Dorset pirates raise funds
A
fund-raising weekend in May, organised by The Jolly Rogers Dorset in aid of the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, was cordially hosted by The Red Lion pub in Swanage (see
advertisement on page 15). In addition to a raffle of prizes given by local businesses, there was an auction of gear donated by the pirates, as well as games for the children. Once the contents of a bucket collection around the town had been
added to the money raised at the pub, the total amount came to £1,235.84. The pirates, now even jollier than usual, rounded off the weekend at The Red Lion by dancing a few jigs to tunes provided by Rich Baxter Music!
Successful day for ‘Pirate Takeover’
Held at Heskin Hall in Chorley, Lancashire, on 11 July, the first ‘Pirate Takeover’ proved to be a popular event and the venue’s Lynne Harrison told Pirate Plunder that it certainly won’t be the last. The successful day featured a number of different attractions, including stalls selling pirate gear, children’s rides, birds of prey, goats from the Woodlands Animal Sanctuary and the Hall’s beer garden,
Pirate Plunder Plunder c August c May 2021 2019 4 Pirate
which was well-stocked with rum. There was also traditional singing from the local Lytham St Annes Shanty Crew and an energetic performance by children from the Willpower Theatre and Dance Academy. Captain Jack Sparrow (Wayne Truman) hove
into view and Quinn the human monkey wowed the crowd with her antics. A considerable number of visitors voiced the opinion that few events like this happen in the North-West, so Heskin Hall has now responded to a number of requests by setting up a Facebook group page: Pirates North West and hopes this will become a sheltered harbour where all pirates, privateers and other scoundrels in the area can meet together.
It’s a fact In the 16th Century, Queen Elizaberth I landed Vice Admiral Sir Henry Killigrew with the unenviable task of ridding the SouthWestern Approaches of pirates. He was, in fact, friends with many of them and his own wife, Lady Mary Killigrew, was not averse to a little piracy herself, being the daughter of a former Suffolk pirate While he was out on patrol at sea, she led her household staff from Arwenack Castle in Cornwall on raiding parties. In 1570, she captured a German merchant vessel off Falmouth, which was taken to Ireland for sale. Unfortunately, the ship’s owner was a friend of the Queen, who then had Lady Mary arrested. Her trial took place at Launceston Assizes, but she was acquitted after the jury was bribed by her family. After this narrow escape, she gave up piracy, but still indulged in fencing stolen goods, often burying treasure in the castle grounds until a buyer could be found.
