Speaker Ranald Ross-Watt

Fri, Sep 1st 2017 at 12:55 pm - 2:10 pm

Topic :- Captain William Bligh
Painting by Robert Dodd in 1790


Rotary club of Stirling meeting of 1st September.

President Stewart Wilson welcomed members to our Friday meeting. There were no visitors. Stewart reminded us that our meeting next week will be on Thursday 7th September 6.30pm for 6.45pm. There will be no meeting on Friday the 8th.  He thanked Tommy Thomson for the use of his garden for last week's barbecue, and Dr John Rankin for organising the event.  We have had contact with Duncan Findlay of On the Verge, a group who facilitate new planting and who may be able to help us to sow wild flowers on an unused piece of ground at Stirling station. They will provide the seeds and have access to volunteers who can help with preparing the ground. Dr John Rankine has organised an outing to the Callander Jazz festival on Sat 30th September.

Our speaker was Rotarian Ranald Ross Watt, his topic being Captain William Bligh, who remains best known for the mutiny on the Bounty despite the fact that he was a highly skilled seaman who had a long and very successful naval career. He joined the merchant navy age 15, rapidly progressing to become a sailing master, perhaps, along with the captain,  one of the most important members of the crew for his navigational skills. So well known were his abilities that he was chosen above all available candidates, by Captain Cook as his sailing master, and was eventually given his own command, the Bounty. This lightly armed vessel was to go to Tahiti to collect Breadplants destined for the Caribbean, where the fruit was used as food for slaves. After a pleasant five months waiting for the plants to be ready, the crew were none too happy to leave and disputes arose culminating in Bligh and eighteen others being set adrift in an open boat with food and water, but no chronometer. Without this there was no accurate way of measuring longitude, but such were his navigational skills that he was able to sail 4000 miles aiming for, and reaching, Dutch East Timor, from where he could sail back to London, where he had the satisfaction of seeing some of the mutineers hung. Bligh was cleared of any fault in the mutiny, and went on to have a very successful naval career. His navigational skills were exceptional, and he subsequently commanded several ships, eventually becoming Vice Admiral.  The vote of thanks was given by Frank Kelly.

Next week's meeting will be on Thursday 7th September 6.30 for 6.45pm.   
Speaker's host Robin Sutton presenting A wonderful world with a twist, down memory lane, Visitor's host Sandy Leven.   for more info
www.stirling.rotary1010.org

Dr Ian Richardson

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