The Norfolk ISLANDER The World of Norfolk’s Community Newspaper for more than 49 Years FOUNDED 1965 Successors to - The Norfolk Island Pioneer c. 1885 The Weekly News c 1932 : The Norfolk Island Monthly News c. 1933 The N.I. Times c. 1935 : Norfolk Island Weekly c. 1943 : N.I.N.E. c. 1949 : W.I.N. c. 1951 : Norfolk News c. 1965 Volume 49, No. 16 SATURDAY, 31st MAY 2014 Price $2.75 The History of ‘Mawson House’ Taylors Road The large historic house opposite MiniBar on Taylors Road, commonly known as ‘Mawson House’ is currently under renovation and a number of interesting and historic artefacts have been found in the process! The house was in recent history owned by Wilfred Arthur (Art) Mawson, who had visions for the house and property. Art restored Branka House and built the Mawson Units in the hospital grounds for ageing but mobile patients. (continued inside) Year Six Tour NIGHT IN THE MUSEUM Last Saturday at 5pm, the creaky doors to the Pier Store opened and we entered the scariest museum in the world - 54 brave children; the under tens staying until 10:00pm, the rest of us staying for the night. It was a great Night, and on behalf of all the kids who attended, (continued overleaf) P&RP&R Groceries Groceries PinnaclesPinnacles Takeaways Takeaways PhonePhone 23474 23474 (2FISH) (2FISH) PhonePhone 23110 23110 Sunday Sunday—Thursday—Thursday to to 9pm 9pm OpenOpen from from 4.30pm 4.30pm Try Try our our Burgers, Burgers, Local Local Fish Fish & & Chips Chips FridayFriday & & Saturday Saturday night night to to 10pm! 10pm! NowNow with with BFC. BFC. Brian’s Brian’s Crunchy Crunchy Fried Fried Chicken! Chicken! we would like to thank the following people: Lisa Richards and all the Museum staff, who sent the spooky spirits off to Phillip Island for the night, so we could sleep safe and sound. Rachel McConnell, our museum volunteer, who very bravely stayed the night with us. Rachel Nebaur and all the mum’s and dads from the Year Six Tour fundraising group who gave their time and effort to help create a spooky and successful night. Rosalie Quintal for the creepy-calligraphy you did on our certificates Brad Forester, for supplying the blood- thirsty drinks! (All that ghost hunting sure made us thirsty!) Agnes Hain, for donating all the prizes for our quiz winners. The Office of the Administrator, for letting heading to the cemetery. We lit a small, crackling fire us use the Boatshed, and Glen Williams for moving from twigs and green leaves and had to walk slowly the boat out of the way so the parents could cook up around it, so the smell of smoke on our clothes would a storm. warn the ghosts that we were coming and that we And... for the biggest thanks of all... to Pixie and meant them no harm. After the ghost tour, we had to Pete from Pinetrees Tours for being our super ghostly step through a hoop, symbolizing we were leaving the guides! spirit world and re-entering the real one. The part we enjoyed most was when we learnt a bit By Joni King and Ruby Ciantar about Aboriginal beliefs and smoked ourselves before SATURDAY Cloudy periods. Shower or two S/SE MONDAY Partly cloudy. Shower or two. SE winds winds 10/15 knots. Min: 15 Max: 20 10/15 knots. Min: 15 Max: 20 SUNDAY Partly cloudy. Shower or two. SE winds 10/15 knots. Min: 15 Max: 20 POPULATION STATISTICS - PEOPLE ON ISLAND WEEK ENDING RES GEP TEP VISITORS UEP OTHER TOTAL 24th April 2014 1293 42 81 721 202 2339 30th April 2014 1349 41 83 527 215 2215 8th May 2014 1342 41 83 549 212 2227 15th May 2014 1356 41 83 517 210 2207 22nd May 2014 1314 40 82 521 208 2165 29th May 2014 1338 41 82 336 223 2020 2014 Commonwealth Games: Glassgow 60 DAYS TO GO!! OPENING CEREMONY 23RD JULY 2014 The History of ‘Mawson House’ continued from front page ‘Mawson House’ is built on land originally owned by Matthew Quintal’s son Arthur Quintal, born on Pitcairn Island in 1795 and died on Norfolk Island in 1873. The land was then transferred to Arthur’s son Cornelius Quintal upon his death. Known as Pa Cornish, Cornelius Quintal was born on Pitcairn in 1841. After arriving on Norfolk he worked for the Melanesian Mission, but later went to sea as a whaler, and was considered one of the finest whalers to come out of Norfolk Island. Pa Cornish lived in the house and was the leader of the Methodist church on the island. Dwight Allen, an American Whaler who arrived on Norfolk in Feb 1866, apparently built the House for Cornelius (or at least extended it in the late 1800’s) and I have been told it was in exchange for the land where the current Post office is. Interestingly a large part of the house was built out of recycled material, being mainly wood and stone from the convict buildings at Kingston and Longridge. At the time timber was very expensive and time consuming to cut, as every piece needed to be hand cut, hence many of the convict buildings were utilised. This is most obvious underneath the convict floorboards and in the ceiling, with many of the pieces of timber showing mortises and characteristics of their previous life used elsewhere. (continued overleaf) SHIPPING and AIRFREIGHT VESSEL CUT OFF CUT OFF CUT OFF ETA ARRIVING BRISBANE SYDNEY AUCKLAND NORFOLK NORFOLK SOUTHERN 6 15 TIARE Closed Closed V123 JUNE JUNE NORFOLK 5 10 18 GUARDIAN Closed JUNE JUNE JUNE V110 OFFICE LOCATED AT THE REAR OF SOUTHERN 24 18 14 22 TIARE JUNE JUNE JULY JULY Wondering how to get a V124 few things to Norfolk ? Give Teresa a call :) [email protected] Phone: 22886 or 57000 Website: www.norfolkforwarding.com STARTS TODAY OPEN TILL 4PM EVERY WEDNESDAY The History of ‘Mawson House’ - continued chimney. We found another window bar from bedside Some of our recent finds under the floor have been the other chimney foundations under the floor at the clay pipe pieces, wooden barrel bits, bottles and a other end the house, which was apparently the kitchen large quantity of old porcelain, mainly from the 1870s. chimney. Unusually around its foundations we found However it is interesting that many of the bottles found possibly 10 or more very old children’s, women’s and appear to be much older than the house, with some men’s leather shoes. I was reading online that shoes and early gin and rum bottles from the 1840s! Most likely items of clothing were commonly put into cavity’s of a these would have been found around the island and house as a superstition for luck, which would possibly reused for storing everything from whale oil to lemon explain why there are so many there, obviously a very juice. lucky house. We have also found a huge quantity of bone, with a The work continues on the house and we expect to couple of carved pieces pictured being a deer among find a few more interesting items. If anyone has any trees. Possibly the most interesting find so far has been old images of the house or information from those a writing slate with ‘Susan Quintal’ scratched into the who lived there, I would be grateful to hear from you. top of it. Susan was Cornelius’ daughter who was born Troy 51512. in 1874. Writing slates would have been brought to the island in large quantities by the Melanesian Mission and provided a perfect reusable surface to practice writing, as they could be easily wiped clean with a wet rag. We have over the last few weeks been working on the foundations and overall the sandstone foundations, where they remain, have lasted very well. The building still has one of its original chimneys, which has just been uncovered under the wall in the bedroom and is made up of some nice large blocks of cut stone. Supporting the mantle stone were two convict window bars that had rusted so much they had actually lifted the whole $15 MILLION JACKPOT Draw # 942 BUY TICKETS NOW AT The Trading Post Newsagency NORFOLK MALL Thursday 5th June!! Argentine ant eradication update. It’s been a busy 12 months for the Argentine ant crew. All the known infestations on Norfolk Island have been accurately mapped, five infestations have been completely baited and containment work is currently underway at four other sites. In order to map an infestation the Argentine Ant Deal with the Professionals crew lay baited lure pots in a 10x10m grid across the Recent immigration changes provide opportunity infestation. The location of each lure is marked with for Australian/NZ citizens to live permanently a GPS unit. After 1-2 hours, we return to pick up the on Norfolk Island lure pots and identify the species of ant that has been attracted to the lure. This information is then entered FOR SALE ————————————————————————————————————————————————————— into a GIS database from which we can produce maps IT’S ALL DONE showing the extent of each infestation. 3 bedroom renovated furnished cottage on The latest maps (overleaf) showing the extent of concrete slab. New kitchen, new flooring, freshly each infestation will be on display in the Foodlands painted etc. etc. Built-in robes, 1 bathroom and Mall for the following week. If you would like a copy separate w.c. Covered rear patio. Lock up of the maps please contact Argentine Ant coordinator garage with laundry.