#CALICO JACK TRIAL#

After a short run, Rackham was captured by Jonathan Barnet, an English privateer, in 1720, put on trial by Sir Nicholas Lawes, Governor of Jamaica, and hanged in November of that year in Port Royal, Jamaica. Their new crew included Mary Read, who was disguised as a man at the time. He returned to piracy in 1720 by stealing a British sloop and Anne joined him. He accepted the King's Pardon in 1719 and moved to New Providence, where he met Anne Bonny, who was married to James Bonny at the time. Rackham deposed Charles Vane from his position as captain of the sloop Ranger, then cruised the Leeward Islands, Jamaica Channel and Windward Passage. He is most remembered for having two female crew members: Mary Read and his lover, Anne Bonny. Rackham was active towards the end (1718–1720) of the ' Golden Age of Piracy'. His nickname was derived from the calico clothing that he wore, while Jack is a nickname for 'John'. John Rackham (26 December 1682 – 18 November 1720), commonly known as Calico Jack, was an English pirate captain operating in the Bahamas and in Cuba during the early 18th century. Jago De La Vega in Jamaica on November 16, 1720.Several vessels, most famously the Kingston (briefly) Rackham and his crew were finally brought to trial at St. Whether or not this is true, the two women actually escaped the noose by claiming to be pregnant. It is reputed that Rackham had earlier tried to strike a deal with the governor under which he would surrender himself if clemency was given to Anne and another female pirate called Mary Read. The governor resolved to capture Rackham andĭispatched the pirate-hunter Captain Barnet who pursued and captured them. They were subsequently captured by a Spanish ship but managed to escape sailing around Jamaica and taking possession of several fishing vessels and a sloop.

Rackham and a few of his crew were forced to flee. She became a respected member of the crew and fought alongside her male counterparts in numerous successful engagements.Īfter several of the Bahamas sent out a heavily armed ship to capture them. Fearing that the crew would refuse to sail alongside a woman, Anne dressed up as a man and took the name Adam Bonny. Rather than leave Anne behind to be flogged, the pair resolved to assemble a crew and steal a sloop. When the affair between Rackham and Anne Bonny became public, the Governor of New Providence threatened to have Anne whipped for her adultery.

Infatuated by Anne and lavished much of his plunder on her.

Rackham met and fell in love with a married woman called Anne Bonny. While he was awaiting the decision on whether or not to be granted the pardon, Later Rackham decided to take an offer of the King’s Pardon and sailed to the shore of New Providence. Perhaps in part due to the spectre of mutiny already hanging over their heads, the crew readily agreed. Rackham immediately turned, engaged the French vessel and defeated it.įollowing this victory and spurred on by the riches aboard the captured ship, Rackham suggested to the crew that they should turn to piracy. When Vane subsequently refused to engage a French vessel in battle, the crew was so disgusted that they mutinied and appointed Rackham as leader. Rackham had been the quartermaster on an English warship called the Neptune under the command of Captain Vane. He earned his name from the colourful Calico clothes he wore, but is now most famous for having the two most famous female pirates in his crew, Anne Bonny and Mary Read. Jack Rackham, commonly known as Calico Jack, was a pirate captain during the 18th century.

Calico jack