Captain Twill
Academic Fight Circle, Research, Share, Discuss & Debate Maritime History.
1,565 topics in this forum
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- 16 replies
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i'm looking for a copy of a 17-18th century seaman's sign-on or shipping agreement, has someone come across one?
Last reply by Swashbuckler 1700, -
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- 343 views
Is there any english made pictures of english sailor from 1700-1735 period? I have found only GHoP illustrations and some Dutch pictures.
Last reply by Swashbuckler 1700, -
- 3 replies
- 706 views
Can anyone help me out by listing the contents of John Robert Stephens' Captured by Pirates, and/or Jon E Lewis' Mammoth Book of Pirates? Thanks in advance
Last reply by Brit.Privateer, -
- 5 replies
- 533 views
This is from William Red Wake's fascinating thread Period Publications for the Private and Public use of Privateers (including ongoing emphasis on alliteration). I was going to comment on it there, but it resurrected a question I had about GAoP fire-fighting on ships and I didn't want to destroy the clean lines of William's topic with a lot of irrelevant discussion about fire-fighting. Anyhow, here is the document: Question 1 The document gives some neat details about fire-fighting on land from this time. I wonder what "the two large bags containing Three Bushels at least" are? What do they contain? Question 2 This is a long-standing question I've had about shipboa…
Last reply by Dutchman, -
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- 258 views
I've recently come across a few facts from the 'Fur Trade' while looking through passages from 'New Voyages to North-America' and I thought I'd list them here, as they pertain to 'goods' which might be bought and sold and stolen and sold in 1685. I know that other threads have discussed the values of goods, so this may be added to any thread which came before on a similar subject. The Names of the Skins given in exchange, with their Rates. Livres Sous The Skins of Winter Beavers, alias Muscovy Beavers, are worth per pound in the Farmer General’s Warehouse 4 Livres 10 Sous The Skins of fat Beavers, the Hair of which falls off, while the Savages make use of ’em, per p…
Last reply by William Brand, -
- 7 replies
- 781 views
I was wondering that how many first hand descriptions of pirates committing murder or two?
Last reply by Swashbuckler 1700, -
- 64 replies
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OK, so I know this is not pyratey but I am looking for an impression I can do anywhere, anytime besdies my late colonial hide-hunter. I have settled on building myself a portable knife grinding rig based on these ideas. I figure this impression will put me in any time period from Elizibethan to post American Civil War just by changing clothes. Anyone got any thoughts on this? Thanks... Bo
Last reply by Stynky Tudor, -
- 1 reply
- 369 views
That pewter tent would be a neat design for a vendor to use at an event - with period proof, yet! [Note - this topic has been split off from Period Cups and Tankards since it's running in a completely new direction and it seemed like it might hold its own as a thread.]
Last reply by Dutchman, -
- 12 replies
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I wasn't able to find anything on this by searching through old posts, but I am curious. Under the wigs, which I understand were common around the time, what would a mariner/pirate's hair style have been like? I picture a rather unkempt group of individuals, but I can also see how longer hair would have been impractical on board a ship. I tend to doubt that many pirates went about with a set of dreads like some depictions which have become popular. Ha! Another less pressing question I ponder. What is a good web site for authentic depictions of sailors and pirates? I'm having a hard time trying to pin one down. Thanks to you all!
Last reply by Pyrate Joe, -
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Has anyone ever come across any sort of information, whether written or some sort of picture, showing cages/containers for chickens during the GAoP time frame? Unfortunately we cannot have the real things running free around camp.... thanks for any help.
Last reply by jendobyns, -
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Pierce Cullen wasn't yer classic Caribbean pirate, but he was a genuine pirate in 1722. His leather portmanteau contained: "5 white shirts marked P.B.C. 1 white shirt marked C. 1 napkin marked C.A. 1714 1 napkin marked w.j. 1 white shirt 5 blew and white shirts 1 old frise coat 1 worsted damask wastcoat and serge damask breeches 1 pair of silk damask breeches 2 flannell wastcoats 2 bob wigs 1 pair of sleeved 1 pair of boots and spurs (Good Lord... here we go!) 4 plain cravat stocks 2 night caps 2 muslin cravats 1 pair of black silk stockings, 2 pair of white cotton stockings 1 pair of worsted stockings 1 towell 1 thread sack 1 blew and white bag 1 wh…
Last reply by Swashbuckler 1700, -
- 18 replies
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This tread maybe useless but this is what I have always wanted to do So lists of classical "piratical" stuff and whether it was used in certain periods ( I say only what was not certainly used you can add some stuff if you like or say if there is errors) 16th century pirates/privateers had no: Telescope ship wheel cutlass flintlocks bicorne hats or other like 18th century fashion stuff like coats jolly rogers rum sextant or other clasical navigational instruments 17th century buccaneers had no: ship wheel bicorne hats or other like 18th century fashion stuff like coats Jolly rogers (on the most part) sextant or other clasical navigational instruments Gao…
Last reply by Swashbuckler 1700, -
- 10 replies
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"Logwood trees" have made their appearance a couple of times in pirate books I have been reading (especially William Dampier), but without any explanation of what they actually were. So I got curious and looked them up. I then found a rather interesting article about them. Although it is probably more interesting to a botanist, there is some discussion about the dye history and the relationship between logwood cutting and piracy that may interest people here. I can't comment on the accuracy of the historical details, but the botany on this site is generally accurate. Logwood and Brazilwood Anyway, I don't know whether this is of interest to any of you, but combining p…
Last reply by landlubbersanonymous, -
- 32 replies
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Whenever the question of ranks on a pirate ship is raised the stock answer is always that the Quartermaster was second in command to the Captain. It has always puzzled me (and I've mentioned this on other threads) why that should be. On every other type of ship from the age of sail which I've seen any evidence of the Quartermasters (plural) are lowish ranking petty officers, well below the master, boatswain, pilot etc. So I began to wonder why we think that QMs were second in command? Because the books tell us they were. Why do the books tell us they were? If I knew that one then I wouldn't be posting this thread. In Captain Roberts' articles the QM gets two shares whi…
Last reply by Mission, -
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I was posting photos of period drawings of pirates in the thread on buckle shoes, one of which was this one: According to Wikipedia Commons, it was first published in 1736 in the General History. (I'm assuming that they're right, of course.) It makes BB look a bit like a silly ass, but I have some questions about it since it's pretty close to period. 1. Why is he wearing long pants? I didn't think that was the style at all. The guys in the background aren't... 2. What is he holding in his right hand? It looks a little like rifle, but then it doesn't. (If you want to really see it, click on the picture and it will be blown up to absurd dimensions.)
Last reply by landlubbersanonymous, -
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Has any authentic pirate's diary ever been published?
Last reply by Capn Bob, -
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Were there really “slop chests” aboard merchant ships and if there was what kind of clothing they included? Sorry if I am over active here but....
Last reply by Fox, -
Pirate Taverns 1 2
by Matthew- 30 replies
- 3.6k views
Hey All, I am doing research on colonial taverns. Does anyone have any good historical accounts of pirate activities involving taverns? Specifically, I am interested in taverns that were known to be partial to pirates. It can be anywhere from the Chesapeake to the Caribbean and involve their favorite haunts and tavern culture as well as the occasional drunken row. I have heard of a place in Savannah that was renowned for being such a place but that may be more folklore than truth. Anyway, I appreciate your help, thanks! Regards, Matthew Krogh aka Bambi
Last reply by Swashbuckler 1700, -
- 51 replies
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I was lookin around for a few minutes when I came upon a rather interesting Article [sorry if this has been brought up before] But I thought I'd share it with ye lot and see what ye think. Apparently there was some sort of Pirate Code during the Golden age of Piracym but no complete lists have ever been documented, or so I hear. Well anyway, take a look, I found them rather interesting meself. The Articles of John Philips: 1. Every man shall obey civil Command; the Captain shall have one full share and a half in all Prizes; the Master, Carpenter, Boatswain and Gunner shall have one Share and quarter. 2. If any man shall offer to run away, or keep any Secret from the Co…
Last reply by Swashbuckler 1700, -
- 65 replies
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kevid duffus just released his new book. anyone have a chance to take a peek yet. i'll be reading it this weekend and can't wait to talk to him at the blackbeard festival. the highlights are ed baerd may have been a carolina native and explains this possiblility through land deeds and birth/death/marriage certificates. he also has a section on the women in his life. As with any historical work 200 years later, we all have to take it at face value. but it certainly does make you think a little differently.
Last reply by Mission, -
- 9 replies
- 974 views
Hi I have found this on the web and from books like in "If a pirate I must be: the true story of Bartholomew Roberts, king of the Caribbean" from google books this Gaop Quote is here and it shows us how pirates would like to swagger with gentleman's clothes or in this case wig and powder... at least in drunk. one victim described what happened when pirates found his wig."I could not refrain laughing when I saw the fellows, for they had, in rummaging my cabin, met with a leather powder bag and puff, with which they had powdered themselves from head to foot, walked the decks with their hats under their arms, minced their oaths, and affected all the airs of a beau wi…
Last reply by Swashbuckler 1700, -
- 17 replies
- 1.8k views
I have been collecting reales for 10 years, most of which found in their original location where they had been lost 300 years ago. I have seen quite a few of the ones I have found that had holes in the coin itself indicating that some of the peoples of old would wear coins rather than just use them for currency. Does anyone have more information on this like the types who would wear coins and the reasoning behind wearing coins?
Last reply by MarkG, -
- 25 replies
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A while ago I asked: Would every Pirate/Bucaneer/Sailor/Marine have had a sword of some sort? You might think that the most sailors would do with a big nife or some sort of machetee and bording axe... then Quartermaster James answered: Would every sailor have a sword? No. And probably not a large knife either. Rigging knife, yes. Boarding axes and non-officer's swords were ship's property. Buccaneers? Aye, knives and machetes are documented. Pyrates? Well now, should we move this over to Twill? So I moved it over... To start the diverense between Pirates and Bucaneers is still a bit blur for me... Bucaneers do still life most of the time on land in the Caribbe…
Last reply by Swashbuckler 1700, -
- 31 replies
- 1.8k views
Captain Alexander Hamilton (no, not the president) wrote a book of his exploits in the East Indies called A New Account of the East Indies in which he talks about pirates, although not by name as far as I've read. It covers his travels in the years 1683 to 1723. The books is kind of hard to find, so I thought I'd reprint some of the interesting stuff I come across that is relevant to our sport. The first is kind of funny, IMO. In fact it was partially quoted in a modern medical article on sea surgery and is what first led me to this book. "There have been several Squadrons of British Men of War sent to cruize on the Pirates [on Madagascar], but have had very ill Success …
Last reply by Swashbuckler 1700, -
- 15 replies
- 2.5k views
So this probably already has a discussion devoted to it somewhere in the pub, but does anyone know where the word Scallywag actually originated? I've always been under the impression that the word had its origins just after the American Civil War, and that it originally meant a white southerner who supported the Union and Reconstruction. But it seems to be so deeply ingrained in Pirate culture, that I can't help but wonder where, when, and how it became connected with pirates in the first place. Basically I want to know, can one reasonably use the word in a period context, when it comes to the Golden Age of Piracy? Or is that just completely out of the realm of histor…
Last reply by Mission,
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