In the 1700’s women didn’t have a lot of choices. To sum it up, you had the choice of being either a housewife and mother or a prostitute. If you were lucky, you might have been wed to a nice man. Or, if you were well liked as a prostitute, you may have been educated to become an escort for the more elite. There is some variation depending on location, but that really summed up your options back then.
A smaller portion of women took to disguising themselves as men in order to receive the rights and freedoms men were granted. Some women dressed as soldiers. Others would dress as pirates. There is some debate as to whether Anne Bonny dressed as a man or not. Some say she did, and when a crew mate expressed displeasure she stabbed and killed him. Others say she didn’t and proved her worth with her ruthlessness. Regardless, Bonny had an interest in life at sea, even as a young girl. Her reported fiery temper and fierceness made her a perfect match for piracy.
Bonny did not follow cultural norms of the time. She married a poor sailor/pirate, James Bonny, despite her father’s disapproval. Choosing excitement and freedom over comfort, she was disowned by her affluent father and took to frequenting taverns. Remember, this was a long time ago, so there are different accounts to the story. Some sources say Bonny was very open sexually and would engage with pirates in taverns. Others say she became the mistress of a known pirate, Calico Jack Rackham and did not sleep with any other men. Still, she followed her desires and went aboard Captain Rackham’s ship.
While Bonny was never officially a captain all her own, she would sail with Rackham and eventually become his wife (She divorced James for she found him not as courageous, among other things). She did not hide from battle and instead embraced it with skill and ferocity. One thing is certain: she was well respected for her skills in fighting, no matter what account you read. Bonny killed and pillaged ships around the Bahamas. They amassed quite a fortune.
When Bonny fell pregnant, she retired from piracy to give birth. She knew motherhood was not for her and gave her son to friends in Cuba. After recovering, she quickly joined her husband back on their ship, the Revenge.
Anne Bonny was also not the only female pirate aboard the ship. Mary Read was discovered by Bonny as a woman. It mattered not to Rackham, and the trio headed the ship among the seas.
Due to their piracy, body count, and the amount of treasures they took, Bonny, Read and Rackham were some of the most wanted pirates of their time. Eventually, they would be captured by a British ship. Bonny and Read fought and held their own for a while until they were captured. It is said that many of the men were asleep or drunk when they were attacked.
The three were sentenced to be hanged. Bonny and Read “pleaded their bellies.” Because they were pregnant, they would not be executed under English law until they gave birth. Rackham would be hanged shortly after capture. Bonny still valued courage and bravery highly and disapproved of Rackham’s actions during their capture. After Bonny was granted her stay of executions, it is reported that she said to her husband, “Sorry to see you here, but if you had fought like a man, you would not be hanged like a dog.”
Mary Read died of fever before her execution, but records of Bonny seem to disappear after her capture. There are not records of her execution, but there were records of Rackham’s and other pirates. It is said that she relied on her father’s connections as a known merchant (who still cared for her despite her choices) to be ransomed out of prison.
From there, it’s unknown what happened to Bonny afterwards. Some say she continued piracy. Others say she disappeared into a quiet life. Many believe she lived to the old age of eight before passing.
Whichever the case, Anne Bonny is a role model. Harlot, murderer, plunderer, rogue, and cut throat she may be, but she did as she desired, got the freedom she thirsted for and shirked the ties society tried to fasten her with. She could be seen as a progressive of her time or a havoc upon humanity (maybe both). Luck was on her side to some extent since Rackham did not mind women aboard his ship like other captains, and she also found female companion Mary Read on the same ship. Her father’s connections saved her life many times. However you may judge her character, she used the tools she had to survive and flourish on the seas. She was smart, cunning, and did not hold back. Perhaps she is not a role model to mimic her actions, but she can be looked up to for her bravery, fortitude, and fire she had for her independence.
Because Anne Bonny was alive in the 1700’s, her story is not completely known. There are multiple accounts claiming different things. This information was pulled form multiple sources and tried to show alternative views some of the literature had.