28 April 1789 The Mutiny on the Bounty

This week in history, on 28 April 1789, the “Mutiny on the Bounty” unfolded many miles away across the Pacific Ocean, south of the island of Tofua, in Tonga. HMS Bounty, also known as HMAV Bounty - His Majesty Armed Vessel Bounty, was a small merchant vessel purchased by the British Royal Navy for a botanical mission, to collect breadfruit plants from Tahiti for food for the slaves in the West Indies Plantations.

This year is the 234 Anniversary of the Mutiny on the Bounty, this famous story is well known, and here on Norfolk Island this historic event is the beginning of the story of the Pitcairn Islanders. The Norfolk Islander’s forefathers were the Mutineers on board the HMAV Bounty. The historic event, on 28 April 1789, was on-board the Bounty when Acting Lieutenant Fletcher Christian and crew mutinied, without bloodshed. They took over the ship and put Lieutenant William Bligh and eighteen of his loyal crew onto the Bounty’s longboat and set them adrift.

The well-known 1790 painting by Robert Dodd of the “Mutiny on the Bounty” when Bligh and his crew are set adrift.

If you would like to read more the Robert Dodd image is online

Mutiny on the bounty | From Terra Australis to Australia | Stories | State Library of NSW

http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/stories/terra-australis-australia/mutiny-bounty

Robert Dodd, National Portrait Gallery

https://www.portrait.gov.au/people/robert-dodd-1748

Here on Norfolk Island the “Mutiny on the Bounty” story is told to visitors. The Norfolk Island Museum, the Pier Store, has many interesting displays including the Bounty Cannon and the Bounty Kettle and other historic artifacts. At the museum you can also view a painting of the HMAV Bounty by Norfolk Islander, Maev Hitch.

Up in town in Burntpine, next to the Norfolk Island Information Centre, there is also a monument of the HMAV Bounty on display, including the names of all of the Pitcairn Islanders who travelled to Norfolk Island in 1856.

There is another amazing tourist attraction, the Fletcher's Mutiny Cyclorama, this Norfolk Island building has outstanding artwork and a must visit for everyone.

The “Mutiny on the Bounty” story has been retold on the big screen with Hollywood films and there are countless books for researchers to read.

I checked out the great world of Google and Wikipedia gives this introduction.

Mutiny on the Bounty - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutiny_on_the_Bounty

The mutiny on the Royal Navy vessel HMS Bounty occurred in the South Pacific on 28 April 1789. Disaffected crewmen, led by Acting Lieutenant Fletcher Christian, seized control of the ship from their captain Lieutenant William Bligh and set him and 18 loyalists adrift in the ship's open launch. The mutineers variously settled on Tahiti or on Pitcairn Island. Bligh meanwhile completed a voyage of more than 3,500 nautical miles (6,500 km; 4,000 mi) in the launch to reach safety and began the process of bringing the mutineers to justice.

It is interesting learning about the HMAV Bounty historic events and remaining items from the Bounty. I have also read that some of the HMAV Bounty remains, such as her ballast stones, are still partially visible in its waters at Bounty Bay. I have read that the rudder is displayed in the Fiji Museum in Suva. An anchor of HMAV Bounty was recovered by Luis Marden in Bounty Bay in 1957. My brother visited Pitcairn Island for work in June 2012 and I have copies of his photographs including a photo of an anchor.

In 2019, Norfolk Island community was overwhelmed when the community received a gift, this was another Bounty cannon, which had been auctioned in Scotland. I took photographs of the newly arrived cannon at the unveiling presentation at the Bounty Day celebrations on Monday 10 June 2019. The cannon is held safely in storage at present, under the care of the Norfolk Island Council of Elders. It is so amazing to know that there are now two Bounty cannons here on Norfolk Island.

Norfolk Island is a great destination to learn about this historic event. Tourists travelling and exploring Norfolk Island enjoy the history tours during their holidays. Many of the guides tell stories of the Bounty, the mutiny, the mutineers’ descendants, and the journey of the Pitcairn Islanders from their remote island in the Pacific to Norfolk Island in 1856.

Please come and visit the Norfolk Island Museum, “Pier Store Museum” at Kingston. You can read more of the history and see the wonderful replica model of the HMAV Bounty displayed in a large glass cabinet along with the Bounty cannon and Bounty kettle which are on display.

I have included an image of the paintings of the HMAV Bounty and images of the Bounty cannons and displays

Betty Matthews

April 2023