Robert Falcon Scott was born on 6 June 1868 at 'Outlands' - a small country estate in Stoke Damerel, Devonport (now the Milehouse area of Plymouth). 'Con' as his parents called him was the third of six children. He had two older sisters called Ettie and Rose, a younger brother called Archibald and two younger sisters called Grace and Katherine.
Scott's grandfathers and uncles were in business together, financing a number of breweries and victualling houses (eating house), including the Castle Street, Hoegate and Vauxhall Street Breweries and the Pope's Head Inn in Looe Street. Whilst his uncles also pursued a career in the armed forces, Robert's father, John Edward Scott suffered poor health so occupied his time managing the Hoegate Brewery which he subsequently inherited along with the family home.
Scott was christened at Stoke Damerel Church on 30 June 1868. Plymouth City Council Arts and Heritage’s collections include the Christening Cup presented to Scott by his Godparents, M & S Falcon. This was purchased by the City in 2013, with the support of the V&A Purchase Grant Fund, the Heritage Lottery and donations from the Friends of Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery and the Devon and Cornwall Polar Society.
Scott was educated first in the nursery at home and then spent four years at a local day school in Stoke Damerel. Like his uncles, he was destined for a military career and was sent off to board at Stubbington House School, Hampshire where he was prepared for the entrance examinations for the Royal Navy.
Having passed his exams he returned to the Westcountry joining the Royal Naval training ship HMS Britannia at Dartmouth as a cadet aged just 13. Scott left HMS Britannia as a midshipman in July 1883, seventh overall in a class of 26 whereupon he joined his first ship HMS Boadicea.
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| Emperor Penguin and boats on the ice (Dailey AR2006.559) |