The large historic house opposite the MiniBar on Taylors Road, commonly known as ‘Mawson House’, is currently under renovation.  It is owned by Troy Irvine who is also owner of A-Frame Chalets @ Mokutu.  He thought the story of the house and the interesting artefacts found so far was a story worth sharing.  Here it is. The house was in recent history owned by Wilfred Arthur (Art) Mawson – the very same man who restored Branka House and built the Mawson Units in the hospital grounds for ageing (but mobile) patients. Mawson House is built on land originally owned by Matthew Quintal’s son Arthur Quintal, born on Pitcairn Island in 1795, and who died on Norfolk Island in 1873. The land was then transferred to Arthur’s son Cornelius Quintal.  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 […]