Anniversary Day On
p. 36 · Read in the full issue
Norfolk Is.
Norfolk Is., June 12.
A PUBLIC HOLIDAY was declared on Friday, June 8, when the whole com munity here joined in the celebrations of our Anniversary Day, commemorating the day—78 years ago—when the 194 Pitcairn Islanders landed on Norfolk Island from the “Morayshire.”
As is the custom on the Island, a pageant giving glimpses of life on the “Bounty” had been arranged and early in the morning a squad of “bluejackets” marched into the courtyard and were inspected by the “Admiral” (Mr. C. R.
Christian), the “Captain” (Mr. E. Chris tian) and the “Master” (Mr. C. Christian).
The party then paraded to the Soldiers’
Memorial to place a wreath on the monu ment and after returning to the courtyard flag-pole stood smartly at attention while the Union Jack was unfurled. Later the “guard” was reviewed by the Adminis trator (Captain C. R. Pinney), his wife and Captain Eric Stopp, of the Adminis tration.
The annual cricket match between the Islanders (all bearing the names of the original Pitcairners) and the Mainlanders (not of Pitcairn origin) was played, while the ladies prepared an enormous feast for all the players and spectators. After lunch, served in the shadows of the court yard wall, the teams continued their match, which was won eventually by the Mainlanders.
In the evening Rawson Hall echoed to the merry tune of our orchestra, the happy laughter of the dancers and the lusty singing of the “bluejackets.”
And feo once again Anniversary Day has dawned and vanished into the ages—and reluctantly we have carefully stowed away the picturesque “bluejacket” uni forms and once again settled down to the prosaic business of planting, bean tran sactions, mail steamers and all the other realities so far removed from the glamour and romantic adventurousness of the “Bounty” and Pitcairn incidents.