To HMS Bounty Crewmembers Page

The Bounty Gunner and Senior Warrant Officer served on all of Capt. Cook's three voyages. He spoke perfect Tahitian, had an amazing understanding of the Tahitian mind and culture, and thus was placed in charge of all trading activites there.

During the mutiny, he was one of the officers to be confined early below deck. During the voyage of the Launch, he appears to have sided with Bligh in the disputes with Fryer. It was he that suggested that Bligh should head for Timor in the Launch.

He was one of the three crewmembers who put ashore on 1 Jun 1789 at the southernmost of what Capt. Cook called the "Bird Islands" to try to capture food, and during which search Lamb set the flock to flight.

In July of 1792, Commodore Pasley, seeking evidence in Heywood's favor, indicated that he was going to contact Peckover, who, at the time, was living in Woolwich. A map of Land Tax Records in 1785-89 shows that Peckover was living in Gun Alley, Wapping, East London.

His Naval record was as follows, serving as Gunner in all cases:

• 30 Oct 1780 - HMS Dictator
• 15 Jul 1782 - HMS Resistance
• 11 Jun 1784 - HMS Recovery
• 16 Dec 1784 - HMS Warspite
• 27 Jan 1785 - HMS Amphitrite
• 24 Aug 1787 - HMS Bounty
• 01 Dec 1790 - HMS Antelope
• 06 Jun 1791 - HMS Sultan
• 23 Jan 1792 - HMS Antelope
• 06 Feb 1792 - HMS Ocean
• 23 May 1798 - HMS Bedford
• 30 Aug 1798 - HMS Irresistible
• 14 May 1801 - HMS Gelykheid

For more information on William Peckover & his Family:

RootsWeb.com Mariner-L Archive: William Peckover, Bounty Gunner.
A Genealogical Comment by Dennis Bell, a distant relative.
From Aynho to the Bounty - Two essays by Barry Marriott on a true adventurer from the Apricot Village:
"To Haxard My Life" and "From a Desire to Serve"