When I visited the public library at Hamilton, New Zealand, a few years ago I found a small booklet, Norfolk Island Whaling Days, talks and yarns, by Robert Graham Tofts, and from this booklet comes the following.
In 1879 when the American whaling vessel CANTON arrived at the Norfolk Island, there was a sick cook on board who suffered from severe seasickness and other complications; he was landed for treatment and to recover his health.
The cook’s name was Alfred H. Phelps.
When the CANTON sailed out again, he did stay behind, and while recovering he took the opportunity to teach the people of Norfolk Island, the love of God.
He returned later home to America, but returned with his wife on 05 June 1884.
After arrival they broke away from the Church of England and founded the Methodist church on Norfolk Island. He died on the island on 29 Oct. 1890.
His wife carried on with his work, but her desire to return to America was strong. To get her passage fare, first the members of the church had to harpoon a whale, and when Brother Cornish Quintal (a BOUNTY descendant?) with a whaling team harpooned a whale, the funds for her passage were provided.
The Methodist Church at one time ran the whaling venture on the island.
On the stamp a vessel is depict, can it be the CANTON? (she is also on a stamp of the island 1985 20c sg 361). A photo of the CANTON in the book Sealers and Whalers in New Zealand waters, looks of the ship on the stamp is the same, but it can be also the ship on which the Phelps family arrived on the island in 1884, but the name of the vessel on which they arrived I could not find. (most probably the shipsname is lost, not one book what I have consulted on Norfolk Islands gives the name of the vessel, and most probably a ship from that time is depict on the stamp.)
In the booklet is also a list with American whaling ships, which have visited the islands. The CANTON visited the island in 1879 two times, on 21 June and from 13 Nov. until 06 Dec., 1880 the CANTON visited the island from 9-16 Jan., and in 1881 from 16 Feb.- 2 March. In 1882 from30 Jan – 21 Feb.
An other discrepancy I found on the CANTON, on sg 361, according to the information given by the Norfolk Island P.O.: The islanders received two whaleboats in 1858 from the CANTON to commence whaling from the island. But in that year the CANTON never visited the island. During 1858 only the CANTON PACKET visited the island, according the list in the book. The vessel depict on the stamp is the CANTON, the info given by the P.O. is not correct.
Norfolk Island 1984 30c sg349, scott?