Four stamps were issued to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the death of William Bligh. 

• The $1.00 stamp shows the portraits of Captain Cook by Nathaniel Dance and William Bligh by John Webber in 1776.  Bligh was Master of Resolution.
• The $2.10 stamp shows Bligh painted by John Russell in 1791, following Bligh’s return from his voyage in Bounty.  Alongside on the stamp is part of the 1790 painting by Patrick Dodd of Bligh and his loyalists cast adrift in Bounty’s launch.
• The $2.80 stamp has the portrait produced by John Hagan at the end of the 20th century, and featured in the TV series “Bounty Chronicles”.  Alongside Bligh is a portrait of Admiral Nelson, under whom Bligh served in 1801 at the Battle of Copenhagen, when Bligh was captain of HMS Glatton.
• The $3.00 stamp has Henry Aston Barker’s portrait of Admiral Bligh in 1805, shortly before Bligh became the Governor of New South Wales.  Barker was Bligh’s son-in-law.  Alongside is the bronze statue of Bligh in Bligh Reserve at The Rocks.  The statue was created by Marc Clark, and erected in 1987.  Behind is an outline of Australia. 

Ian Boreham

Originally published in Cook's Log, page 4, volume 41, number 2 (2018).