Pacific Cable Station and the road to Kingfisher! -
In 1902, Norfolk Island took a monumental step into the modern age with the establishment of the Pacific Cable Station at Anson Bay. This facility marked the island's first telegraphic contact with the outside world, ending centuries of relative isolation. Prior to this development, communication with the mainland required physical transportation of messages by ship, a process that could take weeks or even months depending on shipping schedules and weather conditions.
The station was not merely a local improvement but a significant component in a grand imperial communication strategy. The British Empire, recognizing the strategic importance of rapid communication across its vast territories, had embarked on the ambitious project of creating what became known as the "All Red Line" – a global submarine telegraph network that connected British territories while touching only on British soil.
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The story of Norfolk Island's cable station intersects with the island's local history through the Bailey family, creating a fascinating narrative of how global telecommunications infrastructure became woven into the fabric of island life.
George Bailey arrived on Norfolk Island in 1875, well before the cable station was established, coming to work as a blacksmith for the Melanesian Mission.
After settling on the island, George Bailey fell in love with Emily Christian. Emily had arrived from Pitcairn Island in 1856 when she was just four years old, with the resettlement of the Pitcairn community to Norfolk Island. A 13 acre block of land was given to Emily Christian, as part of the 50 acre blocks of land originally granted to Pitcairn families. Once a daughter married she was given 12.5 acres and sons were given 50 acres. Emily was one of the first Pitcairn women to marry an outsider and the land was listed under her husband’s name, George Bailey. The lease was granted in 1877. George and Emily established their family home, named 'Greenacre,' where they raised six children, the youngest of whom was Tom Bailey.
Tom Bailey and his wife Edna Roberts were stationed in Fiji as part of the cable operations there. It was during this posting in Fiji that their daughter Marie was born in 1926, adding another branch to the family tree with direct connections to the cable operations.
Three years after Marie's birth, the family returned to Norfolk Island and took up residence in one of the Cable Board Houses at Anson Bay. Tom Bailey thus became part of the cable station community, contributing his skills to the operation of this vital communications link while raising his family on the island. Tom was described as a devoted father who shared his love of fishing and gardening with his daughter Marie, passing down practical skills and a deep connection to the island's natural environment.
Marie Bailey's story illustrates growing up in the technologically advanced environment of the cable station, Marie went on to pioneer horticultural beginnings, agricultural exports, her role as bean seed inspector, a member of the National Parks Committee, a forerunner in tourism, attaining sporting excellence and recognition, participation in the South Pacific Games, establishing the Pitcairn Settler’s Village, Cyclorama and Queen Victoria’s garden.
In next week’s episode we’ll explore more of the late Marie Bailey’s legacy. Marie adored her island home, and everything she did throughout her life, was to honour it and promote it.
She would welcome visitors to the island
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