Wooden Legs and Parrots

• Robert Louis Stevenson shaped many pirate stereotypes with his novel Treasure Island
• Plays throughout the 1700s and 1800s encouraged a light-hearted view of pirates, particularly The Pirates of Penzance by Gilbert and Sullivan in the 1880s
• Parrots and other exotic birds were sold by seamen at markets
• Pirates valued slaves for work on ship or to be sold at market
• There were no aristocratic pirates in the 18th century as the media would have you believe, but there was in the 17th century, most notably Sir Henry Mainwaring and Sir Francis Verney
• Stede Bonnett, educated pirate, joined Blackbeard, but had no seafaring experience, he was mostly valued for his learning
• J.M. Barrie made many references to Treasure Island in Peter Pan
• Henry Avery was a typical pirate if any were:
  • Seized HMS Charles (46 guns) when in port waiting for pay, he renamed the ship the Fancy
  • In 1695 he cruised off the mouth of the Red Sea and captured the Gunsway, a 40 gun ship, owned by the Great Mogul
  • Retired after taking the Gunsway, 6 of his crew were later captured and hanged
  • Likely died in poverty
  • The play, The Successful Pirate, was based on his life and encouraged the romantic view of pirates