[Page of 9] Author: savage | The Golden Age of Piracy

Bartholomew Roberts

This flag depicts Bartholomew Roberts holding a sword while standing on two skulls: under one is written ABH, under the other AMH, standing for a Barbadian’s Head and A Martinican’s head respectively. Later he is depicted as holding a flaming sword. It is said to portray Robert’s animosity towards those two islands after their governors attempted to capture him. The only evidence for this flag is A General History of the Pyrates, depicted with the cross of St. George in top right corner in the first edition. ‘… a Man pourtrayed [sic] in it, with a flaming Sword in his hand, and standing on two Skulls, subscribed A.B.H. And A.M.H.’

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Calico Jack Rackham

savage Famous pirates Leave a comment

Jack Rackham in Black Sails. Black Sails Wiki - https://black-sails.fandom.com/wiki/Black_Sails_Wiki

Rackham’s true first name was John, Jack being a nickname for John, said to have originated from the Middle English variation of John, which was commonly pronounced as ‘Jankin’ or ‘Jackin’, over time being shortened to ‘Jack’. His surname is usually spelt Rackham, although other spellings appeared in sources of in a time before spelling was standardized, such as Rackam, Rackum, Racum, or even Racan. The nickname ‘Calico Jack’ first appeared in the 1728 edition of Charles Johnson’s A General History of the Pyrates. It has been claimed he was born in Bristol, England, in 1682, but there is no surviving evidence of this. He is often considered as having been one of the least successful pirates of the Golden Age, only having captured fourteen vessels over a short period, seven of which were fishing boats, one a canoe, the others small trading vessels, obtaing no more than £1400 in plunder.…

Black Sam Bellamy II

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One of two flags reported to have been flown by Black Sam Bellamy, known as the Robin hood of pirates, according to an eyewitness account in the Weekly Journal of London. It was possibly flown during Bellamy’s time in command of the Whydah Gally. “… when they began any Attack they spread a back Ensign, with Death holding an Hour-Glass in one hand and a trumpet in the other.” Weekly Journal, July 1717

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Pipe down

savage Nautical terms in everyday English Leave a comment

A request to be quiet or call for silence. On sailing the boatswain’s pipe was used as a tool to communicate with the ship’s crew. One such signal was ‘piping down the hammocks’ which was the signal to go below decks and retire for the night. When an officer wanted a sailor to be dismissed below he would have him ‘piped down’. Possibly also used to call sailors to silence so they could hear the commands of the officers.

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Black Sam Bellamy

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One of two flags reported to have been flown by Black Sam Bellamy, known as the Robin hood of pirates, by Thomas Blanket, one of the eight pirates on trial after the wreck of the Whydah in a storm. It was a flag that seems to have been common to members of the Flying Gang of Nassau and was possibly flown before Bellamy captured the Whydah. “They spread a large black Flag, with a death‘s Head and Bones a-cross.” The Trials of Eight Persons Indicted for Piracy, Boston 1718. According to the article The Pirate Ship Whydah: Pirate strategy on the Field Museum in Chicago’s website, this flag is also mentioned by Thomas Baker, one of Bellamy’s crew, although no sources is given: “…they spread a large black flag, with a Death’s Head and Bones across, and gave chase to Cap’t. Prince under the same colours.”

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