The Thurso scientist who left his mark after Titanic disaster
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Thurso’s Heritage by a Thirsa Loon
Hugh Robert Mill, a name perhaps unfamiliar to many in Thurso, made countless contributions that left an indelible mark on science.
Born on the May 28, 1861 in Sutherland Street, now part of Princes Street, he was the second youngest of 11 children. While not wealthy, his early years in Thurso were comfortable for the time, and he cherished his upbringing in the town with fond memories.
From an early age, he was fascinated with sailing craft, distinguishing vessels by their rigging. This love for ships and the sea ran deep as he spent hours watching fishing boats returning to the river mouth or steamers passing from Brown Hill, the nearest high point to his home.
Undoubtedly, he was a trailblazer in his field, laying the foundations for future academics. He revolutionised geography education in schools and universities, contributed to oceanography, pioneered the presentation of sub-surface contours on British Ordnance Survey Maps, and served in senior positions on many committees.
Mill was a valued close friend to the great explorers, many of whom credited him with shaping their careers, such as Captain Robert Falcon Scott (Scott of the Antarctic), Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton and, in particular, William Speirs Bruce, who led the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition.
In 1912, the largest and most luxurious liner, the Titanic, sank after an iceberg collision, followed by a great wave of international outcry. The Board of Trade asked Ernest Shackleton, who was involved in the Titanic enquiry, what they should do.
His reply was – to ask Hugh Mill.
The British Government stated they had no funds to pay for his advice. However, Hugh still drew up a report based on his knowledge of the currents and weather of the North Atlantic.
He suggested that a small ship strengthened to reduce any risk from floating ice should cruise northwards of the North Atlantic shipping route when there was a risk from icebergs. A small scientific staff aboard would keep continuous records of the water’s temperature and currents and look out for any sign of ice. These reports would then be broadcast wirelessly at regular intervals so that ships making commercial passages would be warned.
Hugh recommended that the ideal ship was the Scotia, used by William Speirs Bruce for the Scottish Antarctic expedition and that D J Matthews, a chemist for the Marine Biological Association, should carry out the work.
His plan was adopted, with the large shipping companies contributing to the upkeep of the Scotia, with future and more suitable vessels being used as they became available. Known as the International Ice Patrol, the United States would later take control and continue to do so over the entire ice-warning system that Mill had planned.
In his early fifties, he suffered from failing eyesight. For the last four years of his life, he would be completely blind. He stopped attending public meetings and rarely ventured beyond his garden.
On April 5, 1950, Hugh Robert Mill passed away at his home in West Sussex, aged 88. His legacy endures with a tributary glacier in Antarctica named Mill Glacier in his honour.
Mill had many achievements and a number of influential positions, but they are impossible to detail in this article. While his contributions are celebrated internationally, unfortunately, no recognition exists in his native town of Thurso.
• To get in touch, contact thursoheritage1@gmail.com
