John Rackham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Rackham
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A woodcut of Rackham from Captain Charles Johnson's 1724 book A General History of the Pyrates
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| Died | 18 November 1720 Port Royal, Colony of Jamaica
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| Piratical career | |
| Type | Pirate |
| Years active | August – October 1720 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Base of operations | Caribbean |
| Commands | William (briefly) |
| Battles/wars | Capture of John Rackham |
John Rackham (who was executed on November 18, 1720) was an English pirate. He sailed the seas around the Bahamas and Jamaica in the early 1700s. Most people today know him by the nickname Calico Jack, even though this name wasn't used during his lifetime. Rackham was active in 1720, near the end of what is called the Golden Age of Piracy. He is famous for having two women as part of his crew: Anne Bonny and Mary Read.
We don't know much about John Rackham's life before he became a pirate. The first story about him comes from a book written in 1724 by Captain Charles Johnson. This book, called A General History of the Pyrates, says Rackham was from England. It also claims he worked for another pirate, Charles Vane, before becoming a captain himself. While many people accept this story, there isn't much proof to back it up.
Rackham first appears in official records around August 1720. He became known after taking a ship called a sloop from Nassau harbor. This ship belonged to a merchant named John Ham. After only about two months as a pirate captain, Rackham was caught in October 1720. He was captured by Jonathan Barnet, who used to be a privateer for England. Rackham was then put on trial by Sir Nicholas Lawes, the Governor of Jamaica. He was executed on November 18, 1720, in Port Royal, Jamaica.
Contents
The Early Life of John Rackham
We know very little about John Rackham's childhood or how he grew up. His last name, Rackham, comes from England. Many people with this name lived in parts of England during the 1600s and 1700s. The book A General History of the Pyrates said he was English. However, during a fight, Rackham himself said he was "From Cuba." This might mean he was born there, lived there, or just sailed from there.
Unlike his famous crew members, Anne Bonny and Mary Read, there are no descriptions of what Rackham looked like or what clothes he wore. We also don't know his age or exactly where he was from. Before August 1720, it's hard to say anything for sure about John Rackham's early life.
Stories from A General History of the Pyrates
Most of what we think we know about Rackham's early pirate days comes from Captain Charles Johnson's book. This book, A General History of the Pyrates, is not always accurate. Johnson wrote that Rackham started as a quartermaster on a ship called the Ranger. This ship belonged to another pirate, Charles Vane. They operated from New Providence island in the Bahamas, which was a well-known "pirate hideout" back then.
The story says Vane's crew robbed several ships. Then, they met a large French warship. This warship was much bigger than Vane's ship and started chasing them. Vane decided to run away, saying it was safer. But John Rackham disagreed. He thought they should fight because the warship would have many treasures. He also argued that if they captured it, it would give them a much bigger ship. Most of the crew wanted to fight, but Vane, as captain, made the final decision, and they fled.
According to this book, on November 24, 1718, Rackham led a vote. The crew decided Vane was a coward and removed him as captain. Rackham then became the new captain. He gave Vane and his supporters another ship with supplies. Records from Charles Vane's trial confirm that a crew vote did happen, leading to his removal. However, the quartermaster who led the vote is not named, so we can't be sure it was Rackham.
John Rackham's Pirate Adventures
Official records don't mention John Rackham before August 1720. His name wasn't on lists of pirates who accepted a pardon from the government. It's very likely that Rackham only became a pirate in 1720.
Pirate Stories from A General History
Captain Charles Johnson's book tells a different story. It says that in 1719, Rackham sailed to Nassau. He supposedly took advantage of a special offer called a "general amnesty" for pirates. This meant he could get a royal pardon from Governor Woodes Rogers. Governor Rogers was sent to the Bahamas to deal with pirates who were attacking British ships.
The book claims that in December 1719, Rackham captured a merchant ship called the Kingston. This ship had valuable goods, which would have been a big win for Rackham. However, the Kingston was taken close to Port Royal. Angry merchants then sent bounty hunters after him. They found Rackham in February 1719, near Cuba. Rackham and his crew escaped by hiding in the woods, but their ship and the captured Kingston were taken away.
It's important to know that the ship Kingston was actually stolen by Captain Joseph Thompson, not John Rackham.
The story continues that Rackham and his men were fixing their small ship in a Cuban town. A Spanish warship, which patrolled the Cuban coast, entered the harbor. It had captured a small English ship. The Spanish warship saw the pirates but could not reach them because the tide was low. So, they waited at the harbor entrance. That night, Rackham and his men quietly rowed to the captured English ship. They took control from the Spanish guards. As morning came, the warship started firing at Rackham's old, empty ship. Meanwhile, Rackham and his crew sailed away silently in their new prize.
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The book says Rackham and his men returned to Nassau. They asked Governor Rogers for a royal pardon. They claimed that another pirate, Vane, had forced them to become pirates. Governor Rogers disliked Vane, so he believed them. He gave them the pardon, allowing them to live as honest people. However, their time as honest men did not last long.
Anne Bonny Joins the Crew
The book A General History says that after getting his pardon, Rackham became close with a woman named Anne Bonny. Johnson wrote that Bonny had arrived in Nassau with her husband. The book claims she and Rackham became pirates soon after. However, court records from Bonny's trial call her an "unmarried woman." This makes the story about her husband less likely. We don't know for sure what kind of connection Bonny had with Rackham. We also don't know exactly why they decided to become pirates.
On August 22, 1720, Rackham, Anne Bonny, and their crew took a merchant ship called the William. Another woman, Mary Read, was also part of this crew. The ship belonged to a merchant named John Ham. Rackham and his crew easily sailed out of Nassau harbor, starting their short time as pirates.
Capture, Trial, and Execution
In September 1720, Governor Woodes Rogers of the Bahamas made an official announcement. He declared John Rackham and his crew to be pirates. This announcement was published in the American Colonies in October 1720. After this, Rackham continued his pirate activities. He captured many small fishing boats and caused fear among fishermen along the coast of Jamaica. In mid-October, Jonathan Barnet, a former privateer, and another captain named Bonadvis left Jamaica. They were sailing in two trading ships.
Rackham and his crew were sailing west, towards Negril. On October 22, 1720, Rackham's ship was anchored. It fired a gun, which caught the attention of Bonadvis's ship. Bonadvis told Barnet, who then sailed to investigate. At 10 PM, Barnet called out to Rackham's ship, asking who they were. The reply was "John Rackham from Cuba." Barnet immediately ordered them to surrender. Someone on Rackham's ship fired a small cannon at Barnet's ship. Barnet then ordered his ship to fire its cannons. This attack damaged Rackham's ship, and his crew quickly surrendered.
Barnet brought the captured men ashore at Davis's Cove in Jamaica. There, a military officer named Major Richard James arrested them. Rackham and his crew were taken to Spanish Town, Jamaica, in November 1720. They were put on trial and found guilty of piracy. They were sentenced to be executed.
John Rackham was executed in Port Royal on November 18, 1720. According to a writer named James Knight, Rackham's body was displayed as a warning at the main entrance to Port Royal. This small island became known as Rackham's Cay by the 1750s.
What Happened to His Crew
Anne Bonny and Mary Read both said they were pregnant during their trials. This happened ten days after Rackham's execution. Because of this, their executions were delayed. We don't know for sure if they were actually pregnant. Mary Read died in April 1721, but the cause of her death is unknown. There are no official records about Anne Bonny being released or executed. However, there is a burial record for an Ann Bonny in 1733.
Several other crew members were executed along with John Rackham in Port Royal. These included George Fetherston, Richard Corner, John Davis, and John Howell. The next day, Patrick Carty, Thomas Earl, James Dobbin, and Noah Harwood were executed in Kingston.
Nine other men who had been with Rackham's crew were also tried. They were found guilty on January 24, 1721. On February 17, John Eaton, Thomas Quick, and Thomas Baker were executed at Gallows Point in Port Royal. The next day, John Cole, John Howard, and Benjamin Palmer were executed in Kingston. We don't know what happened to the remaining three men: Edward Warner, Walter Rouse, and John Hanson.
The Famous Crossed Swords Flag
The flag most people connect with Rackham shows a white skull above crossed swords on a black background. Some even say Rackham invented this Jolly Roger design. However, during his trial, no one said Rackham ever used such a flag. Witnesses only mentioned that his ship flew "a white pendant," which is a type of long, narrow flag. The book A General History also doesn't mention any specific flag.
The skull-and-crossed-swords design probably became popular in the early 1900s. Linking it to Rackham might have started with a 1959 book by Hans Leip.
The "Calico Jack" Nickname
During John Rackham's lifetime, all official papers called him "John." Newspapers and his trial records never gave him a colorful nickname. The first edition of A General History in 1724 also didn't mention any other name for Rackham. It wasn't until 1728, when the second volume of A General History came out, that the name "Calico Jack" appeared in writing.
This nickname is now very common in movies and stories. However, it's unlikely Rackham himself used it. Pirate trials usually used nicknames if a pirate had one, like "Blackbeard." But Rackham's trial never mentioned any nickname. Its appearance in the second volume of A General History is also questionable. This volume is known for adding made-up stories.
The nickname "Calico Jack" itself was probably not used by anyone in Nassau. In the 1700s, "calico" fabric was mostly used for women's clothing. This gave it a feminine meaning.
There was a pirate named Calico Jack, but he was an enslaved person who escaped in 1694. There was also a famous thief named Sarah Wells, who went by Calico Sarah.
Legacy
John Rackham's pirate career lasted only 61 days, and he captured only a few ships. Despite this, he is one of the most famous pirates from the Golden Age of Piracy. This is mainly because he had two women in his crew and because of the influence of his fictional flag and nickname.
By the 21st century, Rackham has appeared in many books, movies, TV shows, and video games.
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