Festival focus

Swanage hosts pirates v militia

After the absence of the Pirate Festival in 2020 and 2021, it most certainly returned to the Purbeck town with more than its fair share of musket fire, the boom of cannon and the clash of sword and pike for 2022.

Held on the same weekend as the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, it took the form of a living history festival. There were demonstrations of musket drill, a cannon display courtesy of the Wimborne Militia and the South Seas Buccaneers, and an outstanding display of sword skills by the Greyhounds of St Edmunds.

The living history camp was open to the public to wander around and ask questions about aspects of the lifestyle led by pirates such as shot making and some interesting discussions were held around the advantages and risks of fighting with musket, cannon or sword. Pieces of eight were on show, with many a ware being displayed, haggled over and sold.

The trial of Jax Parrow played by Simon Steadman, professional Jack Sparrow impersonator and freelance pirate, was held on both days, although there was a cry of disbelief when he was captured by the militia on the first day, but all was settled by foul play from the pirates on the second day, which led to his escape.

Whilst the organisers,

Purbeck’s favourite pirate, Jax Parrow, was captured on the first day of the Festival by a member of the Wimborne Militia.

Mutiny at Matlock

A community event to celebrate all things ‘piratey’, The Matlock Bath Pirate Mutiny in the landlocked Derbyshire town continues to grow and whilst The Fishpond Freehouse remains the centre of entertainment, there were stalls to browse and activities to watch in the town’s attractive Derwent Gardens from 6-7 August.

The good weather saw around 60 pirates taking part in the ‘Mutiny’ watched by over 100

Colin and Dawn Honey, were unable to arrange the skirmish on the beach or the pirate parade due to the Jubilee celebrations, they assured visitors, “Fear not, both will return in 2023”. They both deserve much credit for the success of this year’s Swanage & Purbeck

Mutiny at Matlock

locals and visitors.

Foot-stomping music was provided by the Old Time Sailors (pictured with pirates above), who took their audience back to the 19th century with a rousing performance of sea songs and shanties.

Pirate Festival, aided by Simon Steadman, who was responsible for the event’s site management on Sandpit Field overlooking Swanage Bay.

Pirates go POP in Eastbourne

On Saturday, 6 August, Pirates on the Pier (POP) returned to the stunning Victorian pier in the East Sussex town of Eastbourne for a second year.

The event was launched at 11 a.m. by the Pentacle Drummers and the deafening sound of their performance announced the fact that pirates and their wenches had travelled from far and wide to take possession of this elegant structure high above the waves.

The entire length of the pier was busy with stalls and a variety entertainment. Performers from the Cherry Dance Group were once again on hand to amaze the crowds with their exciting routines and popular pirate bands such as The Captain’s Beard played to acclaim outside the Drop in the Ocean bar. Also on the programme were The Zen Relics, The Gulls and The Bitter Pills.

The Britton family, who’ve supported the festivities of Hastings Pirate Day for the past four years, remembered seeing a report about Pirates on the Pier in 2021 and were determined not to miss the fun this time. Zoe Britton enthused, “It was a really great event, but I would love to see the whole town get involved and embrace Pirates on the Pier in Eastbourne (Editor: I agree - pirates should be made welcome).

“Well done to everyone on organising such a brilliant day for the whole family and we’ll see you in 2023!”

The event benefited two local charities and fundraising took place all day for the Eastbourne Bonfire Society and St Wilfrid’s Hospice.

Encore for Grain d’Pirate in Binic

Passionate about the era of piracy, as well as live entertainment, a group of inhabitants in Binic on the French Côtes d’Armor decided to recreate that adventurous period of history, bringing it to life for local people and attracting tourists to the town.

In March, 2014, the Grain d’Pirate association was born and quickly discovered there was no shortage of willing crew to help organise the Festival and carry out the many practical tasks necessary to ensure its success. All dedicated their skills to help host a large gathering of pirates, corsairs and buccaneers at the first event the following Summer, with re-enactors and spectators coming from all over the county and even beyond to enjoy this free Festival. It proved that pirates are always the stuff of dreams – a goal that the association had set itself.

Now, after a break of

Poster for the 2022 edition of Grain d’Pirate in Binic.

two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2022 edition of Grain d’Pirate has taken place once again. Pirates, wenches and support staff all worked with determination to make this return to the port and sands of Binic a great experience for young and old alike. Visitors were also charmed by the quality and enthusiasm of the artists and professional entertainers, as well as the beach re-enactors who added credibility to the Festival.

The association wishes to thank the municipality of Binic-Etable sur Mer for believing in the future of Grain d’Pirate, to the technical services for their anticipation and responsiveness to the little last-minute adjustments, to the port for their desire to bring the dream alive and to the tourism office for its vital role in relaying information to the wider world.

First responders, such as police officers and firefighters, were also valued for their reassuring presence and the attendance of many photographers ensured this year’s event has many images to remind visitors of a great weekend.

Finally, the association wishes to say a big thank you to the re-enactors, who came from all over France and other European nations to make this magic work, and hopes that they will want to give an ‘encore’ in 2023. More information from www.graindpirate.fr

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Gun-carriage for Privateer cannon

By Susan Hanley-Place, MBE*

The customary duties of a Lord Mayor include unveilings, charity meetings and wearing a red robe, gold chain and tricorn hat. Seldom, however, do they include salvaging a real Privateer cannon and making an authentic gun-carriage from historic plans. Step up Mal Sutton, Lord Mayor of the picturesque Merseyside village of Hale.

The story begins in the 18th century as the opening of the first enclosed dock in Britain was turning Liverpool from a fishing village to a serious port. On her gravel foreshore fighting ships were being built for the Royal Navy and Privateers such as William Hutchinson. A cannon-shot inland in Lydia Ann Street, Fawcett and Preston’s Phoenix Foundry was turning out powerful ship’s guns.

One of those cannons armed a Privateer vessel broken up at Oglet just down the Mersey Shore. The gun was reputed to be on its way to Widnes to be smelted down, but fell off its transport in Hale Village. It was displayed outside the drill hall until the Second World War when it was said to have been buried to prevent it being requisitioned for metal. In a town such stories become vague urban myths; in a village tightknit kinship bonds mean they are shared between families and pass down the generations.

So there was substance to part of the story, reinforced by local men, who saw it as children playing round the derelict drill hall after the War. One of them and his father dug it out and put it outside their house on High Street, took it away for a while to Wales, then asked Mal to bring it back to Hale. This was no small task, as the weight of the piece is far too much for hand-balling.

What was still not known was the true nature of the cannon. Mal decided it should be put on display in the village and showed me pictures. It was immediately clear that this was an 18th century Liverpool piece, with F for Fawcett on one trunion and the date of 1779 on the other. Mal exclaimed, “We were delighted when it was found and later astonished to find how old it was, and was also a genuine, perhaps unique, piece of Liverpool’s maritime history.”

The cannon was shown at the Liverpool Pirate Festival, but it was obvious it should be permanently displayed in Hale Village on a good carriage. An article in issue 8 of Pirate Plunder pictured volunteers from Sheppey Pirates renovating gun-carriages at Fort Amherst, setting Mal on the path of authentic reconstruction. Traditional Devon wheelwright Greg Rowland provided 18th century illustrated construction specifications, which Mal meticulously followed, with a target date of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Weekend.

It was completed on schedule and the Lord Mayor was finally able to put aside his work clothes and don his red robe, gold chain and tricorn for the unveiling in front of Hale Village Hall, accompanied by the Town Crier and the villagers, who had seen the cannon as boys. No one can prove this was a Privateer cannon, but the balance of opinion seems to be that the local village legend has a good chance of being true.

The gun-carriage was completed on schedule.

Left to Right: Ian Wainwright; Ken Arnold; Mal Sutton, Lord Mayor of Hale, Ken Rogers; and Terry Colquitt, Town Crier.

*Founder of the Liverpool Brethren and Hon. Master (retired) of the brigantine Zebu.