# Captain Bligh **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [October 18, 2018, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-bligh/823157 "2018-10-18T17:47:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2018, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-bligh/823157/1 "2018-10-18T17:47:53Z")
In this week’s SDSAB column, the exploits of Captain Bligh of HMS Bounty fame are detailed. I noted that, following the mutiny, Bligh made a second voyage to Polynesia which successfully brought breadfruit to Blighty. What happened to the breadfruit? Will it even grow in the British Isles? Why not take it to British colonies in the Caribbean? Did King George just eat the breadfruit as a snack? Original column by SDSAB staffer **paperback writer** : [Was Captain Bligh really the jerk he’s been made out to be?](https://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2826/if-captain-bligh-was-really-such-a-jerk-to-his-crew-why-was-he-promoted-following-their-mutiny/) ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2018, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-bligh/823157/2 "2018-10-18T18:07:25Z")
Bligh could have dropped a few specimens off on his way to the Caribbean; one does not exclude the other. I have always read that breadfruit were introduced to the Caribbean in the late 1700s. [This page](https://ntbg.org/breadfruit/about/species) and [this](http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:582598-1) seem to confirm it. How and why would you cultivate them in Britain outside a conservatory? The Wiki article says that Bligh won the Royal Society medal for his efforts in transporting breadfruit plants to St. Helena, St. Vincent and Jamaica. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2018, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-bligh/823157/3 "2018-10-18T20:09:35Z")
I seem to recall reading that cultivation in the Carfibbean was the goal. Basically to provide cheap food for the subjugated peoples working the plantations. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2018, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-bligh/823157/4 "2018-10-19T01:34:38Z")
It was mentioned in passing, but it was interesting to find that Captain Bligh was not a captain when the mutiny took place: > **[Was Captain Bligh hated by the crew of the Bounty?](https://www.historyextra.com/period/georgian/was-captain-bligh-hated-by-the-crew-of-the-bounty/)** > > Was the captain of the Bounty really that hated? Justin Pollard investigates… > [@](#): > > To begin with, Captain Bligh wasn’t even a captain during the famous 1789 Bounty voyage but only a commanding lieutenant. There was also no such ship as HMS Bounty as the Bounty was an armed auxiliary vessel and thus should be referred to as HMAV Bounty (His Majesty’s Armed Vessel Bounty). > > Nor did Bligh have a bad reputation among the men. The mutinous Fletcher Christian had sailed with him twice before without reporting any problems and had been promoted to sailing master during the Bounty voyage with the rank of acting lieutenant, so had every reason to thank Bligh, who was also lenient. ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2018, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-bligh/823157/5 "2018-10-19T01:44:28Z")
The officer in charge of a ship is the Captain, no matter what his rank is. ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2018, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-bligh/823157/6 "2018-10-19T06:02:17Z")
The column says “The best biography of Bligh says that ‘next to nothing’ is known about Bligh’s childhood.” Anyone know what biography this is referring to? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2018, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/captain-bligh/823157/7 "2018-10-19T14:20:13Z")
Very informative staff report, even though I knew much of the information. Thanks!