The arrival of the Pitcairn Islanders on Norfolk in 1856 was a sequel to one of the most famous shipboard mutinies ever, the Mutiny of the Bounty.

These events have been recorded, argued about and celebrated ever since. Lieutenant Fletcher Christian led the dramatic seizing of the British Vessel off Tonga. Captain William Bligh was then cast adrift in a small open boat with eighteen officers and men on an incredible voyage which finally ended thousands of kilometres away in Timor.

After a crazy back and forth route past such islands as Rarotonga, Tonga and Fiji, as well as picking up twelve women, six men and a baby girl from Tahiti, they eventually landed at Pitcairn Island in January 1790.

For almost 20 years the community on Pitcairn Island remained undisturbed. In 1808 Captain Folger, of the American whaler "Topaz" discovered the Pitcairn community. At this time it consisted of John Adams (the only remaining mutineer), nine Tahitian women and 25 caucasian-polynesian children. Folger reported a community where nobody stole or lied, all worked for the common good and were devoutly Christian.

The British Government was too preoccupied with Napoleon at that time to follow up Folger's report.

In 1814 the community was once again accidentally discovered - this time by two British ships, the "Tagus" and the "Briton", the captains of which reported their findings to the British Government. The Pitcairners became famous throughout the English-speaking world but remained isolated from it.

The Pitcairners received only three outsiders permanently into their community during their time on that island, though others, like the offensive Joshua Hill, tried to stay. In 1823 John Buffett and John Evans remained on the island after their whaling ship called in. In 1828 George Hunn Nobbs, a soldier-of-fortune, arrived on Pitcairn. Nobbs eventually became the community's pastor and was ordained at the Parish Church of Saint Mary's, Islington, England, and was given an audience with Queen Victoria.

In 1825 the Captain of the "Blossom" carried back to England a request from John Adams that the British Government give some thought to relocating the community which was rapidly outgrowing the resources of Pitcairn Island. In 1831 the Pitcairn community was shifted to Tahiti for about five months but returned to Pitcairn after being disgusted with the un-christian Tahitian community.

It was not until 1855, however, that the British Government offered another choice to the Pitcairn community. Norfolk Island's dreadful second penal settlement had been disbanded and the island was handed to the people of Pitcairn as a permanent home, by an Imperial Order-In-Council in June, 1856.

On May 3, 1856, the Queen of England gave permission to settle on Norfolk Island, and the entire population of Pitcairn Island (194 islanders) along with everything they owned began the voyage. It is the descendants of the Pitcainers who live on Norfolk today.

On the 8^th June 1856, the Morayshire arrived at Norfolk where they were met by the Commissariat Storekeeper and his wife. This day became Bounty Day, also known as Anniversary Day and it is celebrated every 8^th June by the Norfolk Island community.