John Gow - The Orkney Pirate

Everything recorded about the infamous Scottish pirate John Gow could be true...or not. It seems that for each report on the Orkney Pirate there was a vastly differing account. Even his youth is questionable.

John Gow was born in 1698, or thereabout, in Wick, Caithness, in the far north of Scotland and raised in Stromness, Orkney Mainland, Scotland. Growing up in a port town, it is not surprising Gow was lured to a seaman’s life. Some local traditional stories claim he ran away to the sea. Others suggest he started his mariner career on trading ships. No one is really sure. There is not much about Gow before he officially became labeled a pirate in 1724.

John Gow

However, his piratical ways may have started sooner. It is said that he plotted a mutiny on one of his first voyages, a trip from London to Lisbon, but failed to recruit enough men. His scheme was found out and he fled to Amsterdam. Seems he was a troublemaker from the start.

In August of 1724, he joined the crew of Captain Freneau’s Caroline bound for Santa Cruz. He must have impressed the captain as Gow was quickly appointed second mate and gunner. By the time they reached the island, there was already growing unrest among the men. The food rations and living conditions were bad and reportedly there was maltreatment by the ship’s officers. After several weeks in Santa Cruz, the Caroline, loaded with beeswax, leather, and woolens, set a course to Genoa, Italy. Captain Freneau was well aware of the crew’s discontent. Despite that the captain had said complaints would be redressed, there were crewmen openly disobeying his orders. Freneau, recognizing the danger, took proactive measures and had small arms placed in the cabin for defense and enforcing discipline. But this was to no avail. Gow and other conspirators caught wind and decided on immediate action. That night after the evening prayer when half of the crew retired, mutineers cut the throats of the surgeon, first mate, and supercargo. The surgeon managed to make it topside where, by some accounts, he was shot. The commotion alerted Freneau on deck. The captain was stabbed in the neck by one of the mutineers, shot in the stomach twice (or more, emptying an entire brace) by Gow, and tossed overboard. The ship was now under the control of the mutineers. Gow, fancying being a pirate, found his opportunity and his co-conspirators agreed to commence in the trade. Gow was elected captain and he renamed the ship Revenge.

Gow's Execution

Gow preyed on ships off the Iberian Peninsula and in the Bay of Biscayne. While he was successful in his acts of piracy, he did so with a heavy hand in fear yet without unnecessary bloodshed, often releasing prisoners relatively unharmed. But living a pirate’s life meant being short of essential provisions, such as fresh water. Gow lacked necessities, was being hunted, and  his ship was in need of repairs. He presented to his crew sailing to Orkney where they could sell their plunder and handle all their urgencies. Oh, and by the way, there are isolated manors and estates of gentry folk that would be easy to pillage. It would be hit and run, and the Revenge would be on its way again.

The January of 1725, the Revenge, now called George, reached Orkney. Gow passed himself off as a wealthy trader named Mr. Smith. No points for originality. It wasn’t long before Gow and some of his men were recognized by another merchant and everything began to unravel. As word got around of Gow’s true identity and purpose, several of his men deserted him and fled to the Scottish mainland. One bought a horse and fled to Kirkwall, claiming he was forced to be listed in the service of the devil, and warned the authorities of Gow’s plans.

Regardless of being ousted, Gow would not surrender and instead launched his attacks.

Gow stormed the Hall of Clestrain. Depending on which account is read, the raid either was successful in their plunder or the valuables had been hidden and the thieves made off with nothing but a handful of silver spoons. Upon the pirates’ exit, they kidnapped two girls. Stories conflict on the fate of the girls. Some say they were released the next day laden with gifts. Others claim the girls were horrifically abused, one dying from her injuries.

Gow wasn’t done. He set his sights on the Carrick House on Eday. Winds and tide carried the Revenge too close to shore and the ship was grounded.  James Fea, the resident of the manor and not-so-coincidentally an old schoolmate of Gow’s, managed to perpetuate any negotiations and, with the aid of only a few men, captured the pirate and his twenty-seven crewmen.

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The pirates were taken to Marshalsea Prison in England to face trial. Gow refused to plea for which he was ordered to be slowly, as in the course of many days, pressed to death. Gow had a change of heart and pleaded not guilty. But alas, the chap was quickly found guilty of murder and piracy. Eight pirates, including Gow, were executed by hanging on June 11, 1725. That was a short piratical career—less than a year.

But the story doesn’t end there. Gow’s rope didn’t break his neck when he fell and he was slow to die, nearly four minutes according to one report. Friends (or the executioner) had pulled upon his legs to speed up his death causing the rope to break. Gow, of his own accord, climbed the gallows again to be hung a second and final time.

The Orkney Pirate and his men were tarred and hung in chains over the bank of the Thames River.

Who really knows the incidental details of John Gow. No matter the tale, whether he was gentlemanly and charitable or not in his dealings, there is no doubt he was a murderer, a thief, a pirate.

About the Author

Jennifer is the award-winning author of the Romancing the Pirate series. Visit her at www.jbrayweber.com or join her mailing list for sneak peeks, excerpts, and giveaways.

Pirates - Causes for Going On The Account

Pirates of the Golden Age had a nasty reputation. They were feared the world over and with good reason. Many notorious pirates like Blackbeard and Ned Low were cruel and barbaric, their tales of savagery and tortures enflamed their reputations and the notoriety of pirates as a whole. But pirates have been around a lot longer than those that flourished in the 17th and 18th centuries. For as long as there have been boats, there have been pirates. In Ancient Egypt and Greece, there are recorded evidence pirates prowled sea trading routes raiding merchant ships for their goods.

Black Bart

So why did men, and some women, turn to piracy? Was it for the treasures? For fame? Oh sure, there was adventure. Make no mistake, the hours were long, the work hard and dangerous. There was starvation, sickness, and overwhelming boredom. Heck, death was a constant on board. But there was also excitement and reward that came with taking a bountiful prize or leading a successful raid. Pirates worked hard but partied harder, usually blowing all their earnings on food, drink, gaming, and women. Life was short. Those fleeting chances to live with abandon was worth every bit the effort and risks.

While selfish gain had much to do with going on the account, it was rarely as simple as to get rich. There were more compelling factors that lead men to piracy.

Turning pirate might be seen as the lesser evil or a means to freedom.  People rarely rose above their caste. Individual freedom and human rights did not exist and justice was not universal nor always fair. Most people in Western Europe, whether rural or urban, lived in extreme poverty. Hard work didn’t equal high wages and jobs were scarce, especially for those without a skill or education. Good people were forced to become thieves to survive. Many turned to the docks for better employment opportunities.

Signing on to work a merchant ship brought wages and men might learn a trade, such as carpentry, at sea that could give them greater chances for employment on land. Unfortunately, conditions at sea were harsh and pay not guaranteed. Men worked excessively long hours on under-crewed ships and were often cheated by unscrupulous merchants should voyages not be profitable enough.

Joining the navy wasn’t much better. In fact, it could have very well been worse, even if enlisting kept a man out of debtor’s prison. Just as with most ships, conditions on board were brutal and wages might not ever be paid. The British Royal Navy had difficulty finding willing men to recruit and had established the Impress Service. This organization was little more than a gang of rough and tough wharf laborers authorized to forcibly press men into navy service. Scores of men and boys were kidnapped, tricked, beaten, shackled and dragged, and otherwise press-ganged, onto naval ships. No able-bodied male was safe.  Not even in their own homes. Not even the men that made up the Impress Service.

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Piracy presented an escape from conscription tactics, corrupt merchants, and “honest” work from merchants and navies.

Pirates, for the most part, offered a democracy, equal pay, revolving work hours, fair judgment and punishment, workmen’s compensation for injuries, and a voice. It did not matter the class, race, religion, they were treated the same. This gave men freedom that they probably wouldn’t have had otherwise, on land or sea. And freedom is a powerful reason.

Some pirates started out as lawful pirates called privateers. These men were commissioned by their governments (with letters of marque) to attack enemy ships or ports during times of war and shared the gains with their investors. But war between any given nation was sporadic. If news of peace hadn’t reached a privateer, an attack on an enemy that had suddenly become an ally would mean an act of piracy. At any rate, if the profits were good, privateers would have been hard to persuade back into legitimate commerce. One such famous captain who had been a privateer accused of piratical deeds was Captain Kidd. Kidd was captured, tried, found guilty of piracy, and hung.

[Side note. Becoming a pirate wasn’t always a choice. As an example, some men were forced to join the crew, and usually for their skill. Carpenters, navigators, and surgeons were among the experienced spared and/or snatched off an overtaken ship.]

No, the allure of piracy wasn’t always for fortune, but of circumstance or a way out of oppression.

Pirate Bartholomew Roberts, also known as Black Bart, said it best.

For I have dipped my hands in muddied waters, and, withdrawing them, find 'tis better to be a commander than a common man.

He also said:

In an honest service there is thin commons, low wages, and hard labor; in this, plenty and satiety, pleasure and ease, liberty and power; and who would not balance creditor on this side, when all the hazard that is run for it, at worst, is only a sour look or two at choking. No, a merry life and a short one, shall be my motto.

About the Author
Jennifer Bray-Weber is the award-winning author of the Romancing the Pirate series. Visit her at www.jbrayweber.com or join her mailing list for sneak peeks, excerpts, and giveaways.