The (Lady) Pirates of the Carribbean

<p>Anne Bonny and Mary Read - the most notorious women to swashbuckle and plunder in the ‘golden age of piracy’ - were captured near Jamaica by pirate-hunter Jonathan Barnet on 8th November, 1720.</p><br><p>Disguised as men for most of their careers, they sailed (and cavorted) with Pirate Captain ‘Calico Jack’. But, when their crimes came to trial, they both avoided being sentenced to death by ‘pleading the belly’.</p><br><p>In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly speculate about how Bonny and Read were able to pass as men so convincingly; explain how they met in the ‘pirate republic’ of Nassau; and reveal why ‘Robinson Crusoe’ author Daniel Defoe may just be responsible for the enduring ‘Reader’s Wives’ version of Bonny and Read’s friendship...</p><br><p>CONTENT WARNING: reference to rape</p><br><p><strong>Further Reading:</strong></p><p>• ‘Comparing the Female Pirates Anne Bonny and Mary Read’ (ThoughtCo, 2018): <a href="https://www.thoughtco.com/facts-about-anne-bonny-mary-read-2136281" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.thoughtco.com/facts-about-anne-bonny-mary-read-2136281</a></p><p>• ‘How Anne Bonny and Mary Read Changed The Face Of Female Piracy’ (All That’s Interesting, 2018):</p><p><a href="https://allthatsinteresting.com/anne-bonny-mary-read" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://allthatsinteresting.com/anne-bonny-mary-read</a></p><p>• ‘Behind the myth of a breast-baring pirate’ (BBC Reel, 2019): <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBVeQwhcjZg" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBVeQwhcjZg</a></p><br><p><strong>For bonus material and to support the show, visit</strong><a href="https://create.acast.com/episodes/ca1f94a1-0921-446a-ae00-4d4bfd2ba3ef/Patreon.com/Retrospectors" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong> </strong></a><a href="http://patreon.com/Retrospectors" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Patreon.com/Retrospectors</strong></a></p><p><strong>We'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts:</strong><a href="https://create.acast.com/episodes/ca1f94a1-0921-446a-ae00-4d4bfd2ba3ef/podfollow.com/Retrospectors" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong> </strong></a><a href="http://podfollow.com/Retrospectors" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>podfollow.com/Retrospectors</strong></a></p><br><p><em>The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.</em></p><p><em>Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Emma Corsham.</em></p><p><em>Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2021.</em></p><br><p><em>#1700s #Crime #Jamaica</em></p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

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