''Bligh Had a Daughter'' is a 1948 Australia radio play by

Rex Rienits Rex Gunther Rienits (17 April 1909 – 30 April 1971) was an Australian writer of radio, films, plays and TV. He was a journalist before becoming one of the leading radio writers in Australia. He moved to England in 1949 and worked for a number ...

about Mary Bligh, daughter of

William Bligh William Bligh (9 September 1754 – 7 December 1817) was a Vice-admiral (Royal Navy), Royal Navy vice-admiral and colonial administrator who served as the governor of New South Wales from 1806 to 1808. He is best known for his role in the Muti ...

, who was living with her father at the time of the

Rum Rebellion The Rum Rebellion of 1808 was a ''coup d'état'' in the British penal colony of New South Wales, staged by the New South Wales Corps in order to depose Governor William Bligh. Australia's first and only military coup, its name derives from the ...

. It was one of the most highly regarded Australian

radio plays Radio drama (or audio drama, audio play, radio play, radio theatre, or audio theatre) is a dramatised, purely acoustic performance. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine ...

of the 1940s The play was repeated later in 1948 and in 1949. and produced again by the ABC in 1954 (in Brisbane, directed by

Raymond Menmuir Raymond Edward Menmuir (10 September 1930 – 26 March 2016) was a British-Australian director and producer. His career included producing 44 episodes of '' The Professionals'' and directing 12 episodes of '' Upstairs, Downstairs''. He also produ ...

). Rienits used elements of the play in his 1960 mini series ''

Stormy Petrel Storm petrel or stormy petrel may refer to one of two bird family (biology), families, both in the order Procellariiformes, once treated as the same family. The two families are: * Northern storm petrels (''Hydrobatidae'') are found in the No ...

'', based on his radio serial of the same name. In that the role of Mary Bligh was played by Delia Williams.

Premise

According to the ABC Weekly "Bligh, when appointed Governor of New South Wales 17 years after the 'Bounty' affair, had a wife and six daughters, but only Mary, his second daughter, accompanied him to his new place of appointment. There she acted as his Governor's lady until almost simultaneously she lost her husband and played a part in resisting the deposition of Bligh by the Rum Corps. Later she became a permanent resident of New South Wales, where her descendants are still living."

Cast of 1954 Production

*Hector Lawrence as

*Olga Massey as

Mary Putland Mary Bligh, Lady O'Connell (later Putland and later O'Connell) (1783–1864) was the Lady of First Government House, Sydney, Government House, New South Wales, Australia during the period her father William Bligh was the Governor of New South Wa ...

*Donald McTaggert as Lieutenant John Putland *Don Sanderson as Governor King *

Babette Stephens Phyllis Babette Stephens AM MBE (née Fergusson) (26 April 1910 – 28 February 2001) was an Australian actress, director, artistic director, TV game show panelist and acting teacher. A leading theatrical pioneer, she also appeared in film and t ...

as Mrs. King, Housemaid *Edmund Bourke as Major George Johnston *Toby Harris as John Macarthur *Jean Jarrott as

Elizabeth Macarthur Elizabeth Macarthur (14 August 1766 – 9 February 1850) was an English-born landowner and businesswomen who was wife of John Macarthur. Early life Elizabeth Macarthur was born in Bridgerule England, the daughter of provincial farmers, Rich ...

*John Bowen as Mrs. William Core *David Read as Richard Atkins *Bernard Barry as Colonel

Lachlan Macquarie Major-general (United Kingdom), Major General Lachlan Macquarie, Companion of the Order of the Bath, CB (; ; 31 January 1762 – 1 July 1824) was a British Army officer and colonial administrator from Scotland. Macquarie served as the fifth Gove ...

*Earle Reeve as Lt. Colonel Maurice O’Connell

References

{{reflist 1948 Australian radio dramas 1949 Australian radio dramas 1954 Australian radio dramas Works by Rex Rienits Australian radio dramas based on actual events Rum Rebellion Australian radio dramas set in Sydney Australian radio dramas set in colonial Australia Australian radio dramas set in New South Wales