One of the convict era lime kilns can still be seen intact nearby Emily Bay in Kingston.

You can look down into the kiln, which was dug into the earth and lined with stone. At the bottom you will see the port where the burnt lime was drawn out. Walk down the hill, circle to your right into the quarried-out area where the barbeques are, and you can see the port from the other side.

The lime kiln was fired to reduce coral sand rock to lime. This was used in cementing and plastering buildings. Lime/sand rough cast on external walls of porous limestone helped to keep out the damp.

The kiln was used by the Pitcairners up into the 20th century. Cutting limestone and timber for firing, and then stacking and burning the kiln, were one of the Public Works jobs that men of the island were assigned to carry out without charge as part of their duties to the community.

Reference: Marie’s Complete A-Z Guide to Norfolk (1986 edition) by Alice and Ed Howard.

In 1866, the sale of Crown land was approved and this allowed a Mission to be set up for Melanesians on the island.

The Church of England Bishop of New Zealand, Bishop George Selwyn had made application for a station to be set up on Norfolk Island with the purpose of religious instruction and training of missionaries.

Until 1896 when European members were granted political rights, the Mission community took no part in island affairs. Lands were cultivated until 1920 when the college was moved to the Solomon Islands, nearer the centre of Mission work.

The Mission assisted the islanders from 1871, sharing the cost of a medical officer and contributed to a subsidised shipping service in 1899.

Both Mt. Pitt and Mt. Bates are the crater-rim remnants of a long-extinct volcano; both are just over 1,000 ft above sea-level.

Described by Dr Ullathorne in 1834,

‘(we) reach the crown of Mount Pitt; whence the tout ensemble, in so small a space, is indescribable, of rock, forest, valley, cornfield, islet, sea birds, land birds, sunshine and sea.’

At the summit of Mt. Pitt is a small open area commanding a view of the whole island. On a clear day, and most Norfolk days are clear, the panorama is something to remember. To the south is Phillip and Nepean Islands. It is here, with all Norfolk spread out below, that one finally realises what a privilege it is to live on a small island. From this height Norfolk appears tiny, and the sea stretching unbroken to the horizon, immensely wide.

To this may be added a further thought; where the eye cannot reach, for hundreds of miles, there is nothing but sea. No blue hills break the distance; no cities surging with noisy traffic wait around the corner; no highways lead to friendly little picnic spots or weekend houses 20 miles up the river.

This is Norfolk; an isolated mound in the Pacific; and the mainland is no closer than 500 miles.

Reference:

Norfolk Island - An Outline of Its History 1774 - 1987 - Merval Hoare, 1969.

Rambler’s guide to Norfolk Island - Merval Hoare, 1972.

On 23 December 1787, Lieutenant William Bligh left England bound for Tahiti on board Her Majesty’s Armed Vessel Bounty. Bligh’s mission was to gather breadfruit trees for the West Indian planters. The Bounty reached Tahiti on 25 October 1788 and spent five months collecting and loading the plants.

Upon leaving Tahiti, and shortly into their voyage, the Bounty’s crew mutinied. On 28 April 1789, Bligh was cast off in an open provisioned boat with eighteen others.

Fletcher Christian took command and after an unsuccessful attempt to set up settlement at Tubuai, they returned to Tahiti. Some of the mutineers agreed to separate. The rest of Christian’s crew, along with twelve Tahitian women and six Tahitian men, set sail to find a fitting place of refuge.

After desperately searching for several weeks, they finally came upon Pitcairn Island.

Captain Carteret on his discovery of the island had recorded the longitude incorrectly.

This nautical error was in 'perfect error' for Christian to establish a secluded and hidden settlement.