Adam Baldridge facts for kids
Adam Baldridge (active 1690–1697) was an English pirate. He was one of the first people to set up pirate bases in Madagascar.
He had to leave Jamaica because of legal problems. Baldridge then sailed to Madagascar. By 1690, he had created a base on St. Mary's Island.
Adam Baldridge's Settlement
By 1691, Baldridge controlled the main waterway into St. Mary's. He built a strong base overlooking the island's harbor. This base also protected the settlement's storage buildings. He became very powerful among the local tribes. Tribal leaders would even pay Baldridge to help solve their disagreements.
Baldridge's settlement became a popular safe place for pirates. These pirates often sailed in the Mediterranean Sea. Baldridge would provide supplies to the pirates. In return, he charged them very high fees.
His trading goods came from a merchant in New York named Frederick Philipse. Philipse sent many ships to Baldridge. These ships were led by captains like John Churcher and Thomas Mostyn. Baldridge sent goods back to Philipse.
One of his well-known customers was Thomas Tew. Tew visited Baldridge in 1693. Tew's ship, the Amity, came back in 1695. This was after Tew had died in a battle with Henry Every. Baldridge had just traded with a ship called Charming Mary in August 1695. A few months later, he helped the Amity crew. They then left to chase the same Charming Mary that had just departed.
Why Baldridge Left Madagascar
Baldridge was known for living a very rich life on the island. However, in 1697, he had to leave suddenly. The local tribes found out he had betrayed some of them. He had sold a group of local people away from the island.
This led to an uprising by the local tribes. Many pirates were killed during this event. These included John Hoar and Robert Glover. The rest of Thomas Wake's crew also died. Baldridge himself blamed the pirates for the anger of the local people. He said the pirates had treated the natives badly.
However, another famous person, William Kidd, had a different idea. Kidd said Baldridge was the real reason for the uprising. He claimed Baldridge had tricked many local people. He took men, women, and children onto ships. Then he sold them as slaves on a French island called Mascarine. The local people on St. Mary's then took revenge on the pirates.
After Baldridge left, another former pirate trader, Edward Welch, took over his base. But Welch did not have the same support as Baldridge. So, he was not as successful. Later, a Dutch ex-pirate named John Pro returned to St. Mary's. He led a settlement there and traded until he died in 1719.
Life After Piracy
After returning to New York, Baldridge met with Governor Bellomont. He suggested a plan to start an English colony on St. Mary's Island. Governor Bellomont and his supporters were unsure. They knew about Baldridge's past. Bellomont wished he had more honest officials to deal with Baldridge.
By 1699, Bellomont had removed Philipse from his council. He also stopped Philipse's trading with pirates. Baldridge later married the wife of a former pirate. Bellomont noted that Baldridge got his marriage license unfairly. The woman was still technically married to someone else.
Eventually, Baldridge became a legal merchant. He lived into his seventies. Another story says that after returning to New York, Baldridge tricked Bellomont. He got permission to sail as a trader to Antigua. But this was a trick. As soon as he sailed, he went north to Newfoundland. There, he became a pirate again. He attacked fishing fleets in that area.
See also
- James Plaintain and Abraham Samuel, two other ex-pirates who established trading posts on or near Madagascar.
- John Leadstone, an ex-pirate nicknamed "Old Captain Crackers" who established a trading post on the west coast of Africa
