John Rackham | |
|---|---|
 A woodcut of Rackham from Charles Johnson's 1725 edition of A General History of the Pyrates | |
| Died | 18 November 1720[2] |
| Piratical career | |
| Nickname | Calico Jack |
| Type | Pirate |
| Years active | 1720 |
| Rank | Captain[1] |
| Base of operations | West Indies |
| Commands | William (briefly) |
| Battles/wars | Capture of John "Calico Jack" Rackham |
John Rackham[a] (hanged 18 November 1720),[2] commonly known as Calico Jack, was an English pirate captain operating in the Bahamas and in Cuba during the early 18th century. His nickname was derived from the calico clothing that he wore, while Jack is a nickname for "John".
Rackham was active towards the end (1718–1720) of the "Golden Age of Piracy". He is most remembered for having two female crew members: Mary Read and his lover, Anne Bonny.
Rackham deposed Charles Vane from his position as captain of the sloop Ranger, then cruised the Leeward Islands, Jamaica Channel and Windward Passage. He accepted the King's Pardon in 1719 and moved to New Providence, where he met Anne Bonny, who was married to James Bonny at the time. He returned to piracy in 1720 by stealing a British sloop and Anne joined him. Their new crew included Mary Read, who was disguised as a man at the time. After a short run, Rackham was captured by Jonathan Barnet, an English privateer, in 1720, put on trial by Sir Nicholas Lawes, Governor of Jamaica, and hanged in November of that year in Port Royal, Jamaica.[3]
- ^ Biography of John "Calico Jack" Rackham
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
rackhamtryalswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Did English pirate Calico Jack design the Jolly Roger?". Telegraph. 5 December 2016.
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