One of the most blood-thirsty pirates active in the Caribbean, in the Azores, and along the coast of North America. He was active between 1721 and 1724, his fate being disputed by historians. The above flag was used by the notorious Edward Lowe from July 1723 during the time he called himself admiral and is taken from a description by Charles Johnson in A General History of the Pyrates – “… and hoists a black Flag, with the Figure of Death in red, at the Main-topmast Head …”
This phrase is used to describe someone who is unstable, unpredictable, or uncontrollable. This term has its roots in Naval warfare in the Age of Sail. Due to their weight the cannons on a sailing ship, which were generally referred to as guns, were secured to prevent them from moving about with the waves of the sea or to prevent damage from the enormous recoil when fired. A cannon that had become loose of its restraints and was rolling dangerously about the deck could cause immense damage to the vessel and crew.
To be packed together so tightly that there is very limited movement. This phrase is thought to originate from the use of the block and tackle system on a sailing ship, referring to when rigging blocks are so tight against one another that they can’t be tightened any further. The word ‘chock’, possibly derived from the Old French word for block – ‘choque’, was a wedge or block of wood used to prevent movement, and ‘block’ refers to the pulleys used in the ship’s rigging, that have one or more grooves over which a line is roved, being used to change the direction of a line or, in pairs, to form a tackle. When a ship’s rigging was pulled as tight as possible and there was no more free rope, the blocks would be tightly compacted and said to be ‘chock-a-block.’
False or foolhardy courage that comes from consuming alcohol. A term believed to have been circulated by English sailors during the Anglo-Dutch wars of the 17th and 18th centuries. A term of derision which accused the Dutch of being cowardly and only able to fight when intoxicated. Conflicts between the Dutch and the English took place 1652-1654, 1665-1667, 1672-1674 and 1780-1784, mainly fought over trade and overseas colonies. Another claim is that the term arose when the Dutch and English were allies. Gin in its modern form was reputedly invented by the Dutch physician Franciscus Sylvius in the 17th century and English soldiers fighting alongside their Dutch allies in the Low Countries appreciated the effects of Jenever, or Dutch gin. Cheap gin was widely available in London by the early 18th century, resulting a period called the gin Craze between 1695 and 1735.
A drinking toast akin to saying cheers! This term is said to originate from the common practice of tricking English sailors into joining the Navy. Always looking for ways to boost recruitment numbers, Royal Navy recruiters would manipulate the sailor into joining the Navy by tricking him into accepting the King’s shilling, which was secretly dropped into his drink. The victim would not notice the coin until it was too late. Once pub owners began to realize what was going on, they started to serve beer in tankards with clear bottoms and drinkers would remind each other to check for the hidden payment with the phrase ‘bottoms up’. The practice of offering the king’s shilling was officially brought to an end in 1879. This nautical tale could be just a myth because the Navy press-gangs could recruit by force, making deception unnecessary.