Pirate Captain John Quelch Last update 8th September 2001

Born in London about 1666.

Ships Sailed (Jolly Roger, one of the first to fly her)

• Charles gained by mutiny

 

Ships captured

• Charles First captured ship by mutiny
• Portugese ships captured off Brazil being 5 brigantines (the largest at 40ton), a small shallop, two fishing boats, and a large vessel of about 200 tons

 

Crewmen (40+captain+at least 5 others)

• This list represents the warrant for the crews arrest. They were judged at Boston, 9th June 1704. Fifteen begged for the mercy of the court, and were jailed, receiving the kings pardon the next year.
• Austin, James. Ended up in gaol at Piscataqua
• Breck, John
• Caesar-Pompey, a negro. A slave forced into service, he acted as cook. Acquitted
• Carter, Denis
• Carter, John
• Charles, a negro. A slave forced into service, he acted as cook. Acquitted
• Chavalle, Daniel
• Chuley, Daniel
• Clifford, John. Found guilty of piracy and turned state evidence
• Davis, Gabriel
• Dorothy, John
• Dunbar, Nicholas
• Farrington, Thomas
• Giddins, Paul
• Harwood, John
• Holding, Anthony. Said to be the ringleader of the mutiny, but Quelch was put in charge because he understood navigation
• Hutnot, Joseph
• James, Charles
• Johnson, Isaac
• Jones, William
• King, Charles
• King, Francis, from Scotland. Sentenced to hang, but reprieved at the gallows 30th June 1704
• King, John
• Lambert, John, from Salem, Massechusetts, born about 1655 and was known as a shipwright. He was married with children. Sentenced to hang 30th June 1704
• Lawrence, Richard
• Lawson, Nicholas
• Miller, John, from Yorkshire. Sentenced to hang 30th June 1704
• Mingo, a negro.
• Norton, George
• Parrot, James. Found guilty of piracy and turned state evidence
• Peirse, George
• Perkins, Benjamin. Captured on board the Larramore Galley, a fellow pirate ship
• Peterson, Erasmus, from Sweden,
• Pattison, James
• Pitman, John
• Quittance, John
• Primer(Pymer), Matthew. He surrendered voluntarily very quickly after the proclomation for him was issued. Found guilty of piracy and turned state evidence.
• Rayner, William
• Richardson, Nicholas
• Roach, Peter, from Ireland. Sentenced to hang 30th June 1704.
• Scudamore, Christopher. Ships cooper from Bristol, Engalnd. Sentenced to hang 30th June 1704, accused of murdering a Portugese captain.
• Templeton, John. Captured on board the Larramore Galley, a fellow pirate ship
• Thurbar, Richard
• Way, John
• Whiting, William was very sick and near death when captured
• Wiles, William
• plus others

 

Died by

• Hanging at Boston, 30th June 1704

 

History

In 1703, several Boston Merchants set upon the idea to build a privateer and hunt down French shipping. By July, the vessel was set, and a commission gained. She was to sail under a Daniel Ploughman, who realised the intentions of his prospective crew, and begged the owners to re assess the situation. Ploughman was desperately sick when they visited, and his advice was not heeded. The vessel put to sea, and immediately John Quelch threw the captain overboard and seized the ship.