Norfolk Notes & MBE honours on the island!

Norfolk Notes & MBE honours on the island! -

In this episode we pay tribute to the late Kathy Lecren who hosted a weekly VL2NI radio program entitled Norfolk Notes in 1985. Have a listen to the following excerpts read by Kathy from the books written by historian and author, Merval Hoare. You’ll hear a snippet about Allan Cunningham, a botanist on the island in 1830, Bishop Selwyn and the Melanesian Mission on the island, an overview of convict drownings at the Bar.

Allan Cunningham was probably the first person to systematically list the plants of Norfolk Island. At the time of his visit, very few of the endemic plants had been named, the majority being described and named by the Austrian botanist Stephano Endlicher three years later, in 1833, based on the collections and drawings of Ferdinand Bauer who visited Norfolk in 1804/05. After five weeks on Norfolk Island a moderation of the rough weather allowed Cunningham to be taken to Phillip Island, along with three servants and an army officer. The visit was not without its problems, the most serious of which was an attack on Cunningham and his party by eleven escaped convicts. 

Merval Hoare was born Wellington New Zealand in 1914, her schooling developed early interests in music, prose and poetry. She was married in 1949 and lived with her husband, who worked for Civil Aviation, on Norfolk Island for much of her life, working as a correspondent for Pacific Islands Monthly and writing about the history of the island. She was awarded an MBE on Norfolk Island in 1983.

The Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) recognises outstanding achievement or service to the community that delivers sustained impact and stands as an example to others.

The Order of the British Empire was established in 1917 by King George V during the First World War. 

The Order maintains a distinctive place in the honours system by focusing specifically on services to the community, charitable work, and public service excellence. For Norfolk Island, with its unique historical relationship to the British Crown, being awarded an MBE represents recognition at the highest level for service that stands out in its field.

Recipients have typically devoted significant time and energy to improving conditions within their communities, often over many years or decades. This might include volunteer work, charitable endeavours, or civic leadership that has brought about positive change.

The contributions made by MBE recipients have demonstrably improved lives, institutions, or practices in ways that can be clearly identified and measured. 

Those who receive the MBE typically embody values of integrity, dedication, and selflessness. Their personal conduct serves as a model for others in their community or field, inspiring similar dedication to service.

Many recipients have introduced new approaches or achieved exceptional standards in their field, whether in arts, education, healthcare, business, or community organisation.

For Norfolk Island recipients, their MBE reflects not only on themselves as individuals but also the Norfolk Island community they represent and have served. 

The following is a list of Norfolk Island MBE recipients:

1935Enoch Cobcroft ROBINSON Esq.- MBE
1957Charles Ivens (Potts) BUFFETT- MBE
1964Kathleen Janet WELSH- MBE
1968Fay Norma BATAILLE- MBE
1969Gordina BEVERIDGE- MBE
1978John Healey RYVES- MBE
1979Bonnie Ann QUINTAL- MBE
1983Merval Hannah HOARE- MBE
1985Eric Nelson CRAIG- MBE

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Transcript

Welcome to Episode 35 of the Untold Norfolk Island travel podcast series.

My name is Jodie Williams and as a Norfolk Islander & Churchill Fellow, I am your ‘on island’ podcast host.

>>> Audio: You have just heard a snippet of the hymn ‘Abide with Me’ as played on the St Barnabas Chapel organ by Phil McDowell.

In this episode we pay tribute to the late Kathy Lecren who hosted a weekly VL2NI radio program entitled Norfolk Notes in 1985. Have a listen to the following excerpts read by Kathy from the books written by historian and author, Merval Hoare. You’ll hear a snippet about Allan Cunningham, a botanist on the island in 1830, Bishop Selwyn and the Melanesian Mission on the island, an overview of convict drownings at the Bar.

_________
Allan Cunningham, botanist and explorer, arrived in Sydney as ‘government botanist’ in 1816, only 28 years after establishment of the fledgling British colony in New South Wales and on Norfolk Island.
He left Sydney aboard the ship Lucy Ann on 4th May 1830 and after passing close to Lord Howe Island, arrived at Norfolk Island on 10th May. The arrival of the Lucy Ann at the island was not unusual in that the surf at the settlement was too rough to afford a landing. The heavy seas forced a landing at Cascade, on the opposite, northern side of the island. From Cascade, Cunningham walked the 3.5 kilometres by overland track to the settlement at Sydney Bay (now Kingston), where he is received by the commandant James Morisset. Along the way, Cunningham observed several plant species he had seen in New Zealand, where he had been in 1826. The first plants mentioned, lemons and guavas were, unbeknown to Cunningham, a sign of things to come.


Kevin Mills writes: What we see today is a highly modified landscape, quite different to what Allan Cunningham had observed and described in 1830. More land has since been cleared of its rainforest cover and a large number of exotic plants have become established.  Nonetheless, we can see in Cunningham’s descriptions much of what can still be observed on the island today. It is a wonder that so few plant species have become extinct on Norfolk Island, given the extensive changes that have occurred since 1788.

Although perhaps not as significant or as well-known an adventure as some of his inland explorations, Cunningham’s visit to Norfolk Island is of great interest to today’s botanist; it is probably the only surviving detailed account of the botany of the island prepared in the 19th Century by a botanist who visited the island. The content of Allan Cunningham’s journal describing his visit to Norfolk Island in 1830 is far more valuable now than he could have ever imagined.


Allan Cunningham was probably the first person to systematically list the plants of Norfolk Island. At the time of his visit, very few of the endemic plants had been named, the majority being described and named by the Austrian botanist Stephano Endlicher three years later, in 1833, based on the collections and drawings of Ferdinand Bauer who visited Norfolk in 1804/05. After five weeks on Norfolk Island a moderation of the rough weather allowed Cunningham to be taken to Phillip Island, along with three servants and an army officer. The visit was not without its problems, the most serious of which was an attack on Cunningham and his party by eleven escaped convicts.

Have a listen now…
_____________

Merval Hoare was born Wellington New Zealand in 1914, her schooling developed early interests in music, prose and poetry. She was married in 1949 and lived with her husband, who worked for Civil Aviation, on Norfolk Island for much of her life, working as a correspondent for Pacific Islands Monthly and writing about the history of the island. She was awarded an MBE on Norfolk Island in 1983.

The Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) recognises outstanding achievement or service to the community that delivers sustained impact and stands as an example to others.

The Order of the British Empire was established in 1917 by King George V during the First World War. 

The Order maintains a distinctive place in the honours system by focusing specifically on services to the community, charitable work, and public service excellence. For Norfolk Island, with its unique historical relationship to the British Crown, being awarded an MBE represents recognition at the highest level for service that stands out in its field. The MBE is globally recognised and respected, widely regarded as among the world's most prestigious awards. 

Recipients have typically devoted significant time and energy to improving conditions within their communities, often over many years or decades. This might include volunteer work, charitable endeavours, or civic leadership that has brought about positive change.

The contributions made by MBE recipients have demonstrably improved lives, institutions, or practices in ways that can be clearly identified and measured. 

Those who receive the MBE typically embody values of integrity, dedication, and selflessness. Their personal conduct serves as a model for others in their community or field, inspiring similar dedication to service.

Many recipients have introduced new approaches or achieved exceptional standards in their field, whether in arts, education, healthcare, business, or community organisation. Their work stands out not just for its impact but for its quality and originality.

For Norfolk Island recipients, their MBE reflects not only on themselves as individuals but also the Norfolk Island community they represent and have served. 

The following is a list of Norfolk Island MBE recipients:

1935 Enoch Cobcroft ROBINSON Esq. MBE
1957 Charles Ivens (Potts) BUFFETT MBE
1964 Kathleen Janet WELSH MBE
1968 Fay Norma BATAILLE MBE
1969 Gordina BEVERIDGE MBE
1978 John Healey RYVES MBE
1979 Bonnie Ann QUINTAL MBE
1983 Merval Hannah HOARE MBE
1985 Eric Nelson CRAIG MBE

You have just heard two short snippets of a singalong recorded at a local island home in 2011 - the first ‘Beneath Norfolk Skies’ and the second was ‘Don’t Fence Me In’.

Thanks so much for joining me this week!