Our Whaling Heritage

We recently received a donation from Di Adams of some whale oil in two old bottles - one a very 1960’s or 70’s style Schweppes Low Calorie Lemonade bottle complete with a plastic topped cork stopper! The oil had come from her father George ‘Mack’ Adams, who had worked in the early whaling industry, as had his brother Charles ‘Pat’ Adams. A number of years ago Pat wrote down his account of an accident that occurred in 1939 aboard the whale boat “Lanic”. His son Robert, ‘Punga’ Adams, kindly donated a copy to the museum. There are so many stories that come from Norfolk’s whaling past – and the museum has a number of objects on display to help with their telling. However reading Pat’s account of what it was actually like out there in the open sea in one of the New Bedford style whale boats really highlights the dangers faced and the skill of the Norfolk men in those early whaling days:

“It was late 1938 Whaling Season that I took the place of my Grandfather, John (Rigger) Adams, as a crew in the boat “Gwendoline”, built by the late Mr Tom (Pert) Quintal, named after Gwendoline Menzies, now Mrs Bert Bergagnin. The boat captained by Thornton (Bobo) Yager with his crew, Boatsteer, William (Mancy) Edwards, Augustine (Hares) Adams, Victor (Mate Bob) Edwards, Tom (Farmer) Quintal, Ernest (Bera) Quintal and myself Charlie (Pat) Adams. There were two other boats in the Company, Louis Battaile’s “Advance” and Nathan (Shunnah) Quintal’s “Lanic”.

1939. I had a full season and it was a wonderful experience which I will never forget. The day commenced at 8.00am. As soon as the boats are cleared of the jetty, the Captain or some other crew member would offer a prayer, asking for the safety of the boats and its crews – then again at lunch time Grace was always said.

Early one morning we were the first boat launched – about 500yds out from the Cascade Jetty, a school of whales came up alongside the boat – our Boatsteerer immediately harpoon a whale, and the boat was Fast .

It was one o’clock before the “Advance” and “Lanic” caught up with us, some of the experienced boatmen took a few of our places in the fast boat, Gus (Hares) and myself were transferred to the “Lanic”. It was soon noticed that the harpoon rope was wrapped around the whale’s tail, making it hard for those trying to kill the whale getting near enough to lance it. So we in the “Lanic” was given the job to try and get a harpoon into the whale – Gus (Hares) Adams was in the Captain’s position and Jimmy (Bill) Edwards Boatsteerer.

Suddenly the whale surfaced, hitting the “Lanic”, knocking Andrew (Peak) Evans into the water, and myself up into the Rope Tub. On sounding, the whale once again hit the “Lanic”, taking a V shape out of the boat where I was rowing, before I was knocked into the Rope Tub. Henry (Seymour) Buffett who was rowing the Midship Oar, the oar was broken when the whale hit it, Henry had ribs broken and he was badly injured, he was worried with the injury for the rest of his life. The “Lanic” was badly holed and Ernest (Reuben) Christian, Andrew (Peak) Evans and myself was given the task to sail the “Lanic” with Henry Buffett, injured, back to Cascade Jetty.

We were about seven miles off Steele’s Point, only able to use the jib sail, as we had to be careful to keep the water from entering the boat – luckily the sea was calm. We had the Distress flag, or Wave, up and those on the cliffs soon picked the Wave up, and knew we have had an accident. A few miles from shore Darky Douran, in his launch “Gordina” took us in tow and safely landed us at Cascades. Unfortunately the whale was lost after nine hours of hard work.

There were only two boats available for a week until the “Lanic” was repaired. There is a movie film of this Fast Boat and accident to the “Lanic”, taken by the late Jimmy Mitchell and his daughter, Pat Magri, may still have it.

After each whale is safely handed over to the Shore Crews, the boat crews and those on shore and on the cliff tops would sing the ‘Doxology’, “Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow”. And when we are towing late in the evenings people would light fires on the cliffs to help pilot us to land. Thus the wonderful old Whaling Hymn “Let the Lower Lights Be Burning” was always sung.

Sadly after the passing of my great friend and mate, Charles (Tene) Menzies, a few years ago, I think I am the last of the “Old Hand Harpoon Whalers”, boat crew.

We've got a new Web Site!

Last year Stephen Clarke, son of Peter, and the Museum Trust agreed to spend some of the profits from The Trial of the Fifteen play, on upgrading our museum web site. The finished product has just gone live, and we are more than thrilled with the results.

The look of the site is the handiwork of local designer Haylee Fieldes, who also updated our logo, brochure and signage last year. She has given us a fresh, up-to-date and very user friendly site. The site and all our marketing materials have been designed to ‘fit’ with the “World Of Norfolk” branding. This has already brought us great results as sales of Museum Passes and tours have increased by 7% this financial year, despite a downturn in visitor numbers. With more and more visitors researching and booking their holidays on-line it is important that we have a good web presence. Details of all our venues, tickets and tours are explained and we hope that bookings will be made before visitors even arrive on Norfolk.

A feature of the site is to highlight a number of objects in the collection. Museums around the world are making their collections available on-line and this is our first, albeit small, attempt to get some of our stories onto the web site. Over time we will put new objects up and eventually hope to include a searchable feature of our entire database. The stories of our island are told through these objects, and we hope that people researching the island through the web site will get a taste of the richness of our history and local culture. 

Funding for this site was not available within our regular budget. It has only been made possible due to the generosity of the late Peter Clarke. He allowed us to perform the play The Trial of the Fifteen with no royalties paid. There is a special arrangement where the profits are to be used for projects that fall outside our regular operational costs. One of the pages on the site is a tribute to Peter Clarke appropriately thanking him for his generosity to the museum over many years. Peter’s son Stephen chose to continue with the same arrangement and we thank him for agreeing to have this project funded.

Please check out the site at: http://norfolkislandmuseum.com.au and let others know about the site as well. We welcome your feedback so please let us know what you think.

New Menu at the REO Cafe and Bookshop

From this Monday come on down to the REO Café and Bookshop to taste some of our delicious new winter menu – hearty wetls for yorle’s pleasure! With a fun convict theme we are pleased to present “Ye olde traditional bill o’fare”. The new menu has Full Rations and Half Rations fare. 

If you’re feeling hungry you’ll definitely be tempted by our Full Rations selection which includes Pot Riot Casserole (in memory of the Cooking Pot Riot of 1846) – a hearty beef casserole slow-baked in rich gravy with crusty bread for dunking. The Kingston Chicken Pie is perhaps for the Officers and their wives? – a tasty chicken casserole set in a light pastry and served piping hot. Gluten free options include the Red Coat Salad – an olde English style salad based on beans with garden fresh vegetables. Or for those very cold days, you really can’t go past the thick West County Wynter Soup – to keep the cold out this soup is simmered long and slow for that full flavour and served with crusty bread.  

Carlie and Barb ready to take your order!

 If you’re after something lighter then our Half Rations will suffice. Ye Olde Sandwich courtesy of the Earl of Sandwich himself, is far too good for the convicts! A Chain-Gang Cornish Fritter is a gluten free option and a favourite for the men in the fields. Another gluten free option is the Norfolk Sullen’s Salad – a fresh local salad using local produce served with our favourite home-made condensed milk mayonnaise. And of course, who can pass by a bowl of Chypes – crispy fried potato chips served with Bloody Bridge Sauce! On top of all this you’ll find a great selection of daily specials which may include dishes such as 1788 Settler’s Pie (a delicious home-style cottage pie), Tahitian Fish, Savoury Eggs or Vegetarian Lentil Patties.

Of course there will be extra privileges for Ye Sweettooth including Devonshire Tea, Bread and Butter or Creamy Rice Pudding and Island Coconut Pie. A selection of Her Majesty’s favourite dainty home-made biscuits and slices are always a treat with a hot cuppa tea or coffee.

So there is no reason to delay – come on down to the REO Café and Bookshop for a fabulous, hearty and thoroughly entertaining meal! We are open 9.00am to 3.00pm Monday to Friday and often on Saturday’s as well.

Cannon Ball Conservation

Following on from last week’s call for locals to let us know about the historic objects they may have in their personal care that may require conservation treatment – here is the story of the conservation of some HMS Sirius cannon balls. Janelle Blucher carries out our conservation work – and as you’ll read, it’s been a careful, scientific and long term endeavour.

In December 2002, approximately 20 cannon balls from the HMS Sirius collection were in very poor condition: they were broken, fragmentary, friable and soft.  Some were held together with large areas of wax fill and contained in nylon mesh bags.  They were immersed in a tub of 2% caustic soda solution to desalinate and regular chloride readings were necessary to determine when this was complete.  Well over 8 years later with a few difficulties along the way, we are now happy to report that this treatment is now complete.

Chloride readings are well known to be problematic unless you are fortunate to have access to a chloridometer valued at approximately $6,000, which of course we do not. The original method of obtaining chloride readings was achieved by adding chloride to a solution sample, then adding Merouric Nitrate via a digital titrator until there was a noticeable change in colour of the solution, called the end point.  This method was used for some years however the ‘end point’ was continuously becoming unclear.

The Western Australian Museum suggested using the Quantab© Chloride Strip Method.  A strip is placed into the sample, the fluid rises up the strip forming silver chloride visually seen by a white column.  Once the strip is completely saturated, a moisture sensitive string across the top will turn blue, the reading can then be taken from the peak of the white column, which represents the Quantab© unit value, the value is referred to a table which converts units into salt concentration.  This method offered some success for a couple of years, however these strips are expensive and have a limited range. Unexplained large increases in chloride concentrations began in June 2009 - a battery of tests were carried out to trouble shoot the cause, however none could definitely be established. Contamination of the sodium hydroxide or the water were probable scenarios.

 An alternative chloride measurement technique was recommended by Don Brian, our Science Teacher at N.I.C.S., introduced in 2010 this titration method uses Silver nitrate that reacts with Chromate indicator ions, turning them from yellow to red. This provided an obvious ‘end point’ allowing accurate readings which have now led to deeming the desalination of our cannon balls complete. They are now receiving a number of washes in water to remove any chemical residue. Once this is complete the next step is to look at each one and determine whether wax consolidation or re gluing is required. This is all part of the long term, patient and well thought through work that occurs ‘behind the scenes’ in the museum every day as we care for these highly important collections.

Museum wins Gold Tourism Award

The Norfolk Island Museum won gold last night at the 2010 Norfolk Island Tourism Awards! We were thrilled to recieve the award in the Environment, History and Heritage Category.

The awards are the major tourism industry event for all those businesses involved in tourism on the island. Other categories are Tours and Activities (won by Baunti Escapes), Cafe (won by The Olive), Fine Dining (won by Dino's) and Accommodation (various winners from a range of 'star' ratings). Agnes Haines from The Travel Centre was awarded the Norfolk Island Toursim Champion Award for her 30 plus years contribution to the industry. A range of other awards were presented including Customer Service, Innovation of the Year and induction into the Toursim Hall of Fame.

The Museum worked hard during the award period (2009/10) to improve our displays, tours, advertising and customer service. During these difficult times as tourist numbers to the island have fallen, the museum has managed to maintain ticket sales and even increase sales in some areas. All museum staff should take credit for this award.

Caring for our Heritage

We are in the midst of National Heritage Week and KAVHA has been presenting a fabulous programme of talks and tours which run through till this coming Wednesday. To start the programme Robyn Ashcroft presented a talk on KAVHA’s significance as a World Heritage Site. She laid out the range of meanings of heritage, from small ‘h’ to capital ‘H’ heritage,  where small ‘h’ is that which is of value to ourselves and our families, working through to those things valued by a local community, a State or Territory, the Nation and then finally the World. Official recognition is given to those places that are of collective value through various Heritage Listings. Of course the KAVHA site has both National and World Heritage Listing.

On this very small island we have more than our fair share of objects that are of value and significance to Australia as a whole. Artefacts held at the Norfolk Island Museum and by many individuals in the local community form part of our common big ‘H’ Heritage – they ‘belong’ to us all as they help tell our stories and are the things that we want to pass on to future generations. There are various pieces of Legislation, both local and Commonwealth that protect the objects and sites that we value such as Moveable Cultural Heritage Acts, Historic Shipwrecks Act and Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act. However personal responsibility is also necessary for the care and protection of these objects.

On Norfolk many locals have had the opportunity to find important historical objects over the years – they may have come from the KAVHA area, their own backyard or off the reef. Because there is such importance in making sure that these objects survive over time, we are asking locals to let us know what they have and, where we can, to let us help with looking after them. We have already been able to offer conservation treatment to one local who contacted us to let us know that he has several Sirius objects. We were able to go and see them, provide treatments and will now maintain a regular check on them.

There can be serious consequences if these objects are not properly looked after. We recently received a call from the Australian National Maritime Museum informing us of a cannon ball that had been handed to them by the Australian Federal Police. Museum staff recently brought it back to Norfolk Island. The ball had been given to the Police by a person who said they had previously lived on Norfolk and had then taken it to the mainland when they moved (removing it to the mainland in this manner is illegal). They told the police it was a cannon ball from the Sirius. When the ball began to deteriorate they had no idea what to do with it. Luckily they handed it in – we can now save it from breaking up completely. The photograph shows the deteriorated state of the cannon ball alongside one from our collection that has been properly looked after and conserved.

While it can be exciting to hold these objects in our own possession, their wider value and significance should not be forgotten. They form part of all our common Heritage. Robyn said in her presentation, ‘Heritage is about the future’ – and these important historical objects need to be around for all our future generations. Please give us a call on 23788 if you have a Sirius, KAVHA or other historical object – we would welcome the opportunity to offer conservation treatment and advice.

Farewell to Deena Hattersley

Deena Hattersley shared her final sherry with the cast of The Trial of the Fifteen last Wednesday night before leaving the island to relocate to New Zealand. She has been the Director of ‘The Trial’ for all but about six months since it opened in mid 1999. Since then it has been performed twice weekly to over 35,000 visitors, travelled to Hobart, Melbourne and Sydney and been one of the top ‘must see’ attractions on Norfolk. A good measure of that success has been due to Deena’s steady influence and guidance as Director.

Deena has been responsible for training all the actors who have joined the cast over the years, as well as supporting long standing performers to keep their performances fresh and energised. Amazingly there are three actors in the current casts who have been with the show just a few months longer than Deena - that is from the very first performance – they are Peter Davidson, Teddy Evans and Ken Christian. We are extraordinarily lucky to have had the dedication and skill of these actors over all those years. Together with other long standing and newer cast members Louci Reynolds, Rachael McConnell, Rebecca Hayes, Darren Anderson and Geoff Griffiths the play has earned its reputation as a well acted show. 

Deena (centre) and the cast from The Trial of the Fifteen

 All the cast and staff at the Norfolk Island Museum say a huge ‘thankyou’ and wish Deena all the best back in New Zealand. We are also very pleased to announce and welcome Rose Stephens as the new Director and wish her every success.

For those who may not have seen the show, Peter Clarke’s script cleverly offers the opportunity to neatly capture the layers of Norfolk’s history through the trial of fifteen characters. From the Polynesian rat to the infamous John Price to our own Fletcher Christian – it’s an entertaining way to soak up our island’s story and is performed every Monday and Wednesday night at 4.45pm. The Museum Theatre is a wonderfully atmospheric building. It was the Protestant Chapel for convicts in the Second Settlement and the ‘trial’ setting uses original court room furniture made in 1896. The setting includes panelling, witness box, judge's bench and stairs, jury box and the accused box and is listed by the Australian Heritage Commission as a significant part of the National Estate. It was made by Dwight Allen, an American whaler who tendered 175 pounds for construction of a dock, jury box, panelling and judge's bench.

Bookings for The Trial of the Fifteen can be made at the REO Café and Bookshop, Baunti Escapes, the Tourist Bureau or by calling 23088.