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In the year 1787, Lieutenant William Bligh, a young British Naval Officer having most recently served as sailing master to Captain James Cook on his voyages to the South Pacific, was commissioned by Sir Joseph Banks and the British Admiralty, to undertake a voyage in a small ship, HMS Bounty. The goal of the voyage was to obtain a large number of breadfruit plantings to be taken to the Caribbean where they would be transplanted to provide food for the slaves in those colonies.
| For a brief introduction to this historic voyage, you may want to look at: The Saga of HMS Bounty and Pitcairn Island By Butch Kerr |
The voyage was difficult, and ill-feelings were rampant, although probably no more than on other long sea voyages of the period. After a long stay in Tahiti to enable the gathering and stowing of the breadfruit plantings on board the ship, the Bounty began its voyage to the Caribbean and then back to England. On the morning of April 28th, 1789, led by Masters Mate Fletcher Christian, twelve crewmembers staged the now famous mutiny, capturing the ship, and setting Lt. Bligh and his supporters adrift in the ship's launch.
Was Bligh an arrogant martinet? Was Christian a neurotic traitor? Were both men innocent victims of circumstance? John Hagan has compiled two interesting articles, one in defense of Bligh, the other in defense of Christian.
Another study by Herbert Ford, Director of the Pitcairn Island Study Center at Pacific Union College, suggests another possible cause, that perhaps demon rum played a role.
Barbara Smith, of Daytona Beach Community College, presented a paper on the psychological aspects of the mutiny events.
Finally, an analysis of the Bounty Mutiny by motivational speaker Captain Bob Webb.
Some 2,000 articles and books, 5 major motion pictures, and numerous shorter documentary films have looked into virtually every aspect of this mutiny, undeniably one of the most famous sea stories of all time. There is much disagreement as to who was to blame for the incident, and the history remains, to this day, an interesting topic for maritime history and South Pacific buffs. If this site piques your interest, visit your local library and read more about William Bligh, Fletcher Christian, and the rest of the players in this drama.
For a brief article on the Bounty story in Spanish, read Historia de un motín by Prof. Emilio Garcia Gómez, Dept. of English and German, University of Valencia, Spain.
CrewmembersAlmost CrewmembersWomen of the BountyFor a rundown on the ranks and positions held by Bounty crewmembers, read Warrant Officers of the 18th-Century British Royal Navy by Russell Borghere, and Royal Navy Officers’ Uniform Distinctions, 1787-1795
| A remnant of the HMAV Bounty, recovered from Bounty Bay off the coast of Pitcairn Island, where it was burned and sunk in 1789. The original copper sheath can be seen around it. This relic was given to Glynn Christian by Len and Thelma Brown on Pitcairn Island during his 1980 expedition researching his book, Fragile Paradise, the only biography of Fletcher Christian. The relic is currently on display at the State Library of New South Wales, in Australia. Glynn Christian (glynnchristian@hotmail.com), has republished his book in a new edition that contains new evidence and conclusions, as well as a photograph of Fletcher Christian's daughter. For more information on the relic or on the book, feel free to contact Glynn. (Picture contributed by Tony Carpenter) |
Barbara Kuchau has formed the FRIENDSofPITCAIRN Yahoo Group where we can discuss Pitcairn and Bounty issues via email, or on line if that's what you prefer. To join, all you need to do is go out to Yahoo Groups at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FRIENDSofPITCAIRN/ and sign up.
In order to participate in Yahoo Groups, you need to sign up for an "account" with Yahoo. It is free, and you can avoid getting spam by carefully choosing which types of solicitation you will allow. The account is simply a way to list and access the Yahoo Groups to which you belong.
What links HMS Bounty and Cumbria? BBC, 11 May 2004.
Scrutiny On the Bounty:
Captain Bligh's Secret Logbook
By Christopher Buckley. The Atlantic Online, Dec 2003. (Humor)
Reclaiming the Bounty by Nigel Erskine. Archaeology, 3 May/Jun 1999.
An outstanding bibliography compiled by H. L. Kerr in April 1989 (the 200th anniversary of the mutiny) and updated regularly. If you have references you'd like to add, please contact the author.
We are collecting any songs, poems, or short stories, as well as book, film, and record reviews, and other cultural information about the HMS Bounty and its aftermath ... if you know of any, let us know.
| The Bibliography of HMS Bounty, William Bligh and Pitcairn Island | An outstanding bibliography compiled by H. L. Kerr in April 1989 (the 200th anniversary of the mutiny) and updated regularly. If you have references you'd like to add, please contact the author. |
| Pitcairn Island Home Page | Pitcairn was the refuge of Fletcher Christian, and 8 other Bounty mutineers. The population of the Island today consists of their descendants. |
| The Story of the Bounty Chronometer | Mark Winthrop of Copenhagen, Denmark, describes the important role played by the Bounty's revolutionary chronometer in the success of such daring, dangerous voyages. |
| The Bounty's Acting Crew | There have been 5 motion pictures and a musical play written about the Mutiny on the Bounty. Here is information about all the actors and actresses who have played roles in firm or stage versions of the saga. |
| Mutiny! A tribute to the David Essex musical |  |
| Events Matrixing: Restriction, Confusion & Neglect in the Bounty Mutiny | A fascinating academic thesis by Ian Campbell examining the causes, effects, and personalities of the Bounty Mutiny. |
| Endeavour Straits | A fictional, but historically realistic account of the sinking of the HMS Pandora, which went down while returning Bounty mutineers to England for trial. I do not know the author of this short work, and if anyone knows, please tell me, and I will attribute it. |
| Graphics of the Bounty created by Graphics Designer Rick Brown. | The Bounty at St Paul's Point (97K) Headed Home (48K) |
| Photos of Bounty III in Moorea from the 1984 Gibson/Hopkins Movie (from Curt Zaumeyer) | Picture #1 (220K - Original Slightly Damaged) Picture #2 (151K) Picture #3 (68K) Picture #4 (83K) Picture #5 (111K) Diagram of the original Bounty (52K) |
| Mr. Bligh's Bad Health | Lieutenant (later Admiral) William Bligh has been one of the more controversial figures in British Naval History. This study by Ian Campbell investigates the state of Bligh's health and its possible affect on his behavior. |
| Poetry, Songs & Drama About the Bounty, Pitcairn, & Norfolk | We are beginning to collect songs, poems, and other cultural information about the HMS Bounty and its aftermath ... if you know of any, let us know. |
| Pitcairn Island Map | A map of modern day Pitcairn. |
| Norfolk Island Map | A map of modern day Norfolk, where many of Pitcairn descent live today. |
| Transcripts of Bounty Crew Information | Ross Archer, of Auckland, NZ, a Bounty descendant, has transcribed information from three different books about the Bounty crew. |
| The Mutiny on the Bounty - A 1990's Scenario | How much does a book change if its characters change? What would the Bounty Saga have been like if the characters were 1990's urban Americans? Another way to view a 200-year-old historical event as fiction. |
| Historia de un motín (in Spanish) |
A brief report of the Mutiny and its aftermath. |
| The HMS Bounty | This site is brought to you by the BOUNTY FRIENDS. We are a concerned group made up of former crew, family and friends of tall ship HMS BOUNTY II. Our mandate is to keep you (the loyal Bounty II fan) informed about this wonderful vessel built for the Brando/Howard film. |
| Bounty Replica |
The website of the HMAV BOUNTY III, the replica ship used in the Gibson/Hopkins movie which is based in Sydney Harbor, Australia |
| Ships used in the 1935 MGM Gable & Laughton version of Mutiny on the Bounty |
Mark Winthrop of Copenhagen, Denmark, has a website containing his ongoing research on the Bounty. |
| Mutiny on the Bounty - An English Graphical Bibliography |
Includes pictures of a number of the rare older Bounty narratives. |
| Captain Bligh's Awful Voyage | By Ian Campbell. Health, Personality & Relationships aboard HMS Providence and HMS Assistant 1791-93. |
| Bounty Project Berlin |
We are the Berlin Bounty-Kids. We are children and teenagers between 6 and 16 years of age and take part in the BOUNTY-PROJECT under the responsibility of the non-profit organization pad e.V. (Parents and youth against drugs and drug abuse). |
| The Tall Ship Bounty Homepage | Information about the HMS Bounty II Replica Ship, currently sailing out of St. Petersburg, FL, and Greenport, NY, in the USA. |
| The HMS Bounty model by ... myself! | A well-illustrated website dedicated to the building of a detailed model of the Bounty. |
| Pitcairn Island Study Center | The official web site for the PISC, a museum-research facility on the campus of Pacific Union College, Angwin (Napa Valley), CA. The PISC contains the largest North American collection of materials relating to the Mutiny on the Bounty, Captain William Bligh, H.M.S. Bounty, Pitcairn and Norfolk Islands. |
| Pitcairn Islands Study Group | The PISG is an international philatelic association for collectors of Pitcairn Islands stamps and postal memorabilia. Their wonderful bi-monthly newsbooklet, the PISG Log, contains excellent historical material on the Bounty and Pitcairn, as well as current information on the islands. |
| HMS Bounty: A Descendants Page | George Snell would very much like to make contact with other descendants with an interest of researching our ancestors. He has a large Descendants database file that provides FREE access to all descendants who wish to research their ancestors. |
| The Bounty Chronicles | A very interesting series of essays on Bounty-related topics, all fully illustrated with 36 original oil paintings. |
| The HMS Bounty Site | Nathan, a Bounty descendant, put together a nice website project. |
| Bligh's Account of the Bounty Mutiny | Captain William Bligh's narrative of the Mutiny of the Bounty, and of his boat voyage from Tahiti to Timor. |
| Aboard the Bounty: A Boy's Adventure |
Eleven-year-old Jeffry Mulrain of Jacksonville boarded the Bounty when the ship docked in his hometown - and joined the crew for a once-in-a-lifetime voyage on one of history's most famous vessels. |
| Anniversary of Mutiny on the Bounty (April 28) | Article about the Bounty, Pitcairn Island, Anglo-Tahitian culture and more. By Borgna Brunner. |
| The Queensland Museum Explorer | The wreck of HMS Pandora (1791) is a major project undertaken by the Queensland Museum. HMS Pandora is best known as the frigate which the British Admiralty sent to the South Pacific to bring to justice the men who commandeered the Bounty. Having found a number of the mutineers, the ship was wrecked on the Great Barrier Reef. Four of the prisoners and thirty-one of Pandora's crew died when their ship sank. See their "Dive the Pandora" pages. |
| Plant Explorers: Rear Admiral William Bligh | A short biographical sketch with a couple of pictures. |
| Mutiny on the Bounty | The Bounty and its connection with the Isle of Man. |
| Tahiti | Tahiti's history is deeply bound up with the Bounty Saga. This 1901 Memoir of Arii Taimai by Marau Taaroa & Henry Adams is interesting reading for Bountiphiles. |
| Unrest & Mutiny 1793 to 1805 | The history of naval mutiny during the Bounty period. |
| Norfolk Island - The Web Site | A joint project of !Impressions! Incorporated and the Norfolk Island Society of Pitcairn Descendants. In 1856, the Bounty descendants living on Pitcairn were forceably removed to Norfolk, another Pacific Island closer to other inhabited places and having a harbor. Some families soon returned to their homes on Pitcairn to form the basis for the families living there today. About half of Norfolk's population is of Pitcairnese descent. |
| The Lunenburg Page | Lunenburg is the famous fishing and shipbuilding port where the Bounty II was built. |
| HMS Bounty (in French) |
Philip Gosse's HMS Bounty website. L'Histoire/the story. HMS Bounty model. |
| Bounty Club Deutschland e.V.(in German) | A group recently formed to bring information about the Bounty and Pitcairn to the German-speaking world. |
| Bounty Club Schweiz (in German) |
A non-profit Organisation in Switzerland, supporting the Pitcairn Islanders for the last 10 years. |
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Any persons with an interest in the HMS Bounty, its crewmembers on that ill-fated 1787
voyage, and their families and descendants in the South Pacific, England, and elsewhere
are asked to contact me.
EMAIL - PAUL J. LAREAU - HOME PAGE
135 E Viking Dr #301, Little Canada, MN 55117 (USA)
