John Mucknell

John Mucknell (born 1608 in Stepney, London) was an English pirate in the 17th century. A staunch Royalist, he was knighted and appointed as a Vice Admiral by the future Charles II, and licensed as a privateer.[1]

Not to be confused with John Bucknell.

John Mucknell
Born1608
Stepney, London
Piratical career
Years active1644–1651
Base of operationsIsles of Scilly

Biography

Mucknell was born to Catholic parents in Stepney, in the East End of London, and baptised at St Dunstan's Church in September 1608. He and his wife Elizabeth later lived in the neighbouring parish of Poplar.[2]

Mucknell became a ship's commander under the East India Company, a powerful firm trading between England and the East Indies. By 1643, Mucknell was unhappy with Puritan opinions and set sail on the John, a new East India Company 44-gun ship, bound for Surat. After marooning his enemies on a small island called Johanna, among the Comoros in the north end of the Mozambique Channel, Mucknell sailed first to Bristol and then to the Isles of Scilly.[3]

There, Mucknell united and took control of local pirates and the John became the flagship. There were about 11 ships in the group. Mucknell operated in the English Channel and the Western Approaches between 1644 and 1651.[4]

Legacy

There are three extant first hand accounts from crew members of the John.[4]

Todd Stevens, a shipwreck hunter, claims to have found the wreck of the John.[5] English Heritage announced plans to dive the wreck in June 2012.[6]

Stevens has written a book on the subject of Mucknell, The Pirate John Mucknell and the Hunt for the Wreck of the John.

References
  1. Stevens, Todd (2012). "The 'Uprising' of 1648". Scillypedia. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  2. Todd Stevens. The Pirate John Mucknell. p. 18.
  3. Rawlinson, H.G. (1920). British beginnings in western India, 1579-1657: an account of the early days of the British factory of Surat.
  4. Stevens, Todd (October 2011). The Pirate John Mucknell and the Hunt for the Wreck of the John. AuthorHouse Publishing. ISBN 978-1467001588.
  5. "Wreck of pirate ship found off the Scillies may hide a treasure trove". Western Morning News. 2 June 2012. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
  6. "Update: English Heritage Surveying Potential Pirate Ship Site". scillytoday. 14 June 2012. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
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