William Bligh
1814 portrait
Born	9 September 1754(1754-09-09) Plymouth, Devon, England
Died	7 December 1817 (aged 63) Bond Street, London, England
Burial place	St Mary's Church, Lambeth, London, England
Occupation	Vice-Admiral
Spouse	Elizabeth (Betsy) Betham

Vice-Admiral William Bligh FRS RN (9 September 1754 – 7 December 1817) was an officer of the British Royal Navy and a colonial administrator. Events 1000 - Battle of Svolder, Viking Age. 1379 - Treaty of Neuberg, splitting the Austrian Year 1754 ( MDCCLIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or Plymouth ( is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England about south west of London. Devon is a large county in the South West of England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Events 43 BC - Marcus Tullius Cicero assassinated 1696 - Connecticut Route 108, one of the oldest highways Year 1817 ( MDCCCXVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Lambeth is a place in the London Borough of Lambeth, although the area is now more commonly known as Waterloo, after the railway station whose viaduct separates the London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Vice Admiral is a naval rank equivalent to Lieutenant General in seniority The Royal Society of London for the Improvement of Natural Knowledge, known simply as The Royal Society, is a Learned society for science that was founded in 1660 The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) Events 1000 - Battle of Svolder, Viking Age. 1379 - Treaty of Neuberg, splitting the Austrian Year 1754 ( MDCCLIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or Events 43 BC - Marcus Tullius Cicero assassinated 1696 - Connecticut Route 108, one of the oldest highways Year 1817 ( MDCCCXVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) He is best known as "Captain Bligh" of Mutiny on the Bounty fame. For the book about the mutiny by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall see Mutiny on the Bounty (novel. The mutiny was against his command, and he is well remembered for the remarkable voyage he made to Timor, after being set adrift by the mutineers in the Bounty's launch. Timor is an Island at the south end of the Malay Archipelago, north of the Timor Sea. Many years after the Bounty mutiny, he was appointed Governor of New South Wales, with a brief to clean up the corrupt rum trade of the NSW Corps. The Governor of New South Wales is the representative in the Australian state of New South Wales of Australia's monarch, Elizabeth II, This culminated in the Rum Rebellion led by Major George Johnston working closely with John Macarthur. The Rum Rebellion, also known as the Rum Puncheon Rebellion of 1808 was the only successful armed takeover of government in Australia's recorded history George Bain Johnston (c 19 March 1764 – January 5 1823 was briefly Lieutenant-Governor of New South Wales, Australia after leading the rebellion later known as John Macarthur (1766 – 11 April 1834 was a soldier entrepreneur politician and pioneer of the Australian Wool industry

Early life

Bligh was born in St Tudy near Bodmin^[1] in Cornwall to Cornish parents, Francis and Jane Bligh (née Balsam) ^[2]. For the saint see Tudy of Landevennec. St Tudy is a small village close to Bodmin Moor in North Cornwall, England Bodmin (Bosvenegh is a Town in Cornwall, United Kingdom, with a population of 12778 (2001 census He was signed up for the Royal Navy in 1761, at the age of seven, in the same town. Year 1761 ( MDCCLXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a It was common practice to sign on a "young gentleman" simply in order to rack up the required years of service for quick promotion. In 1770, at the age of 16, he joined HMS Hunter as an able seaman, the term being used only because there was no vacancy for a midshipman. Year 1770 ( MDCCLXX) was a Common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Friday Royal Navy In the Royal Navy in the middle of the 18th century the term Able Seaman (abbreviated AB) referred to a Seaman with at For the fish called midshipman see Midshipman fish. The rank of midshipman is one of the oldest ranks still in existence He became a midshipman early in the following year of 1771. Year 1771 ( MDCCLXXI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a In September 1771, Bligh was transferred to the Crescent and remained on that ship for three years.

In 1776, Bligh was selected by Captain James Cook for the position of Sailing Master on the Resolution and accompanied Captain Cook in July 1776 on Cook's third and fatal voyage to the Pacific. Year 1776 ( MDCCLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Captain James Cook FRS RN ( – 14 February 1779) was an English Explorer, Navigator and He reached England again at the end of 1780 and was able to give further details of Cook's last voyage. Year 1780 ( MDCCLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a

Bligh married Elizabeth Betham, the daughter of a Customs Collector, on 4 February 1781, at the age of 26. Events 211 - Roman Emperor Septimius Severus dies leaving the Roman Empire in the hands of his two quarrelsome sons Year 1781 ( MDCCLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The wedding took place at Onchan, on the Isle of Man. Onchan (pronounced onk-an is a Village (Kione Droghad – Bridge End in parish of Onchan in the Isle of Man. The Isle of Man (Ellan Vannin ˈɛlʲən ˈvanɪn or Mann (Mannin) is a self-governing Crown dependency, located in the Irish Sea at the geographical A few days later, he was appointed to serve on HMS Belle Poule as its master. Soon after this, in August 1781, he fought in the Battle of Dogger Bank under Admiral Parker. Year 1781 ( MDCCLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Precursor to the action The Netherlands having now joined the allies the British government was compelled to withdraw part of its fleet from other purposes to protect the North Sea For others of the same name see Hyde Parker Vice-Admiral Sir Hyde Parker 5th Baronet ( February 25, 1714 For the next 18 months, he was a lieutenant on various ships. He also fought with Lord Howe at Gibraltar in 1782. Richard Howe 1st Earl Howe KG ( 8 March, 1726 &ndash 5 August, 1799) was a British Admiral, notable in particular Gibraltar (dʒɨˈbrɒltər is a British overseas territory located near the southernmost tip of the Iberian Peninsula overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar Year 1782 ( MDCCLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common

Between 1783 and 1787, Bligh was a captain in the merchant service. In 1787 Bligh was selected as commander of the Bounty. Bligh would eventually rise to the rank of Vice Admiral in the Royal Navy. Vice Admiral is a naval rank equivalent to Lieutenant General in seniority The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service)

Naval career

William Bligh's naval career consisted of a variety of appointments and assignments. He first rose to historical prominence as Master of HMS Resolution, under the command of Captain Cook. Bligh received praise from Cook during what would end up to be Cook's final voyage. A summary is as follows:

The voyage of the Bounty

In 1787, Bligh took command of the Bounty. Year 1787 ( MDCCLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common In order to win a premium offered by the RSA he first sailed to Tahiti to obtain breadfruit trees, then set course for the Caribbean, where breadfruit was wanted for experiments to see whether it would be a successful food crop for slaves there. The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts Manufactures and Commerce ( RSA) is a British multi-disciplinary institution based in London. Tahiti is the largest Island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the Archipelago of Society Islands in the Breadfruit ( Artocarpus altilis) is a Tree and Fruit native to the Malay Peninsula and western Pacific islands The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting The Bounty never reached the Caribbean, as mutiny broke out on board shortly after leaving Tahiti. Mutiny is a conspiracy among members of a group of similarly-situated individuals (typically members of the Military; or the Crew of any ship even

The voyage to Tahiti was difficult. After trying unsuccessfully for a month to round Cape Horn, the Bounty was finally defeated by the notoriously stormy weather and forced to take the long way around the Cape of Good Hope. Cabo de Hornos redirects here for the Chilean commune see Cabo de Hornos Chile. The Cape of Good Hope ( Afrikaans: Kaap die Goeie Hoop, Kaap de Goede Hoop Cabo da Boa Esperança Persian Language: دماغه امید نیک That delay resulted in a further delay in Tahiti, as they had to wait five months for the breadfruit plants to mature enough to be transported. The Bounty departed Tahiti in April 1789.

Since it was rated only as a cutter, the Bounty had no officers other than Bligh himself (who was then only a lieutenant), a very small crew, and no Marines to provide protection from hostile inhabitants during stops or to enforce security on board ship. When used in a nautical sense a cutter is a small single-masted vessel Fore-and-aft rigged with two or more Headsails a Bowsprit, and To allow longer uninterrupted sleep, Bligh divided his crew into three watches instead of two, and placed his protégé Fletcher Christian — rated as a Master's Mate — in charge of one of the watches. Fletcher Christian ( September 25, 1764 &ndash October 3, 1793) was a Master's Mate on board the ''Bounty'' during The mutiny, which broke out during the return voyage on 28 April 1789, was led by Christian and supported by a third of the crew, who had seized firearms during Christian's night watch and then surprised and bound Bligh in his cabin. For the book about the mutiny by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall see Mutiny on the Bounty (novel. Events 1192 - Assassination of Conrad of Montferrat (Conrad I King of Jerusalem, in Tyre, two days after his title Year 1789 ( MDCCLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common

Despite being in the majority, none of the loyalists seemed to have put up any significant struggle once they saw Bligh bound, and the ship was taken without bloodshed. The mutineers provided Bligh and the eighteen of his crew who remained loyal with a 23 foot (7 m) launch (so heavily loaded that the sides were only a few inches above the water), with four cutlasses and food and water for a few days to reach the most accessible ports, a sextant and a pocket watch, but no charts or compass. A marine chronometer is a timekeeper precise enough to be used as a portable Time standard; it can therefore be used to determine Longitude by means of Celestial The launch could not hold all the loyal crew members, and four were detained on the Bounty by the mutineers for their useful skills; these were later released at Tahiti. Tahiti is the largest Island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the Archipelago of Society Islands in the

Tahiti was upwind from Bligh's initial position, and was the obvious destination of the mutineers. Many of the loyalists claimed to have heard the mutineers cry "Huzzah for Otaheite!" as the Bounty pulled away. Timor was the nearest European outpost. Bligh and his crew did make for Tofua first, to obtain supplies. Tofua Island Tofua has a population of about fifty They are there primarily to grow Kava ( Piper methysticum) for export to Tongatapu. There they were attacked by hostile natives and a crewman was killed. After fleeing Tofua, Bligh didn't dare stop at the next islands (the Fiji islands), as he had no weapons for defense and expected further hostile receptions. Fiji (Matanitu ko Viti फ़िजी officially the Republic of the Fiji Islands (Matanitu Tu-Vaka-i-koya ko Viti फ़िजी द्वीप समूह गणराज्य

Bligh had confidence in his navigational skills, which he had perfected under the instruction of Captain Cook. Captain James Cook FRS RN ( – 14 February 1779) was an English Explorer, Navigator and His first responsibility was to survive and get word of the mutiny as soon as possible to British vessels that could pursue the mutineers. Thus, he undertook the seemingly-impossible 3618 nautical mile (6701 km) voyage to Timor. Timor is an Island at the south end of the Malay Archipelago, north of the Timor Sea. In this remarkable act of seamanship, Bligh succeeded in reaching Timor after a 47-day voyage, with the only casualty being the crewman killed on Tofua. Ironically, several of the men who survived this ordeal with him soon died of sickness, possibly malaria, in the pestilential Dutch East Indies port of Batavia, as they waited for transport to Britain. See http//enwikipediaorg/wiki/WikipediaFootnotes for an explanation of how to generate footnotes using the tags and the template below Jakarta (also DKI Jakarta) is the Capital and largest city of Indonesia.

To this day, the reasons for the mutiny are a subject of considerable debate. Some believe that Bligh was a cruel tyrant whose abuse of the crew led members of the crew to feel that they had no choice but to take the ship from Bligh. Others believe that the crew, inexperienced and unused to the rigours of the sea and, after having been exposed to freedom and sexual excess on the island of Tahiti, refused to return to the "Jack Tars" existence of a seaman. Jack Tar was a common English term used to refer to seamen of the Merchant or Royal Navy, particularly during the period of the British They were "led" by a weak Fletcher Christian and were only too happy to be free from Bligh's acid tongue. They believe that the crew took the ship from Bligh so that they could return to a life of comfort and pleasure on Tahiti. Bligh returned to London arriving in March 1790. Year 1790 ( MDCCXC) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year

The Bounty's log shows that Bligh resorted to punishments relatively sparingly. He scolded when other captains would have whipped and whipped when other captains would have hanged. He was an educated man, deeply interested in science, convinced that good diet and sanitation were necessary for the welfare of his crew. He took a great interest in his crew's exercise, was very careful about the quality of their food, and insisted upon the Bounty being kept very clean. He tried (unsuccessfully) to check the spread of venereal disease among them. The flaw in this otherwise enlightened naval officer was, as J. C. Beaglehole wrote: "[Bligh made] dogmatic judgements which he felt himself entitled to make; he saw fools about him too easily. . . thin-skinned vanity was his curse through life. . . [Bligh] never learnt that you do not make friends of men by insulting them. "

Popular fiction often confuses Bligh with Edward Edwards of HMS Pandora, who was sent on the Royal Navy's expedition to the South Pacific to find the mutineers and bring them to trial. HMS Pandora was a 24-gun Porcupine class Frigate of the Royal Navy, built by Adams and Barnard at Deptford, England and Edwards was allegedly every bit the cruel manthat Bligh was accused of being; the 14 men that he captured were confined in a cramped 18' x 11' x 5' 8" wooden cell on the Pandora's quarterdeck. When the Pandora ran aground on the Great Barrier Reef, 4 of the prisoners and 31 of the crew were killed. The Great Barrier Reef is the largest Coral reef system in the world composed of over 2900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for 2600 kilometres (1600 mi The prisoners would have all perished, had not William Moulter, a bosun's mate, unlocked their cage before jumping off the sinking vessel.

In October 1790, Bligh was honourably acquitted at the court-martial inquiring the loss of the Bounty. Year 1790 ( MDCCXC) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Shortly thereafter, A Narrative of the Mutiny on board His Majesty's Ship "Bounty" was published. Of the 10 surviving prisoners, eventually brought home in spite of the Pandora's loss, four were acquitted, due to Bligh's testimony that they were non-mutineers that Bligh was obliged to leave on the Bounty due to lack of space in the launch. Two others were convicted because, while not participating in the mutiny, they were passive and did not resist. They subsequently received royal pardons. One was convicted but excused on a technicality. The remaining three were convicted and hanged.

William Bligh, pictured in his 1792 account of the Mutiny voyage, A Voyage to the South Sea, available from Project Gutenberg

Bligh's Letter to his Wife

The following is a letter to Bligh's wife, written from Coupang, Dutch East Indies, (circa June 1791) in which the first reference to events on the Bounty is mentioned. Project Gutenberg, abbreviated as PG, is a volunteer effort to Digitize, archive and distribute Cultural works

My Dear, Dear Betsy, I am now in a part of the world I never expected, it is however a place that has afforded me relief and saved my life, and I have the happiness to assure you that I am now in perfect health. . . Know then my own Dear Betsy, that I have lost the Bounty. . . on the 28th April at day light in the morning Christian having the morning watch. He with several others came into my Cabin while I was a Sleep, and seizing me, holding naked Bayonets at my Breast, tied my Hands behind my back, and threatened instant destruction if I uttered a word. I however call'd loudly for assistance, but the conspiracy was so well laid that the Officers Cabbin Doors were guarded by Centinels, so Nelson, Peckover, Samuels or the Master could not come to me. I was now dragged on Deck in my Shirt & closely guarded -- I demanded of Christian the case of such a violent act, & severely degraded for his Villainy but he could only answer -- "not a word sir or you are Dead. " I dared him to the act & endeavored to rally some one to a sense of their duty but to no effect. . . The Secrisy of this Mutiny is beyond all conception so that I can not discover that any who are with me had the least knowledge of it. Even Mr. Tom Ellison took such a liking to Otaheite [Tahiti] that he also turned Pirate, so that I have been run down by my own Dogs. . . My misfortune I trust will be properly considered by all the World -- It was a circumstance I could not foresee -- I had not sufficient Officers & had they granted me Marines most likely the affair would never have happened -- I had not a Spirited & brave fellow about me & the Mutineers treated them as such. My conduct has been free of blame, & I showed everyone that, tied as I was, I defied every Villain to hurt me. . . I know how shocked you will be at this affair but I request of you My Dear Betsy to think nothing of it all is now past & we will again looked forward to future happyness. Nothing but true consciousness as an Officer that I have done well could support me. . . . Give my blessings to my Dear Harriet, my Dear Mary, my Dear Betsy & to my Dear little stranger* & tell them I shall soon be home. . . To You my Love I give all that an affectionate Husband can give -- Love, Respect & all that is or ever will be in the power of your
ever affectionate Friend and Husband Wm Bligh. ^[3]

[* The Blighs' fourth child, another daughter, born a few months after Lt. Bligh sailed from England]

The Second Breadfruit Voyage

After his exoneration by the Court Martial inquiry into the loss of the Bounty, Bligh remained in the British navy. From 1791-1793, as master and commander of HMS Providence and in company with HMS Assistance, he undertook again to transport breadfruit from Tahiti to the West Indies. Eleven ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Providence. Breadfruit ( Artocarpus altilis) is a Tree and Fruit native to the Malay Peninsula and western Pacific islands Tahiti is the largest Island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the Archipelago of Society Islands in the The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting ^[4] The operation was successful, and breadfruit is a popular food in the West Indies to this day. ^[5] During this voyage Bligh also collected samples of the ackee fruit of Jamaica, introducing it to the Royal Society in Britain upon his return. The Ackee or Akee ( Blighia sapida) is a member of the Sapindaceae ( Soapberry family native to Tropical Jamaica (ˈdʒəˈmeɪkə} is an Island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width situated in the Caribbean Sea. The Royal Society of London for the Improvement of Natural Knowledge, known simply as The Royal Society, is a Learned society for science that was founded in 1660 The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located ^[6] The ackee's scientific name Blighia sapida in binomial nomenclature was given in honour of Bligh.

Subsequent career

In 1797 Bligh was one of the captains whose crews mutinied over "issues of pay and involuntary service for common seamen" during the Spithead mutiny. Year 1797 ( MDCCXCVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Spithead and Nore mutinies were two major mutinies by sailors of the Royal Navy in 1797 ^[7] Despite receiving some of their demands at Spithead, disputes over navy life continued among the common sailors. Bligh was again one of the captains affected during the mutiny at the Royal Navy anchorage of Nore. The Spithead and Nore mutinies were two major mutinies by sailors of the Royal Navy in 1797 "Bligh became more directly involved in the Nore Mutiny", which "failed to achieve its goals of a fairer division of prize money and an end to brutality. "^[7] It should be noted that these events were not triggered by any specific actions by Bligh as they "were widespread, [and] involved a fair number of English ships". ^[7] It was at this time that he learned "that his common nickname among men in the fleet was 'that Bounty bastard'. "^[7]

Bligh went on to serve under Admiral Nelson at the Battle of Copenhagen on 2 April 1801, in command of HMS Glatton, a 56-gun ship of the line, which was experimentally fitted exclusively with carronades. Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson 1st Viscount Nelson 1st Duke of Bronté, KB (29 September 1758– 21 October 1805 was a British Events 68 - Galba, Governor of Hispania, names himself legatus senatus populique Romani, breaking the line of Year 1801 ( MDCCCI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Tuesday The carronade was a short Smoothbore, Cast iron Cannon, developed for the Royal Navy by the Carron Company, an Ironworks After the battle, Bligh was personally praised by Nelson for his contribution to the victory. He sailed Glatton safely between the banks while three other vessels ran aground. When Nelson pretended not to notice Admiral Parker's signal "43" (stop the battle) and kept the signal "16" hoisted continue the engagement, Bligh was the only captain in the squadron who could see that the two signals were in conflict. By choosing to fly Nelson's signal, he ensured that all the vessels behind him kept fighting.

As captain of HMS Director, at the Battle of Camperdown, Bligh engaged three Dutch vessels: the Haarlem, the Alkmaar and the Vrijheid. The Battle of Camperdown ( 11 October 1797) was a British naval victory in the North Sea over the Dutch during the French While the Dutch suffered serious casualties, only 7 seamen were wounded in Director.

A propaganda cartoon of Bligh's arrest in Sydney in 1808, portraying Bligh as a coward

Bligh was offered the position of Governor of New South Wales by Sir Joseph Banks and appointed in March 1805, at £2,000 per annum, twice the pay of the retiring Governor Philip Gidley King. Propaganda is a concerted set of messages aimed at influencing the opinions or behaviors of large numbers of people Sydney (ˈsɪdniː is the most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 4 The Governor of New South Wales is the representative in the Australian state of New South Wales of Australia's monarch, Elizabeth II, Sir Joseph Banks 1st Baronet, GCB, PRS (13 February 1743 &ndash 19 June 1820 was an English naturalist, botanist and patron of Philip Gidley King RN (23 April 1758 &ndash 3 September 1808 was an British naval officer and colonial administrator He arrived in Sydney in August 1806, to become the fourth governor. Sydney (ˈsɪdniː is the most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 4 There he suffered another mutiny, the Rum Rebellion, when, on 26 January 1808, the New South Wales Corps under Major George Johnston marched on Government House and arrested him. The Rum Rebellion, also known as the Rum Puncheon Rebellion of 1808 was the only successful armed takeover of government in Australia's recorded history Events 1340 - King Edward III of England is declared King of France. Year 1808 ( MDCCCVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year The New South Wales Corps (aka The Rum Corps was formed in England in 1789 as permanent regiment to relieve the marines who had accompanied the First Fleet George Bain Johnston (c 19 March 1764 – January 5 1823 was briefly Lieutenant-Governor of New South Wales, Australia after leading the rebellion later known as He sailed to Hobart in HMS Porpoise, failed to gain support to retake control of the colony and remained effectively imprisoned on board from 1808 until January 1810. Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania.

Bligh sailed from Hobart and arrived in Sydney on 17 January 1810 to collect evidence for the upcoming Court Martial of Major George Johnston. Events 38 BC - Octavian marries Livia Drusilla. 1287 - King Alfonso III of Aragon invades Minorca Year 1810 ( MDCCCX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year He departed for the trial in Britain in HMS Porpoise on 12 May 1810 and arrived on 25 October 1810. Events 1191 - Richard I of England marries Berengaria of Navarre. Year 1810 ( MDCCCX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Events 1147 - The Portuguese, under Afonso I, and Crusaders from England and Flanders conquer Lisbon after a Year 1810 ( MDCCCX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year The Court Martial sentenced Johnston to be cashiered, a form of disgraceful dismissal that entailed surrendering his commission in the Royal Marines without compensation. The Royal Marines ( RM) are the marine corps and amphibious Infantry of the United Kingdom and along with the Royal Navy Soon after, Bligh received a backdated promotion to Rear Admiral, and in 1814 he was promoted again, to Vice Admiral of the Blue. Rear admiral is a Naval Commissioned officer rank above that of a Commodore and Captain, and below that of a Vice Admiral. Year 1814 ( MDCCCXIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks of the highest Naval officers

Bligh designed the North Bull Wall at the mouth of the River Liffey in Dublin, to prevent the blockage of Dublin Port by the formation of a sandbar. The Liffey ( An Life in Irish) is a River in Ireland, which flows through the centre of Dublin. Dublin (ˈdʌblɨn/ /ˈdʊblɨn or /ˈdʊbəlɪn/, bˠalʲə aːha klʲiəh or cliə(ɸ is both the largest city and capital of Ireland. Dublin Port (Port Átha Cliath is Ireland 's biggest Sea port. A shoal or sandbar (also called sandbank) is a somewhat Linear Landform within or extending into a body of Water,

Bligh died in Bond Street, London on 6 December 1817 and was buried in a family plot at St. Bond Street is a major shopping street in London which runs through Mayfair from Piccadilly in the south to Oxford Street in the north London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Events 1060 - Béla I of Hungary is crowned king of Hungary 1240 - Mongol invasion of Rus: Kiev Year 1817 ( MDCCCXVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Mary's, Lambeth. Lambeth is a place in the London Borough of Lambeth, although the area is now more commonly known as Waterloo, after the railway station whose viaduct separates the (This church is now the Museum of Garden History. The Museum of Garden History is based in the deconsecrated parish church of St Mary-at-Lambeth adjacent to Lambeth Palace on the south bank of the River Thames in ) His tomb, notable for its use of Coade stone, is topped by a breadfruit. Coade stone was a Ceramic material that has been described as an Artificial stone. A plaque marks Bligh's house, one block east of the Museum.

Trivia

• One of Bligh's descendants is Queensland's first female Premier Anna Bligh. Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern corner of the mainland continent See Premiers of the Australian states for a description and history of the office of Premier Anna Maria Bligh (born 14 July 1960 is an Australian politician and the current Premier of Queensland. [1]
• In Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch's short story, Frenchman's Creek, Bligh appears as a foul-mouthed, hot tempered bully, who is taken for a French spy while surveying the Helford River in Cornwall. Sir Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch (ˌkwɪlɚˈkuʧ ( 21 November 1863 - 12 May 1944) was a Cornish writer, who published under the [2]

References

• Christopher Lloyd, St. Vincent & Camperdown, B. T. Batsford Ltd. , London, 1963.
• Atlas of Maritime History. ISBN 0-8317-0485-3.
• G. P. Bom Hgz, D'VRIJHEID, Amsterdam, 1897.
• Gavin Kennedy, Bligh,
• Serle, Percival (1949). "Bligh, William". Dictionary of Australian Biography. The Dictionary of Australian Biography, published in 1949, is a reference work by Percival Serle containing information on notable people associated with Sydney: Angus and Robertson.  

Further reading

• Alexander, Caroline. The Bounty: The True Story of the Mutiny on the Bounty, Viking Penguin, 2003, hardcover, 512 pages, ISBN 0-670-03133-X.
• Bligh, William. The Bounty Mutiny: Captain William Bligh's Firsthand Account of the Last Voyage of HMS Bounty. St Petersburg, Florida: Red and Black Publishers, 2008. ISBN 978-1-934941-06-5
• Conway, Christiane (2005). Letters from the Isle of Man - The Bounty-Correspondence of Nessy and Peter Heywood. The Manx Experience. ISBN 1-873120-77-X.
• Dening, Greg. Mr Bligh's Bad Language: passion, power and theatre on the Bounty (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992). Reprinted 1994 in the Canto series, ISBN 0-521-46718-7.
• McKinney, Sam. Bligh: A True Account of the Mutiny Abord His Majesty's Ship Bounty, International Marine Publishing Company, 1989, hardcover, 210 pages, ISBN 0-87742-981-2.
• Mackaness, George. The life of Vice-Admiral William Bligh, R. N. , F. R. S. [New and rev. ed. ]. Sydney, Angus and Robertson, [1951].
• Schreiber, Roy. "Captain Bligh's Second Chance: An eyewitness account of his return to the south seas by Lt George Tobin", UNSW Press, 2007, paperback, 208 pages, http://www.unireps.com.au/isbn/0868408468.htm.
• Toohey, John. Captain Bligh's Portable Nightmare, London: Fourth Estate, 1999. ISBN 1-84115-078-9.

External links

• Works by William Bligh at Project Gutenberg, including:
  • A Narrative Of The Mutiny, On Board His Majesty's Ship Bounty, 1790
  • A Voyage to the South Sea, 1792
• Portraits of Bligh in the National Portrait Gallery, London. Project Gutenberg, abbreviated as PG, is a volunteer effort to Digitize, archive and distribute Cultural works
• Norfolk Island Your Island Home.
• Royal Naval Museum.
• The Saga of HMS Bounty and Pitcairn Island.
• The Extraordinary Life, Times and Travels of Vice-Admiral William Bligh. A major on-line biography of Bligh based around a dramatically illustrated graphic novel in ten chapters. Produced by Film Art Doco with assistance from the Australian Film Commission and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The Australian Film Commission was an Australian government agency with a mandate to promote the creation and distribution of films in Australia as well as to preserve the country's The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly abbreviated to the 'ABC' is Australia's national public broadcaster.
• William Bligh's official HMS Bounty logbook - State Library of NSW
• A. G. L. Shaw, 'Bligh, William (1754 - 1817)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 1, MUP, 1966, pp 118-122. The Australian Dictionary of Biography (ADB or AuDB is a multi-volume project published by Melbourne University Press. Melbourne University Publishing (MUP is the book publishing arm of the University of Melbourne ( Australia) ]
• There is a display devoted to Bligh at the Museum of Garden History.