(Un) Known pirates and criminals of the seas
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John Thomas *1540?? - +September 1578. English captain and pirate.

He was a member of the Francis Drake's crew since 1560 and he participated in all his journeys in the Caribbean. Together, they pillaged many Spanish ships, towns and villages.

He was a captain of the MARYGOLD ship in a fleet of Vice Admiral Francis Drake on his way around the world. They started in December 1577. In the Caribbean and the Atlantic they pillaged many Spanish ships and towns. In September 1578 he sailed with his ship through the Channel of Magalhães. Then there was another storm in the Pacific where MARYGOLD sank with the all crew. See Francis Drake.

Thomas Tew *?? - +1695 Arabian Sea. English pirate and captain. Known as the Rhode Island pirate.

From 1690 he attacked the Spanish and French ships from Bermuda. On the first major expedition he set out in December 1692, on his new the AMITY ship with eight guns and forty six men. After leaving, the crew chose a quartermaster. At the beginning of 1693, they reached the Red Sea and after a while they saw a large ship sailing from India to the Ottoman Empire. The attack from AMITY was so fast that three hundred of Indian soldiers on board gave up immediately. The prey was rich. One hundred thousand of pounds in cash, ivory, gold, silver, silk, spice, etc. The share of prey on one man was about three hundred thousand, which is about two hundred thousand Czech crowns. Thomas Tew, as Captain, earned £ 8,000. They then returned to Bermuda. In the autumn of 1693, After his return, Tew paid the creditors who built his ship AMITY.

In November 1694, he set out for the second expedition with forty men and he added another twenty men on the way. They reached the Strait of Mandab in August 1695. There they met Captain Henry Every on the FANCY ship and four other pirates waiting for prey. They all agreed on the plan of the attack. At this time Thomas Tew was already on the list of pirates´ hunters. William Kidd had to catch him. In September 1695, they saw the leaving Mogul convoy, about twenty-five ships, sailing to Indian Surat. The convoy successfully slipped through the Strait of Mandab and missed the waiting pirates at night. The Pirates quickly decided to attack the delayed GANJ-I-SAWAI ship and her escort the FATEH MUHAMMED. Tew with AMITY attacked the ship FATEH MUHAMMED. He was killed by a ball from the cannon, the attack collapsed, and the crew from AMITY surrendered.

Richard Thurbar *1670?? - +1710?? The English pirate operated in the Caribbean. He was a member of the captain Daniel Plowman crew of the corsair ship CHARLES.

CHARLES sailed from Boston in July 1703 to a corsair expedition against the French and Spanish ships. Shortly after the departure, the captain Daniel Plowman became ill and because of his quarantine he stayed in his cabin. The crew, led by quartermaster Anthony Holding, however, rebelled and chose Lieutenant John Quelch as their captain. At the end of September, Captain Daniel Plowman died of fever.

Later, on the shores of Brazil, they pillaged nine Portuguese ships and they received valuable cargo of weapons, skins, sugar, cloths, boxes of gold dust and money. At that time, however, an alliance was made between Portugal and England. Therefore, the English Admiralty, following a report from Portugal about the looting of their ships, issued an arrest warrant for the whole crew. In May 1704, the CHARLES ship landed in Marblehead today in the state of Massachusetts where unsuspecting crew broke away with their share of prey. Within a week, most of the crew, including Richard Thurbar, were caught and imprisoned.

At the beginning of June, he was brought to Boston for trial. On the basis of testimony of crew members, Richard Thurbar was found guilty and sentenced to several years in prison.

John Templeton *1691 - +1750?? The English a boy-sailor and pirate acted in the Caribbean.

He was a member of the captain Daniel Plowman crew of the corsair ship CHARLES.

CHARLES sailed from Boston in July 1703 to a corsair expedition against the French and Spanish ships. Shortly after the departure, the captain Daniel Plowman became ill and because of his quarantine he stayed in his cabin. The crew, led by quartermaster Anthony Holding, however, rebelled and chose Lieutenant John Quelch as their captain. At the end of September, Captain Daniel Plowman died of fever.

Later, on the shores of Brazil, they pillaged nine Portuguese ships and they received valuable cargo of weapons, skins, sugar, cloths, boxes of gold dust and money. At that time, however, an alliance was made between Portugal and England. Therefore, the English Admiralty, following a report from Portugal about the looting of their ships, issued an arrest warrant for the whole crew. In May 1704, the CHARLES ship landed in Marblehead today in the state of Massachusetts where unsuspecting crew broke away with their share of prey. Within a week, most of the crew, including John Templeton, were caught and imprisoned.

At the beginning of June, he was brought to Boston for trial. On the basis of testimony of crew members and considering his young age, John Templeton was found found innocent and released.

Texts: P. Patočka, P. Steinhardt, H. Prien
Proofreading: Ali
Translation: S. Harasimová
Graphic design: M. Gorejová
Updated: September 24, 2020
Sources: see ZDROJE