Pirate Plunder November 2022

Volume 5 Number 14 November 2022

Pirate Plunder is an independent title published thrice a year in May, August and November for The Pirate Brethren of the British Isles. It aims to encourage the fundraising activities of pirate crews by promoting pirate festivals and other events where charitable pirates are to be found.

EDITORIAL

Cap’n Davy Young

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Pirates of the Caribbean: A Day at the Sea is apparently the working title for a sixth film in the series, which still has ‘legs’ – the potential to succeed. It can’t be denied that the POTC films relied to a large extent on Johnny Depp’s interpretation of Jack Sparrow, but Depp’s team recently confirmed that the actor has no plans to don his tricorn again.

This is deeply disappointing for fans, many having signed petitions that pleaded he return to the role for which he seemed ordained. As an ink-stained wordsmith, I make no claim to know how the Hollywood star views the character he brought to such entertaining life, but consider it interesting that Jack Sparrow finds an enthusiastic audience way beyond the silver screen.

This is evident from the flocks of them that alight at pirate festivals and any gatherings where their anarchic personalities are likely to be appreciated. Much of the high profile that charitable pirates currently enjoy is down to Johnny Depp, so if a new generation of pirates are POTC’s future, then a part must still be found for him to play.

Scuttlebutt 4

News and rumours from The Pirate Brethren of the Seven Seas.

Broadside 7

An Active Living History Re-enactment Group called ‘Sharkeye’s Pirates’ has been launched and the crew are now looking forward to events in 2023.

Birth of the Sea Dragon Pirates 8

Having arranged to celebrate his birthday aboard a floating restaurant, Frank Sharman (AKA Fairweather Frank) and his party decided to dress as pirates. This happy occasion encouraged him to attend his first pirate festivals the following year and led directly to the formation of the Sea Dragons.

Captain’s journal 10

The tale of his daring escape from the Governor’s mansion in Jamaica is recounted by our gallant Captain, who is now back on his beloved ship with Kate ensconced in his quarters.

A pirate known for kindness

Front Cover. Main image: Jax Parrow ‘s luck ran out when he was apprehended by the Devil’s hangman while watching The Dolmen perform at Weymouth Pirate Fest. Inset: These wellaccoutred pirates stood out from the crowd at Whitby Pirate Festival, which raised an awesome £2,869.62 for the town’s RNLI lifeboat.

11

Despite establishing a reputation for kindness, Thomas Tew amassed a fortune that made him the third richest pirate in history.

Kiddlywink pub on

smugglers’ trail

12

Lamorna Cove on the South Coast of Cornwall was a favourite landing beach for smugglers and the late 18th century Lamorna Wink pub still stands at the head of the smugglers’ trail leading up from the cove.

Festival focus

14

The Weymouth Pirate Fest thrust the town back into the ‘golden age of piracy’, Whitby Pirate Festival raised cash for the RNLI and the 16th Harwich International Shanty Festival provided shanty fans with a choice of over 200 events.

A pirate’s drinking

vessel of choice

18

Article by Andy Clarke of Pewter World in Hailsham, East Sussex, enthuses about the beauty and sheer fun of a tankard, describes how they made and gives hints on their care.

Shantyman

20

Based in Shoreham-by-Sea, the Wellington Wailers will be returning to the Falmouth International Shanty Festival next year. They first performed there in 2014 and have now becomeregular guest at the event.

Trading post

22

Weapons, clothing, boots, hats, eye patches, earrings, tankards for grog and all manner of gear for pirates.

How to become a pirate

24

List of active pirate crews from the coast of South Devon up to the shores of the Forth and Clyde.

Where to see pirate action

26

Calendar of festivals or re-enactment events either organised by pirates or likely to be subject to a pirate attack.

Return of the tall ships

Next year, The Tall Ships Races will see the international fleet return to Den Helder, Hartlepool, Fredrikstad, Lerwick and Arendal between 29 June and 6 August.

As with every edition of The Tall Ships Races, the series will offer a range of sailing experiences for trainees and crew

arranged through Gosport-based Sail Training International.

The sailing schedule in 2023 is as follows: Den Helder, The Netherlands, from 29 June-2 July; Hartlepool, England, from 6-9 July; Fredrikstad, Norway, from 15-18 July; Lerwick, The Shetlands, from 26-29 July; and Arendal, Norway, from 3-6 August.

It’s a fact

Pirates may have been searching for gold, silver, jewels and rum while plundering ships, but they were also on the look-out for maps, which were considered desirable booty. An article in National Geographic magazine describes one particular atlas from 1680 as ‘extremely valuable pirate booty’ that ‘overjoyed’ pirates when they seized it from the Spanish ship El Santo Rosario in July, 1681. The manuscript was filled with precious navigational information, including maps, charts and descriptions of different places.

when Bartholomew Sharpe, who had been arrested for piracy, presented it to the Admiralty, he received a full pardon from King Charles II. This gift saved him from execution, although he was eventually arrested for debt on the West Indian island of St Thomas and died in jail on 29 October, 1702.

Norway’s full-rigged ‘Sørlandet’ is the world’s oldest operational tall ship.

Jewels from the sea

Treasure from the 17th century shipwreck of the Nuestra Señora de las Maravillas (Our Lady of Wonders) in the Bahamas has recently been recovered from the sea by Texas-based Allen Exploration, which employed new technology such as enhanced GPS, metal detecting and high-resolution magnetometers.

The Spanish galleon sank on 4 January, 1656, but a great deal of the

treasure was salvaged between then and the early 1990s by adventurers and, more recently, by marine archaeologists. However, there was still more to find!

In addition to jewels and coins, the team from Allen Exploration also found Spanish olive jars and Chinese porcelain, but their star discovery was the sacred Order of Santiago, a religious band of knights active in Spain’s maritime trade.

It was of such value to English sailors that

According to National Geographic, some members of pirate crews were literate and were highly valued for their ability to read navigational charts. Therefore, books were also plundered from ships that had been taken by pirates.

Pirates spliced on Durlston Head

Congratulations to Ian Adams and Liz Brown, who were spliced at Durlston Castle, Swanage, Dorset, at 12 bells noon on 6 September. The union was witnessed by a full crew from the Brethren of the Coast: “As they exchange treasures of the heart. For all time ‘till death do they part”.

After the ceremony, those present scrambled down towards the cliffs of Durlston Head to take pictures of the newlyweds in front of The Great Globe (one of the largest stone spheres in the world, it

weighs 40 tonnes) and then retired to the Red Lion, where much grog

was consumed and a great deal of merriment ensued (Editor: I’ve

enjoyed many a night of good cheer in Little Jim’s establishment).

Mr and Mrs Adams pose in front the The Great Globe flanked by Cap’n Roger Relentless and Jax Parrow, the Isle of Purbeck’s most notorious pirates.

Old Time Sailors rebooked

The Fishpond Freehouse will once again be ‘pirate central’ when the Matlock Bath Pirate Mutiny takes place on the first weekend in August next year and Grace Bowler, who is responsible for ‘Front of House’ operations at the venue, confirmed to Pirate Plunder that the Old Time Sailors will be making a welcome return.

More gear in pirate genre

Princes Risboroughbased Southern Swords specialises in four separate genres – Pirate, Western, Viking and Roman.

Some of the Old Time Sailors pose with Captain Jack Sparrow look-alike Wayne Truman at the Fishpond Freehouse.

After their great reception this year, when the band transported the audience on an unforgettable trip into the past, they have been booked to play again on Saturday, 5 August, 2023.

The company’s website (www.southernswords. co.uk) has added to the gear available in the Pirate genre and now offers 45 products from high quality suppliers. These include an 18th century blunderbuss decorated with skulls, which is featured in the ‘Trading post’ section on page 22 of this issue.

Ithought you would like to know that ‘Sharkeye’s Pirates’ aaarrr now an Active Living History Re-enactment Group, with a brand new website (Editor: see page 25).

Seven of our 13 crew members are experienced exLiverpool Pirate Brethren, the remaining six are new and enthusiastic recruits to piracy. We plan demonstrating the firing of black powder weapons and also providing children’s entertainment, with stories and songs. This will include Pirate School where youngsters can learn to load a

replica cannon.

The crew are now looking forward to events in 2023.

Cap’n Sharkeye,Davy Runcorn, Merseyside

Having just returned to Albion from my voyages abroad I was delighted to find the August edition of Pirate Plunder awaiting me in port.

I look forward to discovering its hidden treasures and receiving further communications from you in the future.

Cap’n Ivor Phallus, Master of ‘The Indecent Sea’, Port of Hastings

I just received the magazine you promised. It is of very high quality and I just started to read it. I’ve attached the picture of us taken at the Fox Inn, Corfe Castle. I’d never met a real

pirate before!!! We certainly enjoyed talking to you both over a pint. I hope to do that again in the near future.

Dave Lawlor, Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

The Editor and Saucy Sue with Dave Lawlor (picture courtesy of Leslie Lawlor).

Birth of the Sea Dragon Pirates

In 2018, Frank Sharman (AKA Fair Weather Frank) had arranged to celebrate his birthday on 20 September with a meal aboard The Castle Barge, a floating restaurant moored at The Town Warf, Newark. Being a special event, his daughter innocently asked if the party would be going in fancy dress.

It seemed like a logical idea at the time and given the nautical location Frank and his

friend Elaine Darby decided to dress as pirates. Unbeknown to them, the booking followed ‘Talk Like a Pirate Day’ on 19 September and to their surprise were welcomed aboard and all those in the party dressed as pirates were treated to free drinks by the bar staff.

It was this happy occasion that encouraged Frank to attend his first pirate festivals at Matlock Bath and Whitby the following year where he

and Elaine met Luke Hardy, and the idea to form their own pirate group was born. The crew of three soon became four when they were joined by Christine Booth (AKA Chrissy Cutlass) to form the core members of the Sea Dragon Pirates

Of course, a pirate captain needs a ship and so, despite lacking previous boat-building experience – not even a small model – he built the group its first pirate ship. Named Sea Dragon 1, this rowing

boat-sized galleon had two masts and could be sailed by one person.

During the next three years, Frank added to the fleet and it now totals ten craft, nine of which are self-designed and built, and the tenth has been converted from a derelict rowing boat, which he salvaged from a local boatyard.

The Sea Dragon fleet ranges in size from unmanned models up to a craft carrying the Captain and a crew of one, whilst Sea Dragon 10 is in service as a

Captain Frank Sharman cradles his sea dog. Luke Hardy takes aim with his flintlock.

Frank

Christine

impress in Whitby. bar in Frank’s garden! Members of the group now number eight and

there is also Dithers, the group’s long-serving animated pirate. He is

the test pilot (or crash dummy) for launching any new Sea Dragons.

Collectively, they are known as the scourge of the River Derwent!

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.

www.bagorags.co.uk Facebook@pirateBagORags @bagorags1

Penzance Harbour

Sharman,

Booth and Luke Hardy dressed to

Pictures supplied by John Downey Photography.

Captain’s journal

Ilive! I live! Let joy be unconfined! Apologies for my exuberance, I fully expected the four walls of that jail cell to be the last room I ever opened my eyes to. Here I am now though, back in my comfortable berth on my beloved ship, quill in hand and ready to regale you with the tale of my daring escape.

There wasn’t a lot to it if I’m completely honest. There I was, whiling away the small hours in remembering some of my more entertaining adventures, when Kate appeared at my cell door, full of remorse.

‘Burt, please forgive me’. ‘Who? Oh yes, him. Me that is… bugger!’

And so, the carefullycrafted Burt Lancaster persona I had created to woo her was unravelled. I found myself unfolding the tale of my life to date, where I was born (East Teignmouth), how I came to the sea (press-ganged by Dutchmen) and all the curious happenstance that had brought me to this sorry pass. These were

slightly embellished, of course, to bridge the large rum-soaked gaps in my recollections. Given my impeccable character and poise, I can only assume these gaps were filled with acts of incredible heroism and despite all available evidence I didn’t fall over, off or into anything. In kind, Kate gave me the tale of hers. Shunted from place to place, owned and without choice, her dalliance with ‘Burt’ was the only excitement in a life hemmed in by duty.

With my story complete, I saw in Kate’s eyes the spirit of adventure and knew I had a chance at freedom. Most citizens of the Empire and the

civilised world as a whole, lead lives of quiet desperation, afeared to lose a situation never asked for nor chosen. Man is bound as surely by toil and ties as by lock and shackle, and in our gaze a wordless bargain was struck. We each held the key to the other’s freedom and we would see it done.

Before she departed, a plan was struck, the gaoler dined alone in the barracks late at night. Kate has the knowing to make dwale and wielding this herbal cosh prepared from belladonna she intended to win freedom for me and a place aboard my ship for her. Davy is not a fan of female crew,

believing with some justification that a wench or two on a ship full of men, sometimes at sea for months on end, would cause far more trouble than they were worth if you could just get more men instead. Frankly, he’ll have to accept it since the alternatives are the short drop and the sudden stop or the breaking of my word.

The following night saw Kate’s return, flushed with excitement and clutching both the key, and a bundle of suspiciously feminine looking clothes. Swiftly unlocking the cell door, Kate explained she had brought me a frock and cap from the laundry to smuggle me out unnoticed as one of the many invisible servants that kept the Governor’s house in working order. Breathing the free air and massaging my wrists, I cast a critical eye over my disguise:

“Well the neckline’s a bit of a mess. It’s not really my colour Kate.” I looked up to see her cock an eyebrow in puzzlement.

“Ahem, merely a jest, very well done, well done indeed.” It was at this point that several far off, but distinctive bangs went off and, beaming with pride, I knew I hadn’t been abandoned. Knowing that my lads were keeping the Governor’s men busy gave me an option I thought had disappeared. I still needed the book from

the library – Marlowes Myths and Legends, a guide to the spirits and dark corners of the Caribbean. I convinced a frantic Kate to detour to the library, claimed my prize and on leaving ran into Chalky just outside. Davy appeared moments later and we made good our escape!

I have awoken to a ship at sea and an overly solicitous crew. I’m sure they’ll get back to normal soon, but for now it’s nice to know that I’d have been missed. My next task is the study of this text, to finally find what we need to end this wretched haunting once and for all. Till then, when the night’s dark and the winds blow, keep your blade sharp, let the rum flow.

In the ‘Manifest’ setting out the contents of the August issue, which listed the latest episode of Captain James Summer’s misadventures, his faithful Quartermaster Davy was wrongly referred to as the Bos’n. His ship-board role as second in command to the captain gave him authority over Chalky (the Bos’n) and other members of the crew when the Captain was held in gaol.

A pirate known for kindness

In a way of life where harsh treatment was considered normal, English privateer Thomas Tew established a reputation for kindness, His career in piracy was short (169295), but successful. He made two forays as a pirate amassing a fortune of over £90 million, making him the third richest pirate in the history of those times after ‘Black Sam’ Bellamy and Sir Frances Drake.

In 1692, the Governor of Bermuda granted Letters of Marque to both Tew and Captain George Dew to sail on separate ships to the River Gambia and attack a French factory at Goorie. Dew’s ship lost its topmast and had to return for repairs, which gave Tew in his 70 ton sloop ‘Amity’ a golden opportunity to follow a different course. He convinced his crew that there was no benefit to them in attacking a French enterprise, but it would be less dangerous and more rewarding to become pirates. The crew agreed, with one man reported as having shouted, “A gold chain or a wooden leg, we’ll stand with you”.

The following year, Tew reached the Red Sea, coming across a richly laden ship travelling from the Indies to the Arabian Peninsula, which they took without

included gold, silver, gems, ivory, silk and spices, from which Tew obtained the majority of his wealth. After this voyage, Tew sailed to the Province of New York, where he befriended the Royal Governor, Benjamin Fletcher. Being honourable, as well as kind, he also repaid those who financed his ship with a sum 14 times the vessel’s worth!

Tew obtained another Letter of Marque from Benjamin Fletcher and, in 1694, set sail for the Red Sea once again. At the mouth of the Red Sea, he encountered several other pirates, including Henry Every, and they sailed together in search of more riches.

with Royal Governor Benjamin Fletcher.

In September, 1695, the pirate fleet encountered a 25-ship convoy from the Mughal Empire. Tew and his crew engaged one ship, the ‘Fateh Muhammed’ and it was in this battle that he died from being disembowelled by a glancing blow from a cannon ball.

Three years later, Benjamin Fletcher wrote the following tribute to him: “This Tew appeared to me not only a man of courage and activity, but of the greatest sense and remembrance of what he had seen of any seaman that I ever met with”.

Kiddlywink pub on the smugglers’ trail

Set among granite cliffs at the Western side of Mount’s Bay on the South Coast of Cornwall, Lamorna Cove was a favourite landing beach for smugglers and the late 18th century Lamorna Wink pub still stands at the head of the smugglers’ trail leading up from the cove.

The ‘Wink’ part of the pub’s name is derived from ‘kiddlywink’, an old name for a Cornish beer shop or beer house. These became popular after the Beer House Act of 1830, which liberalised the regulations governing the brewing and sale of beer. Unlike traditional public houses and inns, Kiddlywinks were licensed to sell beer or cider by Customs & Excise rather than by a magistrate’s licence.

Wink taverns were haunts of smugglers and landlords or ladies would use a kettle to keep smuggled brandy hidden from the law. Patrons in the know would wink at the kettle if they wanted to imbibe something stronger than beer!

Mount’s Bay is the most

Westerly point in the country protected from Atlantic storms, and the natural shelter made the area especially suitable as a fishing base and, of course, for smuggling. It was also well-placed for trips to France, the Channel Islands and the Scillies, so was the haunt of several well-known smugglers or free-traders as they liked to be known.

The most famous smuggler in the area was John Carter, the selfstyled ‘King of Prussia’, so called

because of childhood games in which he laid claim to the title. Together with two brothers, Charles and Harry, he ran an efficient and profitable smuggling operation from Porthleah Cove that continued for many years and it is a tribute to his success that Porthleah is now called Prussia Cove.

Smuggling continued for some years after John Carter’s abdication and local freetraders visited Lamorna Wink, concealing their contraband in a hiding place under the floor in front of the fireplace. These days, it is a welcoming family pub and restaurant in a beautiful rural setting – a few moments’ walk from the seashore – that offers Cornish ales and substantial country fare with vegetarian and vegan options.

A concession to its smuggling past can be found when the pub sign comes into view. It features the face of Robert Newton as Long John Silver in the 1950 RKO-Disney film of ‘Treasure Island’ and yes, he is winking! More information from www.lamornawinkpub.com

The Lamorna Wink on a Winter’s day.

The pub’s light, airy bar with a nautical theme.

Pub sign (picture courtesy of Tom Gainey).

Festival focus

Golden age of piracy returns to Weymouth

hen the ancient port of Weymouth in Dorset was thrust back to the ‘golden age of piracy’ from 14-16 October, it far from kicked or screamed. Flags flew and drums beat the rhythms of a timeless heart as beribboned and rascally scallywags of every kind descended on this little sea-bound town for the promise of mischief and naughtiness, with only the scantiest smatterin’ of Redcoats.

Friday’s mayhem began with the traditional chaos of The Dolmen Pirate Quiz, held in The Pirates Keep at The Belvedere Inn. Rowdy crews assembled under dubious epithets, but soon quizmaster Rotten Ren Lawson was proven only good for the stocks, and there he stayed, with Budapest Nancy (Kayleigh Marchant of The Dolmen) sealing his fate and her fame as Quizmaster Extraordinaire.

In true buccaneer fashion, the games ended in a duel,

with blackguard Silas Ruxley (Tim Gorringe) defeated by scoundrel El Magnifico (Mac McGrath), though any cheers (or boos!) were drowned in the packed pandemonium of a pub full of pirates!

A grand rabble of a thousand magnificent miscreants, young, old and in-between, gathered on Saturday for a parade so long that neither end could see the other. A fine succession of musical talents, among them Celtic Giants, Connach and The Boarding

Crew, rocked the main arena, as well as venues throughout the town, explosively headlined that night by international band and Pirate Fest organisers The Dolmen, while the fine hostelries, The Boot and The Belvedere, kept everyone watered ‘till the small hours.

Saturday’s skulduggery also included exploits from a gang of hardy rapscallions, amongst them Jax Parrow (Simon Steadman), the tyrannical Black Preacher (Jon Dixon), The Devil’s Hangman (Gary Watson)

Many shipmates had dressed in their best to celebrate the event.

and the bloodthirsty Judge Richard Beach (Steve Piper), and it was heart-warming to see an overwhelming host of mini-pirates, bedecked and armed to the teeth, enjoying the parade, entering ‘Best Costume’ competition and earning numerous bundles of treasure.

On Sunday, the scallies left standing blinked in the sunshine and headed for the harbour, where members of The Dolmen

and Connach offered acoustic entertainment from the decks of the beautiful sailing ship ‘Moonfleet’, especially present for Weymouth Pirate Fest. Then, these weekend’s survivors, suitably serenaded and warmed by the sun, were invited aboard by Skipper Jez Hallet before either hugging farewells or strolling back for a much-needed hair-o-thedog.

The weekend ended, but never, as ever, the stories to tell. News and updates are available by signing up for the Festival’s mailing list: www. weymouthpiratefest.com

Finally, credit must be paid to local organisations and traders, whose sponsorship of this

Festival focus

year’s event helped to ensure its success. They include: We Are Weymouth Bid; The Belvedere; Tattoo Morningstar; The Boot; Fantastic Sausage Factory; Gazzini Hair

Design and Beauty; Gazzini Coffee and Pizza; Fantasy Forest; Moonfleet Adventure Sail Training; West Dorset Aquatics; Duke of Albany; and Precision Engraving.

Pirate Fest organisers The Dolmen headlined on Saturday night.

Acoustic entertainment was offered from the decks of the beautiful sailing ship ‘Moonfleet’.

Over 200 events at Harwich Festival focus

From 7-9 October, Harwich rang out with music and song once more when the 16th Harwich International Shanty Festival came to town! There was a stupendous range of entertainment on offer at this musical celebration of Harwich’s rich maritime heritage. This year’s festival featured 43 acts with artists travelling to Harwich from France, Germany, Poland and The Netherlands, as well as all points of the UK, to take part in over

200 events, including concerts, sing-around sessions, workshops, illustrated talks, guided walks, maritime crafts,

street theatre and enactments.

The Festival was chosen as the setting for the installation

of Harwich Town’s Time and Tide Bell by the Low Lighthouse Maritime Museum and an especially composed

Whitby pirates raise

Privateer and Ships Surgeon 17th & 18th Century Medical Re-enactment

Jeff

In addition to enjoying a memorable weekend of fun and laughter (and not a little drink) from 4-6 September, the scoundrels and scallywags at Whitby Pirate Festival raised an awesome £2869.62 for the town’s RNLI lifeboat. The event was well-attended, with some crews travelling from distant counties, and children were thrilled to have their pictures taken with ‘real’ pirates.

The event was organised, albeit with limited crew and resources, by the WHitby International Pirate Society (WHips) and everyone involved gave their time for free in the

worthy cause of saving lives at sea. Purple Polly of WHips would welcome more volunteers to make next year’s Whitby Pirate Festival an even greater success. She can be contacted at www.

whitbypirates.co.uk by all

Southend-on-Sea’s Silver Darlings singing at Harwich Quay.

shanty was sung at the event.

Acts included the welcome return of the well-loved Brasy from Poland, The Longest Johns, who have gained huge popularity over the

last few years, and Nordet from Lorient in Brittany with their 20 years’ of world-wide experience. Crews from closer to home in Essex such as The Motley Crew and all female shanty singers,

cash for the RNLI

The Silver Darlings, also turned in their usual high standard of performance. The pirate world was well-represented by the marauding band of River Rogues, who presented a fearsome challenge

to the Kings German Artillery’s attempts to protect the town. There were skirmishes, musket drill, cannon fire and sword fights taking place between the two groups, with the Redoubt Napoleonic Fort providing an excellent setting for the dramatic events. There was also a skirmish on the beach between smugglers and the local militiamen.

Shanty fans are invited to next year’s Festival, which will take place from 13-15 October. For up-to-date information visit the festival’s website (see listing on page 26) and follow the event on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

those who fancy becoming a buccaneer in aid of the RNLI.

After returning to his home port in Essex, Commodore Clyde Jackdaw (Paul Dudley) of Blackwater Pirates, exclaimed: “HUZZAH

what a weekend! We spent most of it with The Rum Soaked Pirate Crew and can’t wait to return next year”. He added, “If you’re in the South of England, it’s a long drive of four to five hours for us, but well worth it”.

The Pot of Gold Shanty Crew posing by the RNLI lifeboat station.

A pirate’s drinking vessel of choice

By Andy Clarke*

Pewter Tankards have been around for a very long time and were the most common drinking vessel used for beer in much of the world until technological changes heralded cheap glass. Sure, glass has a few advantages, such as being able to admire the clarity and colour of your brew. However, just like those who grieved the loss of tankards from pubs around the world, we think the beauty and sheer fun of a tankard should give it a place in any beer lover’s drink-ware collection.

Tankards have been made from many materials such as wood, stainless steel, glass, ceramics and even horn or leather. However, when we think of the word ‘tankard’, we usually think about pewter.

Pewter is a glossy metal alloy consisting mainly of tin. It’s been in use for tableware since at least the Roman period and it was to get access to the rich tin mines of Southern England that gave the

Ship’s tankard.

Romans a commercial reason to invade Britain in the first century AD. Tin is still a very sought-after metal and is now the fourth most valuable metal in common use after platinum, gold, and silver.

Pewter was the ‘poor man’s silver’, as it was relatively available and could be used for many of the same purposes as silver. In fact, many of the pewter tankard designs we recognise today were originally copies of silver tankards in use by the aristocracy. Less scrupulous merchants even sold pewter as silver to the unwary! Not that that’s entirely fair to pewter, which has a lot of advantages over silver, unless you enjoy polishing.

Tin is a tough metal to work with as it’ll easily collapse at high temperatures, so it is mixed with other metals such as antimony

and copper to provide rigidity. Historically, lead was used, but this is no longer the case because of the obvious and very real safety concerns. Be very careful of drinking from antique pewter of any kind… tankards are great, but lead poisoning is not. Modern pewter is safe to drink from and really livens up a cold beer on a hot day

There are three main methods of making a pewter tankard, all of which have been in use for many centuries. These are:

Casting. This method involves pouring molten pewter into a mould. The metal quickly cools and the mould can be removed. This method uses the most metal and, as a result, produces a heavier tankard. Unfortunately, it’s also a more expensive tankard for the same reason (remember what I said about it being the fourth most expensive metal). There are also some limits on the design of a cast tankard, although in most cases this

Rope-handled tankard.

Georgian heavy tankard.

restriction isn’t a big problem. Sheet-working. This involves carefully cutting sheets of cool pewter into shape before bending around a mould, or ‘former’. The join is hammered shut, sometimes with additional molten pewter, and then polished until the join is not only invisible, but is no longer physically present. This method uses the least pewter and is, therefore, more common for less expensive tankards, but is still a very good option. Few people can tell the difference. The top is worked by the craftsman to give a thick and comfortable rim, and the tankard is quite solid enough for most people. Several tankards of this type estimated to be several hundred years old were recently dug out of the mud of

the River Thames! Spinning. This very traditional method is undoubtedly the most fun to watch and produces the finest tankards. A thick pewter disc is put on a lathe and as the lathe turns the disc, a highly-skilled craftsman uses a range of much-specialised hand-tools to push the tankard into shape. This method produces solid tankards with elegant designs and, depending on the design, can lead to tankards where the bowl is a single piece of pewter. This makes cleaning even easier!

All these methods are often labour-intensive and need very skilled craftsmen, although some Far-Eastern pewter utilises casting on a more industrial scale.

Unlike silver, modern lead-free pewter will not tarnish or go dull over time if left unattended.

It needs very little care to last a long time. After use, just hand-wash with your usual dish detergent…

that’s all! However, remember to use a soft cloth and a soft towel afterwards, as anything abrasive can scuff pewter. This is also why pewter should not go in the dishwasher.

If your tankard is scratched or looks bad, you can easily regain your sparkle with a little polish. Soap and water will do just fine. Pewter tankards are an excellent addition to any collection and a sound investment to pass on to other pirates in the family.

*Sole proprietor of Pewter World in Hailsham, East Sussex (www. pewterworld.co.uk), where tankards are made from lead-free pewter using techniques that go back centuries.

King’s shilling tankard with glass base.

Love-skull tankard.

Shoreham shantymen at Falmouth ’23

The Wellington Wailers are delighted to be performing once again at the Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival, which takes place takes place from 16-18 June, next year. This Cornish event usually attracts in excess of 65,000 visitors to see over 70 shanty groups at various locations throughout the town, from pubs and bars to historic courtyards and quays.

They started life in The Sussex Yacht club at Shoreham-by-Sea when a small group of likeminded seadogs decided to resurrect the singing of traditional sea shanties. That was six years ago; since then the ship’s company has expanded and when fully manned, the crew can now muster 16 men.

The crew re-located to The Duke of Wellington pub on Brighton Road,

hence their choice of name. Once the members learnt that they were to get free beer in return for singing shanties in a regular monthly slot, the move was unanimously agreed. For the most part they still stick to singing the good old, crowd-pleasing, rousing shanties, with emphasis on close harmony, but have also injected one or two more humorous songs that have a piratical slant into their repertoire.

The Wailers have performed locally at countless gigs, festivals and charitable events, not forgetting their monthly shanty evenings at The Duke of Wellington. However, the main event of the Wailers’ year has now become appearing at the festival in Falmouth. They were first invited to attend in 2014 and feel privileged that they have now become regular guests at the event,

appearing alongside of such artists as Fisherman’s Friends and Kimber’s Men.

Two CDs have been issued by the Wailers: ‘High Tide and Low Life’ in 2017; and ‘Welly Boots and Shanties’ in 2020. They are pleased to report that both selling well, particularly as £5.00 of each CD sold goes to the Shoreham Lifeboat of the RNLI. More information from www.thewellingtonwailers.com

Cap’n Davy’s dance based on ‘Drink’

Carshalton, Surrey-based dance troupe Madder Mill Molly (a form of Morris dancing from East Anglia) has just choreographed a dance based on the rumbustious ditty ‘Drink’ from pirate metal band Alestorm that can be found on their album called Sunset on the Golden Age.

Historically, Molly dances were performed on a day known as Plough Monday. This was the first Monday after Epiphany (or twelfth night) and was the first day after Christmas that ploughboys were meant to return to work, so they didn’t! Instead, they decorated a plough

and pushed it round the village, calling at the houses of those richer than themselves to beg for money. If the

householders weren’t forthcoming with donations then they threatened to plough up their gardens!

Cap’n Davy’s Dance embodies a number of figures associated with the days of sail (Editor: I rather like the title).

More information from www.maddermolly.co.uk

The Pirate Shop in the North Wales town of Conwy is the UK market leader for swords, daggers, guns, clothing, ags and accessories.

A global distributor for Red Dragon Armoury, we sell the products of major international manufacturers such as Deepeeka, Windlass, Art Gladius, Medio Evo and

Marshal Historical in the UK. We also stock other wellknown brands such as Hanwei, GDFB and SPES.

On-site facilities at our 12,000 sq warehouse and distribution centre only ve minutes from the centre of town include a trade showroom and a product development studio. www.thepirateshop.co.uk To make an appointment, please

Admiral Nelson’s Fighting Sword

Replica blunderbuss with fully working mechanisms

Abeautiful, nonfiring replica of an original English flintlock from the 18th century, with fully working mechanisms, is available from Southern Swords. It has decorative leather cord wrapping from which small pirate skulls are hanging.

‘Flintlock’ pistols were

so called because the lock uses a flint to strike sparks into the priming pan when the trigger is

pulled. A small amount of gunpowder in this pan is ignited, which in turn ignites the main gunpowder charge in the barrel, firing the lead ball.

Both the main charge and the ball were loaded from the front, or muzzle, of the barrel, after which the priming charge was poured into the pan – a

time-consuming process. Occasionally, the priming charge would burn, but fail to ignite the main charge hence the expression ‘a flash in the pan’!

The overall length of the blunderbuss is 74 cm, with a barrel length of 41 cm, and it weighs 2.1 kg. More information from www.southernswords.co.uk

Vodka blended from British seaweeds

Shanty seaweed botanical vodka from Nauticalia offers an experience like no other. Its expertly-crafted and intricate blend of five hand-foraged organic British seaweeds creates

stunning undercurrents of umami flavour. This subtle depth of flavour is further enhanced by hints of wasabi, galangal, yuzu, bergamot and sea buckthorn. This small batch vodka

is separately vacuumdistilled to extract and retain the freshness that nature intended. Finally, a pinch of Dorset sea salt is added to re-mineralise the purest of water with which the spirit is cut. The bottle is reminiscent of a ship’s decanter; squat and sturdy, but with beautiful seductive curves and a punt at its base that suggests the seabed or a wave. The artwork on the bottle was created by a local Dorset artist, Emma Brownjohn. This complex image wraps around from the back of the bottle so that when viewed from the front, it is magnified and distorted as if being underwater.

The Spirit of the Sea is featured in the centre of the image, so it’s a bottle to be cherished and kept

Alternative

7 Golden Lion Bank, Whitby, North Yorkshire YO21 3BS www.whitbypandemonium.co.uk

for its artistic merit. To make sure that it retains its good looks after repeated use, the artwork is fired in a kiln and therefore becomes a part of the bottle itself. More information from www.nauticalia.com

PIRATES

When buying any of the fine products featured in these pages, I’d be much obliged if ye’d mention Pirate Plunder

Market for STEAMPUNK PIRATES Alternative Market for STEAMPUNK PIRATES

Baldrick made for pirates Baluster tankard

Made from the finest quality embossed full grain leather by Epic Armoury of Denmark the Pirate Baldric supplied by Larpinn offers more support than a standard waist belt to carry your weapons.

The belt strap is secured using a brass buckle painted to seem weathered, while the scabbard is adjusted using leather straps and can be switched to either left or right-hand side. This durable and authenticlooking baldrick is available in black or brown to match almost any outfit.

The 28 cm frog can be adjusted between 3 cm and 10 cm and the belt strap is 115 cm long x 7 cm wide. Despite its heavy-duty appearance the Pirate Baldrick weighs just 1.091 grammes. More information from www.larpinn.co.uk

Low-cost tankard strap

Avoid fumbling to remove your tankard from its belt in dockside taverns with a low-cost leather tankard strap from Darkblade. Simple to unclip when you catch the barmaid’s eye, this useful accessory fits belts up to 50 cm wide.

It is available in either black or brown, with

the rivet and press stud fastening finished in brass or silver.

More information from www.darkbladeuk.co.uk

Hand-made from some of the finest pewter by skilled craftsmen, this tankard is individually touch-marked with the A. E. Williams stamp.

Baluster tankards are gravity cast out of antique bronze moulds, which is the oldest and most traditional way of producing pewter, and

individually hand- turned on a lathe before being polished. They make a perfect gift to enjoy a festive drink at Christmas and will give good service at many a pirate festival!

Holding an Imperial pint, the tankard is 13 cm tall and weighs 540 grammes. More information from www.thepirateshop.co.uk

PIRATE WALL-DECOR

Strong Ales Loose Wenches Scotch Rums is from a set of three wall-decor pub signs ideal for decorating any Pirate-themed venue. This painted advertising sign is made of wood with a low relief model of a Pirate in resin and can be matched with other nautical wall-decors.

It measures 60 cm high x 40 cm wide and is 2.5 cm thick.

Unless ye intends to steal a ship or become a mutineer if ye are already on one, then the best course of action is to sign on with one of the active pirate crews listed on these two pages. If retired from a life of piracy, then ye’ve a duty to keep faith with The Brethren by celebrating ‘International Talk Like a Pirate Day’ on 19th September every year!

Appledore Pirates www.facebook.com/app.pirates/ Blackwater Pirates www.facebook.com/groups/2968567940086465/ Brixham Buccaneers www.brixhambuccaneers.co.uk

Brixham Pirate Festival www.brixhampirates.com

Brotherhood of the Black www.brotherhood-of-the-black.co.uk

Cambridge Skeleton Crew www.facebook.com/Cambridge-Skeleton-Pirate-Crew-21145581 05283991/?ref=py_c

Coastal Union of Pirates Privateers Aviators & Steampunks www.facebook.com/groups/564365187654696

Cutthroats, Pirates, Thieves an Fun Lovers www.facebook.com/groups/626925014509041/permalink/986442898557249

Drumskullz www.facebook.com/drumskullz

East Coast Pirates (Whitby) www.facebook.com/groups/187485482170319

Essex Pirate Society www.facebook.com/groups/245074562902068

Greyhounds of St Edmund www.facebook.com/groups/156887281148110/members

Hastings and Eastbourne Pyrates www.facebook.com/groups/192667164601226/?fref=nf

Hawkhurst Gang Bonfire Society www.hgbs.org.uk

Heart of the South West www.brotherhood-of-the-black.co.uk/fullscreen-page/ comp-jb2kqfu4/d3247830-2479-4c4c-9b37-75d6cc43dd1e/9/%3Fi%3D9%26p%3Df1lx9%26s%3Dstyle-jf9xgtpi

International Talk Like a Pirate Day www.talklikeapirate.com

Peninsular Pyrates www.discoverlandguard.org.uk

Pirates and Smugglers of the UK www.facebook.com/groups/1503592149898698/permalink/2941689819422250

Pirates of Poole, www.piratesofpoole.co.uk

Piratical Union of Buccaneers, Corsairs and Associated Trades www.pubcat.org.uk

Plundering Pirates of the North East www.facebook.com/plunderingpiratesnortheast

Brotherhood of the Black

Brixham Pirate Festival

East Coast Pirates

CUPPAS

Heart of the South West

PUBCAT

Purbeck Pirates www.facebook.com/groups/1224784210899407

River Rogues (Pirate living history re-enactment, Oxford) www.facebook.com/groups/riverrogues

Sharkeye’s Pirates www.sharkeyespirates.wordpress.com

Sheppey Pirates www.sheppeypirates.co.uk

Suffolk Free Company: Pirates www.suffolkfreecompany.org.uk/piratesuffolks

Sully Smugglers www.sullysmugglers.webs.com

The Jolly Rogers Dorset www.jollyrogersdorset.co.uk

The Pirate Castle www.thepiratecastle.org

The Pirate Society (University of Sussex) www.facebook.com/sussexpirates

The Pirate’s Rum Bible www.facebook.com/groups/3461839360611139

The Sea Dragons www.facebook.com/frank.sharman.79

Vectis Buccaneers Re-Enactment Society www.facebook.com/Vectis-Buccaneers-Re-enactment-society-499770177437687/?modal=admin_todo_tour

Whitby International Pirate Society www.whitbypirates.co.uk

Vectis Buccaneers

The Sea Pirates

Where to see pirate action

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this calendar, but like the weather, dates may be subject to change, so you are advised to check the forecast with the organiser’s website afore setting sail. The Editor of Pirate Plunder would also be much obliged if those arranging festivals would let him know of any changes to location, duration or even cancellation of their events due to battles with bureaucrats, plagues from Far Cathay or other circumstances beyond their control.

International Mermaid Day

All around the Seven Seas 29 March, 2023 www.daysoftheyear.com/day/ mermaid-day

Brixham Pirate Festival Brixham, Devon 29 April – 1 May, 2023 www.brixhampirates.com

International Scurvy Awareness Day

All around the Globe 2 May, 2023 www.scurvyday.com

The Original Conwy Pirate Festival

The Quay, Conwy, North Wales 6-7 May, 2023 www.conwypirates.com

Swanage Living History Pirate Festival

Swanage, Dorset 27-28 May, 2023 www.facebook.com/purbeckpiratefestival

‘Far from the Sea’ Shanty and Pirate Festival

Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire 3 June, 2023 www.facebook.com/profile. php?id=100057568804802

Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival

Falmouth, Cornwall 16-18 June, 2023 www.falmouthseashanty.co.uk

Harry Paye Day

Poole Quay, Poole, Dorset 17 June, 2023 www.piratesofpoole.co.uk

Hastings Pirate Day(s) East Beach Street, Hastings, East Sussex 15-16 July, 2023 www.hastingspirateday.org

Pirate Mutiny Matlock Bath, Derbyshire 5-6 August, 2023 www.thefishpondmatlockbath.co.uk

List of Advertisers

Bag O’ Rags 9

Brixham Pirate Festival 28

Conwy Pirate Festival 2 DarkBlade (UK) Ltd 7

Harry Paye Day 17

Harwich Int’l Shanty Festival 18 Jefferson Blood 16

JollyRoger Ltd 23 Luluna Clothing 7 Matlock Bath Pirate Mutiny 27 Mermaid Inn 6 Nauticalia Ltd 5 Old Harry’s Locker 23 Pandemonium 22

Pirate Day

The Torbay Inn, Paignton, Devon 12 August, 2023 www.facebook.com/torbayinn

Military Odyssey Showground, Detling, Kent 26-28 August, 2023 www.military-odyssey.com

Whitby Pirate Festival Whitby, North Yorkshire 1-3 September, 2023 www.facebook.com/whitbypiratefestival

International Talk Like a Pirate Day All around the Globe 19 September, 2023 www.talklikeapirate.com

Harwich International Shanty Festival Harwich, Essex 13-15 October, 2023 www.harwichshantyfestival.co.uk

Pirate Plunder Pens 6

Pirate Shop 21 Red Lion 19

Rogues’ Armada 25

Swanage Living History 13 Pirate Festival