Mary Read came to life as the illegitimate child of her mother, and was dressed as a boy to impersonate her deceased (legitimate) brother, to hide her mothers indiscretions from her sea-faring father. She was thus brought up as a boy, a disguise that she was to maintain the greater part of her life.
The military and naval adventures seemed to hold a fascination for her. Hence she chose to serve as a "Foot-boy" aboard a man-of-war until becoming a cadet in a regiment of foot, where "she behaved herself with a great deal of Bravery". She fell in love and married one of her messmates, whom she had informed of her secret female identity earlier. Together with her husband, she opened up a tavern, "The Three Horseshoes" near Breda Holland.
Her husbands early death, and waning prosperity of the tavern, saw the young widow once again acquiring a male persona, and joining another regiment of foot, on garrison duty in Holland. There was however an interlude of peace, which caused Mary to grow restless. She made a resolution of seeking her fortune another way, and shipped out as a sailor aboard a Dutch vessel bound for the West Indies. The ship was stopped by pirates, and she being the only English seaman on board, was allowed to travel with them. Soon after, she heard of a commission for privateers against the Spanish. Once aboard a privateer, Mary joined others of the crew in a rising against the ships captain.
Eventually she found herself under the command of Captain Calico Jack Rackham (thus called because of the striped material he used for his trousers). She held herself somewhat aloof from the rest of the Company, and was pretty much accepted as a man.
It was on this ship that she met Anne Bonny, who was Rackhams mistress aboard, also disguised as a man. At first Anne Bonny mistook Mary to be a handsome young pirate, and begun to make advances, revealing her own sex. Thus Mary was forced to reveal that she was also a woman in disguise, to the great disappointment of Anne. But even so they became good friends quickly, but this closeness disturbed Jack Rackham to jealousy, that he threatened to slit the throat of Annes lover. In this way Rackham too was quickly made aware of Marys true identity.
Anne Bonney was born Anne Cormac in County Cork, Ireland. Her mother, Mary Brennan, was the daughter of a servant woman who had an affair with her employer, a lawyer named William Cormac. His wife soon discovered the affair and William Cormac, Mary Brennan, and a young Anne crossed the Atlantic to flee the scandal. They settled in Charleston, S.C.
Anne quickly became bored with life on her father's plantation, and was drawn to a life of adventure. Before Anne was out of her teens she married James Bonney, who was a renegade seaman and sometimes pirate. At this time pirates frequented Charleston. James planned to steal William Cormac's land through the marriage but Anne's father disowned her before this could be done. Legend has it that in retaliation, Anne burned the plantation to the ground.
They Fled to Nassau, the pirate haven. In this time it was called New Providence. James Proved a coward and a traitor, then became a paid snitch for the governor. Anne soon distanced herself from James, perferring the company of the island's notorious pirates and women.
After meeting the pirate "Calico Jack" Rackham (nicknamed for his tacky striped pants) she became romantically involved with him. He had just commandeered a ship full of liquor from his former boss, pirate captain Charles Vane. When James Bonney objected to the affair, he took Anne, brought her naked before the governor and charged her with the felony of deserting him. Calico Jack suggested instead putting Anne up for sale to the highest bidder because she was then considered to be stolen property (an "under-the-table legal practice for divorce at the time). James got a court order forbidding Jack and Anne to see each other. Despite Jack's rather less-than-romantic proposal, Anne ran away with Calico Jack and joined his ship's crew, disguised as a man.
There are many tales of her violent temper, she proved daring and deadly in battle, using swords and pistols. Her violence began with her alleged stabbing of an English serving-maid, who later died; while Anne was a teen on her father's plantation. While in Nassau, she became an excellent fencer. Once, as an example of her talent, she publicly stripped her fencing instructor with her sword and severely beat a man with a chair for making a pass at her.
Anne's adventures at sea gained her the most notoriety. While raiding with Calico Jack, she developed an attraction with Jack's lieutenant. The lieutenant turned out to be none other than Mary Read. They fought with even more courage than many the men, this they proved in their final battle. Both were known as bloodthirsty, daring female pirates.
Charles Barnet, a former pirate turned pirate-hunter, attacked Calico Jack's ship in 1720. Barnet caught Rackham and his crew. Anne is said to have shouted, "If there's a man among ye, ye'll come out and fight like the men ye are to be." When this provoked no answer, they were outraged by the cowardly men. Anne and Mary shot the male pirates, killing one and wounding several others, including Jack Rackham. Only Anne and Mary stood their ground, fighting furiously. But despite Anne and Mary's ferocity, the pirates were captured.
At this time women had no rights, although it was illegal to execute a pregnant woman, so Anne and Mary, "plead their bellies", claiming to be with child. All that were captured were hanged, except Anne and Mary. After the trial, Anne Bonney disappeared from this historical record.It is rumored she was hanged around a year later, however other rumors were that she was granted a reprieve, some even say that she returned to her father, others say her husband and one myth even went as far as to say that she became a nun.
