Born: 8 March 1697 (Old Head of Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland)
Biography:
Anne Bonny (8 March 1697 – disappeared April 1721), sometimes known as Anne Bonney, was an Irish pirate who operated in the Caribbean during the early 18th century. She is one of the few female pirates in recorded history, and her life story, although shrouded in mystery, has captivated historians and enthusiasts for centuries.
Born around 1700 in the village of Old Head of Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland, Anne Bonny was the daughter of Mary Brennan, a servant, and her employer, lawyer William Cormac. Her birth occurred during a tumultuous time when William’s wife was ill and he sought comfort in an affair with Mary Brennan. Anne Bonny was thus born as one of the acknowledged offspring of William Cormac.
Official records and contemporary letters regarding Anne Bonny’s life are scarce, and much of our knowledge comes from Captain Charles Johnson’s book A General History of the Pyrates published in 1724. According to Johnson’s account, Bonny’s father moved the family to London initially to distance themselves from his wife’s family. It was during this time that William began dressing Anne as a boy and calling her Andy. However, when his wife discovered this and realized that William was raising their illegitimate daughter to be a lawyer’s clerk, she ceased providing him with financial support.
In search of a fresh start, William Cormac then relocated his family to the Province of Carolina. Anne Bonny and her mother accompanied him, and it was in Carolina where the family encountered both challenges and opportunities. To assimilate into the community more easily, William abandoned the Mc prefix of their family name. Although faced with difficulties initially, William’s legal knowledge and financial resources gradually helped establish the family in their new home of Charles Town.
Little is known about Anne Bonny’s childhood, but it is likely that she witnessed her father’s prowess in the legal field and was influenced by his charisma and ambition. As she grew older, Anne developed a rebellious spirit and a thirst for adventure that would shape the course of her life.
Around 1718, when she was approximately 18 years old, Anne Bonny married a sailor named James Bonny. This marriage allowed her entry into the world of piracy, as James was associated with a group of pirates based in Nassau, Bahamas. Nassau at the time was a sanctuary for pirates, and Anne quickly became enamored with the lifestyle and the freedom it offered.
In Nassau, Anne Bonny encountered the notorious pirate Calico Jack Rackham, who later became her partner in piracy and her lover. The two formed a formidable duo, terrorizing the Caribbean seas with their pirate exploits. Bonny’s audacity and fearlessness gained her a reputation as an exceptional pirate, and her skills as a fighter and strategist were highly regarded.
In October 1720, Anne Bonny’s piratical adventures came to an abrupt end when she, Rackham, and another female pirate named Mary Read were captured by the authorities. They were swiftly tried and sentenced to death for their crimes. However, both Bonny and Read received a temporary reprieve from execution due to their pregnancies.
Tragically, Mary Read, weakened by the conditions of jail and possibly complications from her pregnancy, passed away in April 1721 before her sentence could be carried out. The fate of Anne Bonny remains unknown. Some accounts suggest that she may have been released or escaped from prison, while others propose that she perished or resumed a life of piracy under a different identity.
Anne Bonny’s legacy as one of the few known female pirates has endured throughout history. Her story, although shrouded in mystery, serves as a symbol of female empowerment and resilience in a male-dominated world. Through her audacious actions and unyielding spirit, Anne Bonny challenged societal norms and carved a place for herself in the annals of women’s history.