Jørgen Stubberud

Who was Jørgen Stubberud?

Jørgen Stubberud was a Norwegian polar explorer who participated in the Amundsen Antarctica Expedition between 1910 and 1912.

Stubberud was born at Bekkensten, Svartskog in Oppegård, in Akershus county, Norway. He first met with Roald Amundsen at the latter's home in Svartskog in 1909, when he was employed as a carpenter to repair some old houses. Stubberud obviously did the job well, as Amundsen afterward asked him to construct Framheim in his garden. The task given was: "It should be a winter quarters, five meters long, four meters wide and five meters high. Figure out the rest yourself!"

When the job was done and Amundsen was satisfied with the work, the cabin was dismantled and prepared for shipment with the vessel Fram. Stubberud himself seized the opportunity and asked Amundsen for permission to join the expedition, which was granted. With his wife's blessing he then signed a contract to work for Amundsen the next seven years. Upon arrival in the Antarctic, Framheim was erected and served as the expedition's base.

Lieutenant Kristian Prestrud was given the task of leading a 3 man expedition to explore the completely unknown territory of King Edward VII Land to the north and east of Framheim. Along with Kristian Prestrud, Hjalmar Johansen and Jørgen Stubberud surveyed a large area to the north and east of Framheim and provided valuable information and mapping that enhanced the scientific outcomes of Amundsen’s expedition.