THE STORY
Opening
In 1854, Nathan Chase Thompson arrived on Lord Howe Island — a whaler from Nantucket, drawn across the Pacific by trade, survival, and opportunity.
What followed was not just settlement, but the beginning of a story shaped by the sea — one that would span generations and remain lived today.
The Arrival
Nathan’s life was tied to the great whaling routes of the South Pacific.
Arriving on Lord Howe Island during the height of the whaling era, he became a vital figure in the island’s connection to the outside world.
From Signal Point, ships were sighted offshore and guided safely toward anchorage. Nathan played a key role in this process — a harbour signalman in all but name — watching the horizon, reading the sea, and linking the island to passing vessels.
Alongside this, he farmed the land and supplied visiting ships, becoming known for both his resourcefulness and generosity toward those who arrived.
The House
From this life, Nathan built what is believed to be one of the island’s earliest homes.
Constructed from Australian cedar logs washed ashore — some marked with the initials “SS” — and timber salvaged from an unknown shipwreck, the house was quite literally built from the sea.
Simple, strong, and enduring, it became both shelter and centre — a place where work, family, and island life came together.
The Family Line
Nathan’s life on the island was also shaped by those he shared it with.
Among them was a young woman from the Gilbert Islands, said to have been found adrift at sea in a canoe — a story that remains part of the family’s history. She later became his wife, linking the story of Nathan’s House not only to the whaling world, but to the wider Pacific.
Through these beginnings, the Thompson family line was established on Lord Howe Island.
Nathan’s House has remained within the Thompson family for six generations — an unbroken connection spanning more than 170 years.
The Deeper Story
Nathan’s story reaches further back still.
He is a descendant of Owen Chase, first mate of the whaleship Essex — whose survival story became the inspiration for In the Heart of the Sea — the true story that inspired Moby Dick.
That same spirit of endurance, seamanship, and survival runs through the story of Nathan’s House — from the open ocean to this remote island.
The Present Day
Today, Nathan’s House remains in the Thompson family six generations on.
It is currently cared for by Nathan’s Great Great Grandson, Captain Nathan John Chase Thompson — a Marine Pilot in the Port of Brisbane and Master Mariner.
More than ownership, the role is one of custodianship — preserving the house, its stories, and its connection to the island.
This is not simply a story of the past, but one that continues — held for future generations.
Dedication
In recognition of those who came before — and for those yet to come — this house is preserved for the next generation.
For my daughters, and for those who follow, I am only its custodian.
— Capt. Nathan J.C. Thompson
