusually fine, nearly black hair; Kerr's hair is also wavy but not quite up to Rickinson's standard. Like all engineers, they divulge so little of their antecedents that it is difficult to say just where either of them come from, or just how either of them became engineers, except that they have "done the shops" which is a necessary preliminary to the career of all self-respecting engineers. Both are thoroughly efficient and so unassuming that one would infinitely prefer them as permanent companions to many of my other present comrades.
  
  Kerr is but 21 years of age. He is an excellent workman and both he and Rickinson have done several little mechanical jobs for the motor-sledge far better than I could ever have hoped to do them for myself. Rickinson has had the rather unique experience of having been engineer in a ship filled with internal combustion engines and Kerr has been in one of the large oil tank steamers.
  
  Rickinson never really had any desire to spend the winter down here and perhaps at first was affected more by the cold than anyone else, but is now so much acclimatised to it as the rest of us, and does not regret having come. Sir Ernest has taken a great liking to him, and he has such nice quiet ways that I am not altogether surprised. Taking them all round, our two engineers are very nice little fellows, if one may be so patronising as to say so.

 

Other Crew of the Endurance Expedition

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