The Dandy of the Caribbean

by Helen Hollick

CALICO JACK RACKHAM

Jack Rackham – even the name has an evocative ring to it, especially when you add the nickname ‘Calico Jack’ and mention his two sidekicks, Anne Bonny and Mary Read. But who was the real Jack Rackham?

Woodcut of Jack Rackham

The ‘calico’ refers to the material of his favourite clothing, and he was the eye candy of his day. Although Disney has never specifically said, Captain Sparrow was undoubtedly modelled on Calico Jack – even the movie’s pirate flag was similar to Rackham’s skull and crossed-cutlasses. But there the similarity ends.

Jack Rackham's flag

Born John Rackham in 1682, there is no knowledge of his childhood; all we know is that he was English and became quartermaster (second-in-command) to pirate Charles Vane in 1718.

In October of that year they were among a group of pirates who met at Ocracoke Island, off the coast of North Carolina. Their host was Edward Teach, Blackbeard, and the gathering was to make merry and discuss piratical matters. Blackbeard was soon to meet his fate, but towards the end of November, Vane refused to pursue a French man-o’-war, and Rackham took the opportunity to depose him as captain. Vane and fifteen supporters were sent off in a sloop, leaving Rackham and the other ninety or so men to plunder several small vessels in and around Jamaica, capturing a merchant ship, Kingston, near Port Royal. Unfortunately the raid was within sight of the shore and several bounty hunters went after him, almost catching him in February 1719 while his ship was anchored at Isla de los Pinos, off Cuba. Fortunately, Rackham and his men were ashore and they escaped into the woodland, but lost the ship and her cargo.

Anne Bonny

The days of plundering had not been that successful: Rackham headed for Nassau and Governor Woodes Rogers’ offer of amnesty. A life of honest living, however, did not last long. Taverns, drinking and whoring had its limitations, particularly when Jack met the wife of sailor James Bonny – Anne. They became lovers and rather than face public humiliation on the charge of adultery, in August 1719, Anne absconded with Jack and a new crew, stealing a boat – William, thereby breaking the amnesty.

They cruised the Caribbean, taking smaller ships and modest Prizes. When Anne became pregnant she stayed in Cuba to give birth, but was soon back aboard enjoying her life of freedom. It is not known what became of the child.

Sometime during 1719 Mary Read joined the crew.

Woodes Rogers issued a warrant, published in the autumn of 1720, for Rackham and his crew, with pirate hunter Jonathan Barnet picking up the challenge.

Plundering fishing boats and small fry off the coast of Jamaica, Jack Rackham, his lover Anne Bonny and Mary Read were unaware that their idyllic life was coming to an end. Taking advantage of surprise and the darkness, Barnet attacked their anchored vessel during the night. Rackham and his men were below deck, drinking heavily. Anne and Mary put up a fight, but were overwhelmed. The entire crew were taken to Jamaica and charged with offences of piracy.

The entire crew were taken to Jamaica to face trial, and the noose. The trial was a sensation; media interest was as rife in the early 18th century as it is now where scandal is concerned. The interest being Anne and Mary. Several witnesses confirmed that the two women fought alongside the men, and Anne in particular encouraged excessive violence. They were not destined to hang, however, for both ‘pleaded their belly’ – were pregnant, so execution was postponed until the birth of the babies. Mary died in jail of fever a few months later, but there is no record of Anne’s labour or delivery, release or execution. What happened to her, we do not know - although there are several different rumours, which I will reveal next time...

It may be fact, legend, or pure fiction, but Bonny's last words to Jack Rackham as he was led out to the gallows were full of contempt: ‘Had you fought like a man, you need not hang like a dog.’

Sources:

Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calico_Jack
Life Among the Pirates, by David Cordingly
A History of Pirates, by Nigel Hawthorne
Scourge of the Seas, by Angus Konstam

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Jack Rackham appears as a 'bit part' in the third of my Sea Witch Voyages, Bring It Close. If things work out as planned he will have a bigger part in a future adventure. He and his two female crew members, Anne Bonny and Mary Read also feature in a non-fiction pirate book I was recently commissioned to write - it is due to be published in February 2017.

Helen Hollick lives on a thirteen-acre farm in Devon. Born in London, Helen wrote pony stories as a teenager, moved to science-fiction and fantasy, and then discovered historical fiction. Published for over twenty years with her Arthurian Trilogy, and the 1066 era she became a ‘USA Today’ bestseller with her novel about Queen Emma The Forever Queen (UK title A Hollow Crown). She also writes the Sea Witch Voyages, pirate-based nautical adventures with a touch of fantasy - pirates being her present passion!

Connect with Helen through her Website, Blog, Facebook, Twitter (@HelenHollick), and through her Amazon Author’s Page. 

Bring It Close, the third voyage of Captain Acorne is available on Amazon. 

Britain's Crossdressing Women

by Linda Collison


Women pretending to be men crop up regularly in English and Irish literature and contemporary dramatic productions. An upcoming film starring American actress Glenn Close as Albert Nobbs is based on a short story by 19th century Irish writer George Moore.

Albert Nobbs is the story of a nineteenth century British woman of illegitimate birth who portrays herself as a man in order to get work. The movie has been Glenn Close’s passion project for 15 years and is expected to be Oscar qualifying. The movie is to be released in January, 2012 and you can watch trailers of it on the internet.

Women passing as men are tantalizing archetypes as old as the Cheviot Hills. Most real women who dressed as men did so primariily for economic opportunities. I believe it may have been more common than we know, back in a time when a woman depended upon a man for her livelihood and her legal status.


Most of us have heard of Anne Bonny and Mary Read, infamous British pirates of the early 18th century. These two didn’t actually pretend to be men but dressed in trousers and lived the rough life of pirates alongside their partners and lovers, the most ruthless of men (although Mary Read was raised as a boy so she may have had some gender issues...)


Less well known is Christian Cavanagh, an Irish-born mother who disguised herself as a man and operated under several aliases including Welch, Welsh, Jones, Davies and Mother Ross. Daniel Defoe, an author with empathy for women as evidenced by his 18th century novels Moll Flanders and Roxanna, the Fortunate Mistress, chronicled her life in Mother Ross; The Life and Adventures of Mrs. Christian Davies, commonly called Mother Ross on Campaign with the Duke of Marlborough.  No pirate, she!

After the disappearance of her husband Christian left her children in the care of her mother and a nurse and pursued him into the army.  Dressed as a man, she first volunteered as a foot soldier and fought at the Battle of Laden during the Nine Years War, where she was wounded, captured and exchanged without being discovered as female. She later re-joined another campaign as a trooper of the 4th Dragoons where she served from 1701 to 1706 when she was wounded in action again -- and this time discovered.

Hannah Snell was a young Englishwoman who also went in search of her man who had run off. She ended up serving as a soldier and as a marine for a many years until she too, was wounded and found out. Hannah was honorably discharged and granted a pension in 1750 (increased in 1785), a rare thing in those days. A good account of Hannah Snell and two other women who served in the British Navy can be found in Lady Tars (a Fireship Press reprint). There may have been many more such women who never were detected because they were never wounded.

Patricia, natural daughter of an 18th-century Barbadian cane planter, poses as Patrick in the fictional Patricia MacPherson Nautical Adventure Series. Inspired by Star-Crossed, originally published by Knopf/Random House and soon to be republished by Fireship Press, the idea for the character came to me in the middle of the Pacific Ocean aboard the HM Bark Endeavour, a replica of Captain James Cook’s famous vessel, on which I served as a voyage crewmember in 1999. 

While climbing the rigging to make and furl sail, heaving on hempen lines as thick as my wrist in unison with my mates and taking my turn at the helm, I discovered a woman really could perform the same work as a man aboard a ship during the age of sail. But why would she, I wondered? And how might she pull it off?  Answering these questions has led to many years of research about the Royal Navy during the 18th century and other aspects of colonialism.

Romance and adventure aside, in a man’s world some women chose to become men rather than turn to the poorhouse or prostitution. It must've been a tough choice but not without its rewards.

Surgeon's Mate; Book Two of the Patricia MacPherson Nautical Adventure Series was released earlier this year by Fireship Press and is available world wide.  Book Three is underway. For more information please visit my website lindacollison.com. Check out my author’s blog for release date or follow me on Twitter.