Anne Bonny

Anne Bonny

Anne Bonny (born Anne Cormac)
Born: around 1697 ñ 1700 near Cork in Ireland
Died: unknown

When Anne was young her father took her and her mother to America, but shortly after they arrived Anne's mother died leaving her in charge of looking after her father and the house.

She was a strong, determined girl who knew her own mind and although her father wanted her to marry a rich landowner she chose to marry a solider who was not so wealthy.

Angry with her decision, Anneís father disinherited her and threw her out the house.

To find work Anne and her new husband, James Bonny, went to Providence which was an island visited by many sailors and pirates. Once there, Anne met ëCalico Jackí Rackam and thinking life with him would be more exciting than with James she asked to join his crew. So, dressed in manís clothes, Anne sailed out of Providence leaving her husband behind.

After a while on board ship Anne became pregnant and since the crew still didnít know she was a woman Calico Jack suggested dropping her off in Cuba and picking her up again after she had given birth to their baby. But when he went back he found that the baby had died and that Anne was not well.

In an effort to improve their lives both Anne and Calico Jack sailed back to Providence and got a pardon for the crimes they had committed as pirates. Unfortunately for both of them James Bonny (Anneís husband) was still on the island and still angry. It didnít take long before he started stirring up trouble and eventually Anne and Calico Jack had no other option but to flee the island and return to piracy.

When it came to being a pirate Anne was as tough as many of the men, but braver and fiercer than most. It didnít take long before she was respected by her crew, even though she was a woman. During their travels Anne and Calico Jack met up with Mary Read (another pirate) and all three agreed to travel together.

That was until they were captured. All three were found guilty of piracy but because Anne was pregnant again it was decided to suspend her sentence till after the birth of her baby. A decision that may have saved her life because whilst there are records of her friendís deaths there are none for her. Some say that she fell in love with a jailor and he helped her escape, others say that her father came and paid for her release, but nobody seems sure.
Anne Bonny (born Anne Cormac)
Born: around 1697 - 1700 near Cork in Ireland
Died: unknown



When Anne was a child her father took her and her mother from Ireland to America, but shortly after they arrived there Anne's mother died leaving the young girl in charge of looking after her father and the house.

Anne was a strong, determined girl who knew her own mind and although her father wanted her to marry a rich landowner she chose to marry a solider who was not so wealthy.

Angry with her decision, Anne's father disinherited her and threw her out of the house.

To find work Anne and her new husband, James Bonny, went to Providence (an island well-known to be visited by many sailors and pirates). Once there, Anne met 'Calico Jack' Rackam and thinking life with him would be more exciting than with James she asked to join his crew. So, dressed in man's clothes, Anne sailed out of Providence leaving her husband behind.

cont...

After a while on board the ship, though, Anne became pregnant and since the crew still didn't know she was a woman Calico Jack suggested dropping her off in Cuba and picking her up later after she had given birth to their baby. But when he went back for her he found that the baby had died and that Anne was not well.

In an effort to improve their lives both Anne and Calico Jack sailed back to Providence and got a Pardon for the crimes they had committed as pirates. However, unfortunately for them both, James Bonny (Anne's husband) was still on the island and still angry, and it didn't take long before he started stirring up trouble. So eventually Anne and Calico Jack had no other option but to flee the island and return to piracy.

When it came to being a pirate Anne was as tough as many of the men, but braver and fiercer than most. Consequently it didn't take long before she was respected by her crew, who this time round knew she was a woman. During their travels Anne and Calico Jack met up with Mary Read (another pirate) and all three agreed to travel together.

That was until they were captured, and all three were found guilty of piracy but because Anne was pregnant again it was decided to suspend her sentence till after the birth of her baby. A decision that may have saved her life because whilst there are records of Calico Jack's and Mary's deaths there are none for her. Some say that she fell in love with a jailor and he helped her escape, others say that her father came and paid for her release, but nobody seems sure.

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