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Ahoy and Welcome to the after story of Anne Bonny
Welcome to the Sailing Against The Tide website and blog. I am the author, Carol Busby. I have long been fascinated with sailing ships and, by extension, pirates. There were two main women pirates that we know of in the Caribbean – Anne Bonny and Mary Read(e). THE BACK STORY Anne father, an Irish attorney named William McCormac, had an affair with his housekeeper, Mary Brennan. Anne was the result, born in County Cork about 1697. But McCormac preferred Mary to his wife and so left her and went to London where he often dressed Anne in boy’s clothes and called her Andy. When his wife discovered that he was…
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CHAPTER ONE
15 June 1721 – Spanish Town, Jamaica Anne Bonny lifted her head off the slouch hat that covered a rock which acted as her pillow. It was raining and her side of the prison was dripping water on her. Slowly and awkwardly, she managed to get her heavily pregnant body standing, grabbing the hat as she went. She hobbled, her leg chains clanking, to the other side which was, for the moment, dry. The dirt and sand floor would get wet eventually and seep over if it rained enough. For now, however, it was the better spot. She began to sob, knowing that this babe, like the one born in…
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RESEARCH
I did a lot of googling while writing this book. Moon phases in 1730 (there’s a site for that!) Distance calculator. Trees of Virginia. Rules of dining in 18th century England. Issues of the Virginia Gazette. But in addition, my friend Ann Colby is an expert in 18th century dress. I sent her a sample of the book and she informed me that Anne was wearing her underwear on the outside! That got fixed right away. I went to Virginia twice. The first time was to Williamsburg for a couple of days to see what things looked like. I went back to do deeper research into things like what would…
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Calico Jack Rackham
Today we will meet Calico Jack (born John) Rackham, Anne Bonny’s lover then husband (assuming she actually divorced James Bonny which is uncertain). Jack was born around 1682 in England. Little is known of his early life. He first shows up as the Quartermaster on Charles Vane’s brigantine Ranger operating out of the Pirates Republic of Nassau in 1718. The ship found a French man of war that was twice its size off New York City. Vane ordered a retreat but Rackham stepped up and advocated for taking the ship. It would provide great riches and they’d have a ship twice as big as Ranger. Despite an overwhelming vote in…
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WHERE TO BUY SAILING
Sailing Against the Tide is available on Amazon in both paperback and ebook versions. It is also available on Ingram Spark, including wholesale orders. $15.99 retail. ISBN: 978-0-578-82107-8 – paperback; 978-0-578-82416-1 ebook. Go to any of the following to pick up a copy of the book: Toadstool Books – Somerset Plaza, 375 Amherst Street, #101A, Nashua, NH; Toadstool Books – 12 Depot Road, Peterborough, NH; Toadstool Books – 12 Emerald Street, Keene, NH; Water Street Bookstore – 126 Water Street, Exeter, NH; River Run Bookstore – 32 Daniel Street, Portsmouth, NH; Country Bookseller – 23 N. Main Street, Wolfeboro, NH; Bayswater Books – 12 Main Street, Center Harbor, NH; Sheafe…
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RUMORS AND THE STORY
Anne Bonny was rumored to have given birth to eight children. She was rumored to have given birth in prison and kept the baby, living out her life on a plantation in Jamaica. Or she was rescued by her father and lived on a plantation in So. Carolina. Or Virginia. And she may have married a Joseph Burleigh. And is buried in Virginia, or So. Carolina or Jamaica, or next to the prison. But no one knows. I looked at all the rumors and created a life for Anne. Not only does she survive prison, she marries a man she comes to love and brings enlightened views to running a…
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CHAPTER TWO
21 June 1721 – Thousand Oaks Plantation Near Charles Town, South Carolina They spent the night in Charles Town and reached the plantation the next day. Anne stayed in bed for a week, regaining her strength. As time passed, she got stronger: walking, riding, swearing and regaining her defiance, although she didn’t understand why this place brought out the worst in her. One day, her father called her into his study. “Anne, I see you’re back in good health.” Anne nodded. “It’s time for you to move on. I have found a husband suitable to me and, I think, to you as well. His name is Joseph Burleigh and he…
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CHAPTER THREE
22-25 June 1721 – Hampton, Virginia Anne and Joseph were married by the vicar promptly at seven o’clock in the morning. The ceremony was witnessed only by the vicar’s wife and Anne’s father. Anne wore a simple white bodice over her shift and a skirt embroidered lovingly by Sarah with blue lines representing waves at sea. Joseph wore the same coat and breeches he had on the night before. After they said the vows, Joseph put a small gold band on her left hand. She felt like it was choking her whole hand bloodless. Then she realized, at least he’s given me a ring. James Bonny had married her without…
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CHAPTER FOUR
26 June 1721 – Hampton, Virginia Joseph drove the wagon from the stable to the boarding house as soon as they had finished an early breakfast. Anne waited on the front step with the trunks and valise. In a small canvas bag, she had packed some food and cider for the road. Joseph estimated it would take them a day to get to the plantation. She wore a loose, shortened gown over her shift and petticoat without stays or corset. Might as well be comfortable, she told herself. Women clothes be damned if I don’t have to. After the porters helped Joseph lift the trunks onto the wagon, which had…
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Mary Read(e)
Mary Read(e) (we’ll use Read) was the other known female Caribbean pirate. She was born in England in 1685. Her mother married a sailor and had a son. But the sailor disappeared at sea and Mary’s mother had an extramarital affair and ended up pregnant. She hid in the country where her son died and Mary was born. Being in tough financial straits, the mother dressed Mary as a boy and claimed that he was the deceased son so she could get support from the sailor’s mother. It worked. When Mary was a teenager, she got work on a ship, still dressed as a boy. Then she joined the British…
