Captain Bligh said that he never wanted to see any Manx man again, after the mutiny on The Bounty!Peter Heywood was a participant in one of the most (in)famous naval events in history, the Mutiny on the Bounty.
Together with William Bligh and Fletcher Christian, the three protagonists first met on the Isle of Man, where Heywood and Christian were the sons of landed gentry and Bligh was a customs officer.
These connections had tragic consequences, when Bligh took command of the Bounty on a voyage to the South Pacific with Christian as his 2nd in command and Heywood as a midshipman.
The voyage ended in a mutiny led by Fletcher Christian and to his escape to Pitcairn, whilst Bligh and his loyal crew navigated an open boat through uncharted seas to eventual safety.
Heywood took no part in the Mutiny, but was accused by Bligh of complicity and put on trial, though he was saved from the death penalty.
This dirk or ceremonial sword probably dates from after the trial, when Heywood resumed his naval career with great success.
Peter Heywood's Dirk
Contributed by Manx National Heritage
Most of the content on A History of the World is created by the contributors, who are the museums and members of the public. The views expressed are theirs and unless specifically stated are not those of the Â鶹Éç or the British Museum. The Â鶹Éç is not responsible for the content of any external sites referenced. In the event that you consider anything on this page to be in breach of the site’s House Rules please Flag This Object.
About this object
Click a button to explore other objects in the timeline
- Location
- Culture
- Period
-
1787 - Mutiny on the Bounty
- Theme
- Size
- Colour
- Material
View more objects from people in Isle of Man.
Find out more
Podcast
Highlights from the collection
Â鶹Éç iD
Â鶹Éç navigation
Â鶹Éç links
Â鶹Éç © 2014 The Â鶹Éç is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.
This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.
Share this link: