Personal collection belonging to Edward Newell Harrison, clerk in charge HMS ASSISTANCE, including a journal, playbills, book of coloured views of the Arctic, etc, 1850-52, with additional material consisting of prints photographs, calling cards, letters re widow's pension, arctic medal presentation, appointments 1841-53, and newsletter 1850 for HMS ASSISTANCE.

Administrative / biographical background
Edward Harrison is a clerk at the time of the 1841 census, living with his wife Sarah and family at Royal Naval Hospital, East Stonehouse, Devon. On 18 June 1840, Harrison serves as clerk's assistant, HMS SOUTHAMPTON, a clerk on 11 August 1841, HMS ROSE, continuing as a clerk on HMS ROSE until 9 July 1842. He later is a clerk on HMS THUNDERER from 28 October 1842 until 12 October 1843. He then joins a three and half year cruise of the Mozambique Channel as a clerk on the brig-sloop HMS HELENA, 26 October 1843 to 17 July 1847. Harrison is assigned to HMS RANGER as clerk between 5 June 1848 and 29 November 1848 and then acting paymaster on 30 November 1848. He served on HMS RANGER until 29 March 1849 until paid off. The Daguerrotype portrait of Harrison [HRR/7/2] was produced circa 1847-1850, this was taken by Claudet, 18 King William Street, Strand, and the Colosseum, London. Harrison is clerk in charge on the discovery vessel HMS ASSISTANCE, serving under Captain Erasmus Ommaney, 5 March 1850 to 9 October 1851, as part of the Franklin search expedition. He is again clerk on HMS ASSISTANCE from 10 October 1851 to 5 November 1851 On 14 June 1853, Harrison was appointed paymaster on the wooden paddle sloop HMS BUZZARD (1849) on the North America and West Indies station. Harrison died from an illness on 1 December 1854 while the BUZZARD was at Cumberland Harbour (Guantanamo Bay) in Cuba. He was buried at the Cayo Hospital in the same location. His service record is available online via ADM/196/75 at The National Archives. On 5 May 1857, a notice for awards of the Arctic Medal to officers and crews of vessels engaged in expeditions to the Arctic regions in the period 1818-1855 appears in the London Gazette and on 16 May 1857 the Admiralty sent a letter about Harrison's arctic medal to his widow.