British Antarctic Territory
 

21 Jul 1908 - 30 May 1969

Adopted 30 May 1969 State Ensign

Adopted 21 Apr 1998 Civil Ensign

Map of British Antarctic Territory  Hear National Anthem  "God Save the Queen"  Text of National Anthem  Constitution Order (1 Jul 1989) Capital: London Chief Stations: Halley V, Rothera, Signy Currency: British Pound  (GBP)  National Holiday: 2nd Sat. in Jun (1926) Birthday of Queen Elizabeth II Population: Uninhabited Seasonal Research Staff Summer (Jan): 205 Winter (Jul): 37  (2007-2008)  Total Active Armed Forces: N/A Defense is the Responsibility of the U.K. Merchant marine: None (2008) Number of Year-round Stations: 2 Summer-only Stations: 1 (2007-2008) GDP: N/A International Organizations/Treaties: UPU British Antarctic Territory Chronology   16 Oct 1819                South Shetland Islands claimed for Britain. 16 Nov 1820                Palmer Land discovered by American Capt. Nathaniel                              Palmer.  6 Dec 1821                South Orkney Islands claimed for Britain, named                              Powell's Group (renamed the South Orkney Islands                              Feb 1822). 21 Feb 1832                Graham Land in Antarctica annexed for Britain by                              Capt. John Biscoe.    1 Apr 1903 - 22 Feb 1904  First permanent scientific station established in                              the Antarctic, at Laurie Island, South Orkneys by                              the Scottish National Antarctic expedition under                              William Speirs Bruce, then sold to Argentina. 21 Jul 1908                Antarctica south of 50° between 20° W and 80°W                              longitude, South Shetland Islands, and South                              Orkney Islands officially annexed by Britain                              as the Falkland Islands Dependencies.   6 Nov 1940                South Shetland Islands claimed by Chile.  8 Feb 1942                South Shetland Islands claimed by Argentina. 1943 - 1945                British dispatch naval missions to Antarctica                             "Operation Tabarin" which established the first                              permanent British scientific bases. Oct 1948                   Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey created                               in Stanley, Falklands. Jun 1950                   Falkland Islands Dependencies Scientific Bureau                              organized in London.  1 Jan 1962                British Antarctic Survey headquarters in London.  3 Mar 1962                British Antarctic Territory (South Shetland                              Islands, South Orkney Islands, and Graham Land)                              made a separate dependency.

British Naval Expedition (Operation Tabarin I)
(leaders for summer and winter 1944 appointed as Magistrate)
1943 - 1944                - James William Slessor Marr       (b. 1902 - d. 1965)
                              (in command of all shore staff)
                              (at Port Lockroy)
                           - William Robert Flett (at Deception Island)
British Naval Expedition (Operation Tabarin II)
(leaders for summer and winter 1945 appointed as Magistrate)
29 Jan 1944 - 1945         - Andrew Taylor (at Hope Bay)
                              (in command of all shore staff)
                           - Gordon Joseph Lockley            (b. 1915)
                              (at Port Lockroy)
                           - Alan William Reece (at Deception Island)
High Commissioners (non-resident; also governors of the Falkland Is.)
 3 Mar 1962 - 1964         Sir Edwin Porter Arrowsmith        (b. 1909 - d. 1992)
1964 - 1970                Cosmo Dugal Patrick Thomas Haskard (b. 1916)
                            (from 23 Oct 1964, Sir Cosmo Dugal Patrick Thomas Haskard)
1971 - 1975                Sir Ernest Gordon Lewis            (b. 1918 - d. 2006)
1975 - 1977                Sir Neville Arthur Irwin French    (b. 1920 - d. 1996)
1977 - 1980                Sir James Roland Walter Parker     (b. 1919 - d. 2009)
1980 - 16 Oct 1985         Rex Masterman Hunt                 (b. 1926)
16 Oct 1985 - 1988         Gordon Wesley Jewkes               (b. 1931)
Commissioners (in London; from 1997 also commissioners for British Indian Ocean Territory)
 8 Nov 1988 - 30 Jun 1989  William Hugh Fullerton             (b. 1939)
 1 Jul 1989 - 11 Dec 1989  Charles Richard Lucien de Chassiron(b. 1948)
12 Dec 1989 - 15 May 1992  Merrick Stuart Baker-Bates
15 May 1992 - 20 Feb 1995  Peter Marcus Newton
20 Feb 1995 - 25 Jul 1997  Anthony "Tony" James Longrigg      (b. 1944)
25 Jul 1997 - 23 Apr 2001  John Branford White                (b. 1946)
23 Apr 2001 - 12 Jan 2004  Alan Edden Huckle                  (b. 1948)
12 Jan 2004 - 31 Jul 2006  Anthony "Tony" Campbell Crombie    (b. 1956)
31 Jul 2006 - 27 Mar 2008  Robert Leigh Turner                (b. 1958)
23 Jun 2008 -              Colin Roberts                      (b. 1959)

Director of the Falklands Islands Dependencies Survey
1958 -  1 Jan 1962         Sir Vivian Fuchs                   (b. 1909 - d. 1999)
Directors of the British Antarctic Survey
 1 Jan 1962 - 10 Sep 1973  Sir Vivian Fuchs                   (s.a.)
1973 - 19..                Richard M. Laws
Heads of Polar Regions Section in Foreign and Commonwealth Office
19.. - 1975                Brian Birley Roberts               (b. 1912 - d. 1978)
1975 - 1989                John Arnfield Heap                 (b. 1932 - d. 2006)
Administrators of the British Antarctic Territory (non-resident; in London)
(heads of Polar Regions Section in Foreign and Commonwealth Office)
 3 Jul 1989 - 1992         John Arnfield Heap                 (s.a.)
10 Mar 1992 - Dec 2006     Michael G. Richardson
 1 Jan 2007 - 2008         Jane Rumble (f)
22 May 2008 -              Robert Bowman

Magistrates of the South Shetland Islands¹
1910 - 1911                Albert Newing
1911 – 1912                Edward Beveridge Binne (1st time)  (b. 1884 – d. 1956)
1912 - 1913                Edward Beveridge Binne (2nd time)  (s.a.)
1913 – 1914                Arthur George Bennett (1st time)
Nov 1914 – 1915            William Barlas (1st time)          (b. 1888 - d. 1941)
1915 – 1916                James Innes Wilson (1st time)
1916 – 1917                James Innes Wilson (2nd time)
1917 – 1918                Arthur George Bennett (2nd time)
1918 – 1919                Arthur George Bennett (3rd time)
1919 – 1920                Sidney Herbert Riches (1st time)
1920 – 1921                James Erik Hamilton (1st time)
1921 – 1922                Arthur George Bennett (4th time)
1922 - 1923                Arthur George Bennett (5th time)
1923 – 1924                James Erik Hamilton (2nd time)
1924 – 1925                Sidney Herbert Riches (2nd time)
1925 – 1926                Arthur George Bennett (6th time)
1926 - 1927                Arthur George Bennett (7th time)
1927 – 1928                William Barlas (2nd time)          (s.a.)     
1928 – 1929                Gregor Brechin (1st time)          (b. 1891 – d. 19..)
1929 – 1930                Gregor Brechin (2nd time)
1930 - 1931                Gregor Brechin (3rd time)

 ¹1910 - 1931, the government of the Falkland Islands posted a separate magistrate for the South Shetland Islands stationed on Deception Island during the whaling season in austral summer.

Territorial Disputes: British Antarctic claim overlaps Argentine and Chilean claims. British Antarctic claim is recognized by Australia, France, New Zealand, and Norway, but it is not recognized by the United Nations, Argentina, Chile, U.S., Russia or by most other countries.