Jack Rackham is a fairly successful pirate, operating around Jamaica and the Bahamas from his sloop, the William, with his lovers Anne Bonney and Mary Reade.  In addition to the two women, there are eight other men in the crew.  He has been a pirate for several years now, and has taken some rich booty over the years.

He is skilled in the use of cutlass, pistol and boarding axe, learned from his time as a pirate.

Age: 24
E-mail: pirate@hrofi.demon.co.uk
 
 

Rackham's sloop William, on which he sails with his lovers, Anne Bonney and Mary Reade and 8 other men. It is armed with 8 6-pounder cannons and 4 swivel guns.

A contemporary picture of Calico Jack (left). The Flag flown by Calico Jack (below).

Ship: The Sloop William.

Nicknamed 'Calico Jack' because he wore clothing made of calico (a white cloth imported from Calcutta, India), John Rackham was typical of many pirates whose sloops preyed on coastal shipping. Little is known of his origins, but by 1718 he had somehow made his way to New Providence Island. He served with Charles Vane, fleeing the Island when Vane escaped from Governor Rogers. By the spring of 1719 he was elected as quartermaster, and became Vane's deputy. Soon after a quarrel broke out among the crew, and Rackham replaced Vane as the Captain. Vane was put ashore and Rackham continued Vane's cruise in two sloops.

According to some accounts the vessels were both lost when a Jamaican based patrol sloop captured them while most of the crew were ashore. Rackham returned to New Providence, and in May 1719 he was granted a pardon by Governor Rogers as a part of Rogers' general pirate amnesty. It was there he met Anne Bonney, wife of James Bonney, and they became lovers. Law-abiding life ashore proved unpalatable, and in August 1719, with other former pirates, Rackham and Bonney stole a sloop named William, and returned to piracy.

His crew included the female pirates Anne Bonney and Mary Reade. Based in Bahamian waters, he cruised between Bermuda and Hispaniola, capturing several ships and a number of profitable cargoes. He then sailed around Cuba attacking local craft before reaching the north coast of Jamaica. There his luck ran out. While at anchor off the western tip of the island, he was surprised by a sloop belonging to the Governor. Most of Rackham's nine male crew were drunk, but according to testimonies the women roused the men into action. The William cut her anchor cable and fled, but was overhauled by the Jamaican sloop during the night. The ships exchanged fire, and then Captain Barnet led a boarding party onto the deck of the pirate vessel. Bonney and Reade were the only members of the crew who offered any kind of resistance. Rackham himself was apparently too drunk to defend himself. The women were overcome, and the pirates were taken to Port Royal to stand trial. He was tried on November 27th and hanged the next day.