Hezekiah Frith facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hezekiah Frith
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A portrait of Hezekiah Frith.
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| Born | 1763 |
| Died | 1848 Bermuda
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| Nationality | English |
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) |
| Children | Hezekiah Frith Jr. |
| Piratical career | |
| Type | Privateer |
| Allegiance | Great Britain |
| Years active | 1790s–1810s |
| Rank | Captain |
| Base of operations | Bermuda |
| Later work | Ship owner |
Hezekiah Frith, Sr. (1763–1848) was a well-known British ship owner from the 1700s. He was sometimes called a "gentleman privateer." This means he was a privateer during the 1790s. A privateer was a private ship or person who was given permission by their government to attack and capture enemy ships during wartime.
Hezekiah Frith was one of the richest men in Bermuda in the late 1700s and early 1800s. He built a famous house called Spithead House in Warwick, Bermuda. He was married three times. His son, Hezekiah Frith, Jr., became an important religious leader. Two popular Bermudian singers, Heather Nova and Mishka, are related to Hezekiah Frith.
The Life of Hezekiah Frith
Hezekiah Frith was born in Bermuda. He was one of seven children of Captain William Frith and Sarah Lee. In the 1780s and 1790s, he became a very successful ship owner. He took part in privateering, which helped him earn a lot of money.
One time, in August 1796, he sailed into a French port called Cap Français in San Domingo. During the night, he managed to take back a British transport ship that had been captured by the French.
Stories About His Adventures
Many stories about Hezekiah Frith's privateering days might be a bit exaggerated. He took part in several privateering trips with the Royal Navy. People say he kept valuable items from at least two captured ships in a store next to Spithead House. It is also said that he used the water tank at Spithead to hide captured goods.
Local legends also claim that Frith rescued a Frenchwoman. She is said to have lived with him at the house. Some people believe that both Hezekiah Frith and the Frenchwoman still haunt Spithead House. Later, famous people like playwright Eugene O'Neill, Sir Noël Coward, and Charlie Chaplin owned the house.
The Granaway Home
Hezekiah Frith also built another house called Granaway. It was on Harbor Road and was built for his daughter. This home was later bought by a family of free Black people. They were descendants of a woman named Caprice. She had originally come to Bermuda on a ship that Hezekiah Frith had captured during one of his voyages. Adele Tucker, a well-known Bermudian educator, grew up in the Granaway home. She also helped start the Bermuda Union of Teachers.
Images for kids
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The 18th century Bermudian home of Hezekiah Frith.
