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Mary Read was a female pirate who lived in the late 17th century and early 18th century.
Early life
Mary Read was born in London to the wife of a sea captain. Because he was at sea when she was born, Read's mother told him she had had a son and named him Mark, dressing Mary as a boy. This ensured that she would inherit her father's fortune when he died. Read and her mother lived on the inheritance until her teenage years, when the money ran out. Still dressed as a boy, Read found work as a footboy but became bored with the position and instead found employment aboard a ship.
However, excessive amounts of abuse led her to jump ship and join the British military. Read proved herself through battle and fell in love with a fellow sailor. She and the sailor married and, with his military commission, opened an inn named The Three Horseshoes.
For the first time in her life, Read lived life as a woman. She and her new husband lived happily until his tragic death, at which time Read again returned to military service disguised as a man. But the military had lost its sparkle to Read, so she quit and boarded a ship bound for the West Indies.
Capture by pirates, and becoming a pirate
While at sea, Read's ship was attacked and captured by the notorious pirate "Calico" Jack Rackham and his companion, the female pirate Anne Bonny.
Read, still dressed as a man, was soon recruited to Rackham's crew... where she became familiar with Bonny. She and Bonny became close companions, and one day Bonny walked in on Read undressing and thus accidentally discovered her secret. Although in Captain Charles Johnsons writings about the two women, he indicates that at first their companionship was of a romantic nature, this is not known beyond a doubt. *" target="_blank" >[http://www.piratesinfo.com/biography/biography.php?article_id=26
Rackham shortly thereafter revealed to his crew that Read was female, but it seemed to have had no negative effect on her service on board the ship. While touring the Caribbean with Rackham's crew, Read became interested in a fellow pirate and soon found herself in love once more. Read and her pirate lover married, and Rackham's crew did have many successes during a period of about three months. However, they began to lull into a lazy, party attitude, spending much of their time drunk and lounging.
Capture, imprisonment
In October of 1720, the troops of Captain Barnet took them by surprise, and captured Rackham and his crew on behalf of the governor of Jamaica. Rackham and the majority of his crew were exetremely drunk, and didn't put up much resistance, many being passed out in the ship's hull. Read and Bonny, however, did resist. But outgunned, their resistance did not last long.
Rackham and his crew were sentenced to hang for acts of piracy, but Read and Bonny both "pled their bellies" (claimed to be pregnant) and received a stay of execution. It is unknown whether they were really pregnant or if they invented the story to delay their executions, but according to the latest History Channel documentary, airing July 9th, 2006, it is now believed that both women were in fact pregnant. Read was believed to have been pregnant by either Captain Jack Rackham or an unknown pirate who was a love interest and member of Rackham's crew. Bonny was believed to have been pregnant by either her long time lover Captain Jack Rackham, or by Doctor Michael Radcliff, a former victim of one of their raids who was saved from death by Bonny.
Read died in early 1721 while in prison, either by fever or during child birth. Bonny disappeared from the historical record.
See also
External links
English pirates | 17th century births | Year of death missing | Londoners
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"Mary Read"