Anne Bonny and Mary Read

Anne Bonny and Mary Read are two of the most famous female pirates in history, known for their exploits during the Golden Age of Piracy in the early 18th century. Both women defied the expectations of their time by dressing as men and joining pirate crews, where they gained reputations for being fearless and skilled in combat. Their lives are intertwined with that of the notorious pirate Calico Jack Rackham, and their story has captivated people for centuries, standing out in the male-dominated world of piracy.

Anne Bonny (1697–1721)
Early Life:
Birth and Background: Anne Bonny was born around 1697 in County Cork, Ireland, the illegitimate daughter of a wealthy plantation owner, William Cormac, and his servant, Mary Brennan. After her birth, her father left Ireland and moved to Charleston, South Carolina, where he became a successful merchant.

Defiant and Rebellious Nature: Anne was known for her fiery temper and rebellious behavior from a young age. As a teenager, she eloped with a small-time pirate or sailor named James Bonny, much to her father’s dismay. They moved to New Providence in the Bahamas, a pirate haven at the time, where James Bonny became an informant for the British governor, Woodes Rogers.

Becoming a Pirate:
Meeting Calico Jack Rackham: Anne soon became dissatisfied with her marriage to James Bonny and was drawn to the pirate life. She met the pirate Calico Jack Rackham (whose real name was John Rackham) around 1719, and the two became lovers. She left her husband to join Rackham’s pirate crew, disguising herself as a man to participate in raids and battles.

Disguised as a Man: While aboard Rackham’s ship, Anne Bonny dressed as a man and fought alongside the other pirates, earning a reputation for being as ruthless and effective as her male counterparts. She was known to be violent, quick with a sword, and feared by her enemies. It is said that only a few members of the crew knew she was a woman.

Pirate Adventures: Anne Bonny participated in raids on merchant ships in the Caribbean, particularly around Jamaica and Cuba, alongside Calico Jack. Their pirate crew attacked and plundered ships, capturing treasure and other valuable goods. Their exploits made them notorious, and they attracted attention from colonial authorities.

Mary Read (c. 1685–1721)
Early Life:
Birth and Childhood: Mary Read was born around 1685 in England. Her early life was marked by hardship. After her father died and her half-brother passed away, her mother disguised Mary as a boy to secure financial support from Mary’s paternal grandmother. Mary continued to live as a boy for most of her youth, working on ships and serving in the British military, where she fought in Flanders.

Adopting a Male Identity: Mary Read found independence and success living as a man, first as a soldier and later as a sailor. After leaving the military, she married a fellow soldier and lived as a woman for a time. However, when her husband died, she once again disguised herself as a man and took to the seas.

Becoming a Pirate:
Captured by Pirates: While working as a sailor on a ship headed to the West Indies, Mary’s ship was captured by pirates, and she was forced to join their crew. She eventually became part of Calico Jack Rackham’s pirate crew, where she met Anne Bonny. Like Bonny, Read dressed as a man to conceal her identity and was known for her courage and fighting abilities.

Friendship with Anne Bonny: Anne Bonny and Mary Read became close friends, and it’s believed that Anne was one of the few who knew that Mary was also a woman. The two women shared a bond in the male-dominated world of piracy, where they both proved their worth as skilled and fierce pirates.

Pirate Life Together
Rackham’s Crew: As part of Calico Jack Rackham’s crew, Anne Bonny and Mary Read fought alongside the male pirates, participating in raids and battles. Both women were noted for their bravery, often engaging in combat and urging the men to fight harder. According to some accounts, they were among the fiercest members of the crew, known to fight “like hellcats” in battle.

Capture of Rackham’s Crew: In October 1720, Rackham’s crew was anchored off the coast of Jamaica when they were surprised by a British pirate hunter led by Captain Jonathan Barnet. Most of the male pirates, including Rackham, were reportedly too drunk to fight, but Anne Bonny and Mary Read continued to resist fiercely. Despite their efforts, the crew was captured, and they were taken to Spanish Town, Jamaica, to stand trial.

Trial and Fate
Trial and Sentencing: Rackham and his crew were tried and convicted of piracy. Rackham was sentenced to death and hanged on November 18, 1720. Before his execution, Anne Bonny allegedly told him, “Had you fought like a man, you need not have been hanged like a dog.”

Pregnancy and Reprieve: Both Anne Bonny and Mary Read were sentenced to hang as well, but they “pleaded their bellies”—a legal defense claiming pregnancy to delay execution. Their executions were postponed until after they gave birth.

Mary Read’s Death: Mary Read died in prison in 1721, likely from a fever, possibly related to complications from childbirth. She never faced execution.

Anne Bonny’s Mysterious Fate: The fate of Anne Bonny remains a mystery. There are no records of her execution, leading to speculation about what happened to her after her imprisonment. Some theories suggest that her father may have used his wealth and influence to secure her release, after which she lived out her life under a different identity. Others believe she may have escaped or died in prison, but her exact fate remains unknown.

Legacy and Myth
Historical Impact: Anne Bonny and Mary Read stand out in history as two of the few documented female pirates, defying gender norms and societal expectations in a time when piracy was dominated by men. Their stories have become the stuff of legend, celebrated in books, films, and popular culture.

Pirate Legends: Both women have been romanticized and mythologized over the centuries. Their lives, though relatively short and marked by criminality, have been transformed into symbols of rebelliousness, freedom, and defiance of social conventions, making them enduring figures in pirate lore.

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