Mary Read
Of all the infamous West Indies pirates, Mary Read stands out as one of the most mysterious and inscrutable. No one is certain when she was born, with most speculation ranging over almost a decade between 1685 and 1695. According to Charles Johnson- a frequently unreliable source- her mother began dressing Mary in boys’ clothes from a very early age in the hope of passing her off as a boy.
In her teens, Mary evidently harnessed her skill for disguise to secure a job aboard a ship. Taking to the sea, she worked her way forward until she found a position in the British Navy. Still disguised as a man, she saw action in battle, though, owing to conflicting reports of her birth, which battle remains uncertain. It was during these skirmishes that Mary met her first husband- so the author of A General History of the Pyrates claims- a Flemish soldier who had evidently fought beside her.
But this union was not destined to last, as Mary's husband was killed soon after their marriage. With few reasons to remain in Europe, Mary sailed for the West Indies. It is unclear what transpired in the years that followed, but it is almost certain that she resumed the practice of dressing as a man. It is also assumed that Mary continued working aboard ships, improving her skills as a sailor and swordsman. By 1715 or 1716, it is likely she had visited her fellow sailors in Nassau, though perhaps not for the same reasons.
Official records of her activities do not appear until around 1720, when a ship she had been sailing on was taken by pirates who were subsequently arrested. In order to avoid a swift execution by Governor Rogers in Nassau, Mary accepted the King's pardon and settled there. Whether or not this was a front for more secretive activity is difficult to say.
It was at this time, however, that Mary met and befriended the much younger Anne Bonny. The two became close friends, as Anne reportedly saw through Mary's disguise rather quickly. Unfortunately, Anne's lover, Jack Rackham, did not, and Mary was compelled to reveal herself as a woman to avoid a pointless altercation.
Governor Rogers' administrators were eventually made aware of Mary's status as a woman- likely on account of Rackham's loose tongue. In any event, Mary, Anne, and Jack did not remain in Nassau for much longer after their meeting. At some point in the late summer of 1720, the trio raised a small crew and stole a schooner docked in Nassau's harbour.
For three months, they pirated and pillaged, with Anne and Mary taking the lead whenever their self-appointed captain, Rackham, was incapacitated by drink. Unfortunately for all, Rackham's incompetence also landed them in more trouble than they could handle, and in October 1720 their ship was set upon by the British.
According to reports, only Anne, Mary, and one unnamed young man were fit enough to resist- and resist they did. Miraculously, only the young man died in the ensuing fight. Anne and Mary were arrested, as was Jack Rackham and the rest of his crew, after they awoke from their drunken stupors below deck.
Taken to Kingston for trial, their executions were stayed after the women announced they were both several months pregnant. Mary languished in jail until her term was up. Just days after giving birth, she died of a severe illness or infection, likely caused by the unsanitary conditions of her captivity. It is not known what happened to Mary's child.
