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The HMS Bounty Saga

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.

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.

After returning to Tahiti to reclaim their consorts and a few men who wished to go with them, the mutineers sailed east, searching for a home & hiding place. Pitcairn Island was where they settled. In 1856, the British government attempted to relocate the colony, against their will, to Norfolk Island. Most of the Pitcairners stayed on Norfolk, but about 22 people found their way back and it is their descendants who live on Pitcairn today. Norfolk boasts about 1000 Bounty descendants today, about half its population.

For historical information on the Bounty mutiny, biographical information on the crewmembers, and information about Pitcairn Island today, drop over and visit:

• The Pitcairn Island Web Site
• Mutiny on the Bounty Web Site
• Also see Norfolk Island Transcripts (Australia GenWeb)

The HMS Bounty Genealogies

The descendants of the crewmembers of the Mutiny on the Bounty live in quite a few different corners of the world. In addition to the Pitcairners, and those of Bounty descent on Norfolk, many persons in Australia, New Zealand, England, the United States, and elsewhere claim descent from this historical event.

• Pitcairn and Norfolk Islands - HMS Bounty
• HMS Bounty Ancestors and Cousins
• Also see George Snell's HMS Bounty Descendants Page
• Also see Norfolk Island Research & Genealogy Center
• Also see The Immigrant Ship Transcribers Guild (ISTG)