One of the things I enjoy most about having friends from England staying with us, in addition to being able to speak ‘English’ English of course, is playing both tourist and tour guide in Richmond Hill and Savannah.

Recently, a dear friend from the UK stayed with us who was especially interested in the Pirates Museum which opened last year in downtown Savannah, because she claims to have pirate ancestors! So we went to experience the often gory details of how pirates treated their prisoners as well as enjoying the sample of ‘grog’ to drink which was available at the piratical themed bar within the museum.

I discovered that many British people became pirates probably because as an island nation with a strong fleet and navy, many residents grew up with boats and felt comfortable on the water. Many British men adapted to a life at sea during the War of the Spanish succession which took place from 1701-13. A crucial factor was the use of privateers: privately owned ships authorized by the government to attack enemy vessels during times of war.

England relied heavily on privateering, particularly during conflicts with Spain.

When peace treaties were signed, these privateers, accustomed to the thrill of the chase and the prospect of easy riches, often found themselves unemployed and without a clear path to legal prosperity.

Piracy offered a tempting alternative. The possibility of stealing great wealth from the vast riches flowing from the Americas to Spain meant that the English were particularly well- positioned to intercept these treasure-laden ships. English colonies in the Caribbean provided safe havens and markets for stolen goods, making piracy a lucrative and relatively low risk venture.

Since Savannah was founded in 1733 as a British colonial port on the Savannah River, just a short distance from the Atlantic Ocean, its strategic location made it a natural hub for both legitimate trade and illicit maritime activity. While the “Golden Age of Piracy” peaked in the early 18th century before the founding of Savannah, a combination of the city’s documented maritime activity, colonial port life, and enduring folklore has made pirate legends a big deal here. In addition to the museum, Savannah’s Pirates’ House restaurant is a historic tavern established in 1734.

Blackbeard, the notorious pirate, has become a legendary figure in history and popular culture and we found out more about him during our trip to the museum. Little is known of Blackbeard’s early life, and his origins have been left to speculation. He has been widely identified as Edward Teach, though pirate custom at the time was to use a pseudonym when engaging in acts of piracy. It is thought he was born around 1680 in England’s town of Bristol, located on the River Avon, with the Bristol Channel linking the port city to the north Atlantic Ocean. By the 18th century, Bristol was England’s second- largest city, exporting wool and manufactured goods while importing sugar, tobacco, rum, and cocoa. Blackbeard was ideally placed to become a privateer then succumb to the temptation of piracy. His piracy is first heard of in 1716 and the following year he converted a captured French merchantman into a 40-gun warship, which became his primary ship The Queen Anne’s Revenge which he used to undertake outrageous acts along the Virginia and Carolina coasts and in the Caribbean.

However, a pirate’s life was often short and in 1718 Blackbeard and some of his crew were killed by a British naval force. After a hard fight his body was decapitated and his head was affixed to the end of the bowsprit of his ship.

“Shiver me timbers” as the pirates of the day would have said! Apart from the luxuriant black beard which earned him his nickname, the most prominent aspect of the Blackbeard legend is his buried treasure, which has never been found and probably never existed. The wreck of the Queen Anne’s Revenge was discovered off the coast of North Carolina by divers in the mid-1990s and since then artifacts have been recovered including navigational devices, cannons, and a sword hilt, but no chests of pirate’s gold yet.

Local lore connects other famous pirates to the city of Savannah including Captain William Kidd, whose legend says he buried treasure on nearby Tybee Island and may have used Savannah as a stopover for smuggling.

We also discovered that some women became pirates, usually dressing as men. Anne Bonny and Mary Read were two such women who were active in the Caribbean during the first part of the 18th century.

I will say goodbye this week with a quote attributed to Blackbeard himself: “A pirate’s life is full of dangers, but it is also full of freedom”. So just remember: “Arrrrrrr! Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum to ye all!” And God bless America!

Lesley grew up in London, England and made Georgia her home in 2009.

She can be contacted at lesley@lesleyfrancispr. com or via her PR and marketing agency at www.lesleyfrancispr. com