Born: 1909, East Cape, Russia Died: 1974, British Columbia, Canada
Camilla Carpendale was born on 19 June 1909 and grew up with eight siblings in the East Cape area (now Cape Dezhnev) on the Russian side of the Bering Strait. Her mother, Pung-i “Jessie” Tonanik, was Chukchi, and her father Charlie Carpendale an Australian trader.
In 1921, Camilla travelled to Seattle with Roald Amundsen and Nita, a five-year-old Chukchi girl he had taken into his care. They were bound for Norway, where Camilla would be company for Nita and could receive the Western education her father wished for her. In early 1922, the girls moved in with Amundsen at Uranienborg. When Amundsen was travelling, they were cared for by his brothers Leon and Gustav and their families. They also went several times to stay with the Wistings in Horten. Nita and Camilla started at Bålerud school, the elementary school at Svartskog, where they made many friends and quickly learned Norwegian.
Camilla and Nita with an unidentified child standing between them. Photo: Norwegian Polar Institute / National Library of Norway.
After two years in Norway, Camilla and Nita were again on the move. Roald Amundsen was having major financial problems and would file for bankruptcy in September 1924. One consequence was a bitter conflict with his brother Leon, who was one of his biggest creditors. With the developing situation threatening Nita and Camilla’s essential network at Svartskog, it was decided that they should return to the Soviet Union.
Initially, just after Christmas 1923, the girls travelled to Denmark with Amundsen’s business partner Håkon Hammer and his wife. The girls were enrolled at Marie Mørk’s boarding school in Hillerød, and lived there from January to June 1924 before returning to Norway.
The last day Amundsen and the girls spent together in Norway was 20 September 1924.
On 4 December 1924, Nita and Camilla began their journey by boat to America. In San Francisco, they were found accommodation in an orphanage with the help of the Norwegian Consul Nils Voll, but were unhappy there and so moved into the Voll family home. The girls’ time in America was difficult at first, and their lack of identification papers made the trip further north problematic. Nevertheless, they eventually secured passage on a boat to Nome, Alaska, and from there across the Bering Strait, back to East Cape and to Camilla’s family, who also took in Nita.
Nita and Camilla in Nome during their journey back to East Cape. In the background is the Norwegian journalist Erling Bergendahl. Photo: Norwegian Polar Institute / National Library of Norway.
In 1926, Camilla and Nita moved to Poulsbo, a Scandinavian community outside Seattle. Amundsen was in America in spring 1927 when he learned that the girls were in Poulsbo. With the press looking on, he and the girls met for the last time.
Camilla moved eventually to Canada, where the rest of her family also settled. In 1932, she married the Norwegian-American Olav Amundsen (no relation to Roald). Together they had four children: sons Leonard and Gary and daughters Dorin and Janet. With her husband and children, Camilla settled in Powell River, north of Vancouver.
Camilla Carpendale Amundsen died in August 1974.
Photograph of Camilla that still sits on Amundsen’s desk at Svartskog. Photo: Follo Museum,MiA
Read more about the story of Nita, Camilla and Roald Amundsen in the book Kapp Hjertestein, written by Espen Ytreberg (2018).
One of the Netsilik Inuit Amundsen met during the expedition through the Northwest Passage, 1903-06. A tinted photograph of him hangs in Amundsen’s home.
The girls Nita and Camilla Carpendale went to Norway and Svartskog together with Amundsen in 1922 where they lived until 1924. The girls called Amundsen “Grandpa”.
Betty was one of the key women in Amundsen’s life. She was the nanny when he grew up, and when Amundsen moved to Svartskog, she joined him and moved into the gatehouse, which became “Betty’s house”.
Eivind Astrup became one of the world’s most experienced polar explorers of his time and a great role model for Roald Amundsen. He chose to end his life when only 24 years old.
Roald Amundsen had strong feelings for Kristine Elisabeth “Kiss” Bennett. She visited Uranienborg several times, but even though Amundsen transferred ownership of it to her, she never moved in.
The girls Nita and Camilla Carpendale went to Norway and Svartskog with Amundsen in 1922 and lived there until 1924. The girls called Amundsen “Grandpa”.
Sigrid Flood Castberg, often called “Sigg”, was one of the women Amundsen had a relationship with. But when Amundsen proposed, she was already married and wanted to wait, and when she was ready he wanted…
Håkon Hammer met Roald Amundsen in Seattle in 1921. He quickly became a collaborator and supporter, but was later named by Amundsen as one of the reasons for his personal bankruptcy.
Participated in the Maud expedition, but left the expedition in 1919, together with Peter Tessem. Both perished. What really happened to them is still unknown.
The Alaska Inupiaq called Elizabeth Magids “Queen of the Arctic”, Amundsen’s crew referred to her as “the mysterious lady”. Amundsen called her “Bess”. She went to live with Amundsen in Norway in 1928….
Participated as a research assistant on the Maud expedition, and as a meteorologist on the Norge expedition. Died on Umberto Nobile’s airship expedition in 1928.
One of the Netsilik Inuit Amundsen met during the expedition through the Northwest Passage 1903-06. A coloured picture of him decorates a window in Amundsen’s home.
Nobile was the airship engineer whom Amundsen criticized after the expedition in 1926. During the search for his wrecked expedition in 1928, Roald Amundsen disappeared.
Joined the Maud expedition after visiting the ship in Khabarovsk. Also participated in the Norge expedition, but was left out from the actual voyage across the Arctic Ocean.
One of the Netsilik Inuit Amundsen met during the expedition through the Northwest Passage 1903-06. A coloured picture of her hangs in Amundsen’s home.
One of the Netsilik Inuit Amundsen met during the expedition through the Northwest Passage 1903-06. A coloured picture of him decorates a door in Amundsen’s home.