Scott Polar Research Institute
Alias: None
Title: Mr
Dates: 1884-1943
Nationality: Australian
Awards: Polar Medal (bronze)
Harold Bull was born in Hindmarsh, Adelaide, in South Australia on 31 January 1884. He joined the British Antarctic Expedition 1907-09 (Nimrod) at the age of 23 as an able seaman, and was one of the few sailors to take part in the entire expedition. He signed up for the expedition on 26 July 1907 and officially left it on 31 August 1909 when Nimrod returned to England. However, between the Antarctic voyages, Bull signed off and on again, leaving on 28 March 1908 and returning on 24 July 1908. There were significantly reduced levels of work for sailors when Nimrod was in dock, so some sailors may have been laid off until the ship sailed again. It could also be that Bull, who lived in Australia, used the opportunity of the ship being docked to visit his home. Whatever the reason, Bull took a break in between the expedition’s Antarctic voyages, which was unusual for the sailors who took part in the whole journey. Bull died on 16 October 1943 in Fremantle, Western Australia.