Scuttlebutt

Dorset pirates raise funds

Afund-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, 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.

Creating what was effectively a new event during a pandemic is no easy task, so organiser Anton Burton Windsor is to be congratulated on Hastings Pirate Weekend Gallivant, which replaced the East Sussex town’s regular Pirate Day this year. The aim was to support local businesses, particularly taverns that have suffered badly due to the plague from Far Cathay, and also to raise much-needed funds for next year’s event by which time, life should have returned to normal.

The ‘Gallivant’ took place under almost Caribbean skies from 16-18 July and offered an incredible number of attractions and performances for pirates from eight to eighty plus.

Hastings pubs made every effort to provide a convivial atmosphere for visiting buccaneers, with events on Friday ranging from live music by The Captain’s Beard at The Fountain and Lovinia Belle (The Drag Pirate Queen) at The Nags Head to Tom Kelly singing folk songs and shanties at The Stag Inn. The evening saw pirates gather in the Pier Beer Garden to be hosted by compere Greg Draven as Blackbeard, with more music, the Pentacle Drummers, merry wenches, cabaret and circus acts.

There was no central stage or parade this year, but on Saturday the festivities continued, with all-day pirate cocktails and special pirate drinks

Full programme for first ‘Gallivant’ for kids at the Beach Café, while the JollyRoger band played at Tommy’s Pizza. There were piratethemed children’s rides and a ‘Pirate Market’. That evening, there was a socially-distanced ‘Meet and Greet’ with Jack Sparrow and the Redcoats, and a most interesting event in an intimate Pirate supporting a Hastings tavern (picture courtesy of Jeff Pitcher). setting with live music – Wayward Voyage by its author, Anna M. Holmes. This brought to life the history of Anne Bonny, ‘Calico Jack’ Rackham and Mary read from the Golden Age of Piracy. Another full programme greeted revellers on Sunday to conclude a most successful ‘Gallivant’.

Penzance Harbour

Captain and crew are visiting as many pirate events as they can with their stall, not the boat, unfortunately! We shall have all you will need to bring out ‘yer inner pirate’ from shirts, hats, trousers and flags to piratical accessories beyond count. We stock 17th & 18th Century weaponry, as well as Celtic, Gothic, Steam-punk shirts and T-shirts plus a range of jewellery and accessories. So we hope to see you at one of the events this year, but if you cannot make it, we can be found in Penzance Harbour, Cornwall.