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Roles Aboard Ship
Who does
what aboard a Sailing Vessel
Ship's
Captain |
A common misconception
about life on a Pirate ship surrounds
the role and authority of the Captain. Unlike
the Captain's who were appointed
by their respective governments and who's authority was supreme at all times, most pirate captain's were democratically elected by the ships crew and could be
replaced at any time by a majority vote of the crewmen.
Some captains were voted out and
removed for not being aggressive enough
for their crews, while others were abandoned by their crews
for being too bloodthirsty and brutal. Pirate Captain's were expected to be bold and
decisive in battle as well as e skilled in navigation and seamanship. Above all
they had to have the force of personality necessary to hold together such an
unruly bunch of seamen.There are
surprisingly few detailed descriptions of what the pirate captains looked like,
and those we do have are rarely flattering. Most seem to have adopted the
clothes of naval officers or extravagantly dressed merchant sea captains, which in this period
followed the style of prosperous English gentlemen. |
Quarter
Master |
Most
British and Anglo-American pirates
delegated unusual amounts of authority
to an individual called the Quartermaster, who became almost the
Captain's equal. The general rule was
that during times of battle the Captain retained
unlimited authority, but
at all other times he and the rest of
the crew were subject to the command of
the
Quartermaster.
The Quartermaster was usually elected by the
crew immediately after choosing a
Captain, and it was his duty to represent their interests.
For this he
received an extra share of the booty
when it was divided. Above all, he
protected the Seaman against each other
by maintaining order, settling quarrels,
and distributing food and other
essentials.Serious crimes were tried by a jury of
the crew, but the Quartermaster had the
authority could
punish minor offenses, and kept the
records and account books for the ship.
If the pirates were successful,
he decided what plunder to take from a
prize. If the
pirates decided to keep a captured ship,
the Quartermaster often took over as the
Captain of that ship until they disposed
of it. |
Sailing
Master |
This officer was in charge of navigation and the sailing of the ship. He directed the course and looked after the maps and instruments necessary for navigation. Since the charts of the era were often inaccurate
(or nonexistent) his job was a difficult one. Many Sailing Masters
were forced into pirate service from
captured vessels. |
Boatswain |
The Boatswain supervised the maintenance of the vessel and its supply stores. He was responsible for inspecting the ship and it's sails and rigging each morning, and reporting their state to the captain. The Boatswain was also in charge of all deck activities, including weighing and dropping anchor, and the handling of the sails. |
Carpenter
& Surgeon |
The
Carpenter was responsible for the
maintenance and repair of the wooden
hull, masts and yards. He worked under
the direction of the ship's Master and
Boatswain.The Carpenter's duties
were to check the hull regularly,
placing oakum between the seems of the
planks and wooden plugs on leaks to keep
the vessel tight. More often than
not, the Carpenter would also serve as
the Ship's Surgeon and perform
operations and amputations with the same
wood working tools (with no
anesthetic!). |
Master
Gunner |
The Master
Gunner was responsible for the ship's
guns and ammunition. This included
sifting the powder to keep it dry,
prevent it from separating, insuring the
cannons and ordnance were kept free of rust, and
that all weapons were kept in good repair. A
knowledgeable Gunner was essential to
the crew's safety and effective use of
their weapons. |
Mate |
On a large ship there was usually more than one Mate aboard
(hence the title "First Mate").
Mates served as apprentice to the Ship's Master, Boatswain, Carpenter
& Gunner and took care of the fitting out of the vessel, and examined whether it was sufficiently provided with ropes, pulleys, sails, and all the other rigging that was necessary for the voyage.
The Mate also took care of hoisting the anchor, and during a voyage he checked the tackle once a day. If he observed anything amiss, he would report it to the ship's Master. Arriving at a port, the mate caused the cables and anchors to be repaired, and took care of the management of the sails, yards and mooring of the ship. |
A.B.S. |
Able |
Bodied |
Sailor |
|
The common
sailor, which was the backbone of the
ship, needed to know the rigging and the
sails. As well as how to steer the ship
and applying it to the purposes of
navigation. He needed to know how to
read the skies, weather, winds and most
importantly the moods of his commanders. |
Rigger |
The
sailors assigned aloft to work the
running rigging and to furl/release the
sails were referred to as Riggers.
Although there were not any truly "safe"
jobs, due to the constant risk of
falling from a slippery spar high above
a rolling deck this was certainly one of
the most dangerous. |
Cabin Boy |
A
young boy who worked aboard pirate ships
as a servant. Many cabin boys made their
way aboard ship by being kidnapped by
pirates or were runaways looking for a
means of escape. |
Powder
Monkey |
A role
filled by young boys on ship in which
they run gunpowder from below decks (such
as the orlop) to the cannon crews during
battle. |
Swab or
Swabbie |
Although
not technically a rank, a person who mopped the decks using the swab was called a swabbie.
It has also become a slang phrase to
describe someone informally whom you do
not hold in any high regard, i.e., "Avast,
ye scurvy swab!" |
Table of Payment: |
One of the easiest ways of comparing the rank or
station of different officers on board different pirate ships might be to
compare the different shares of prizes they received. I have included in
this table the shares accorded to officers in the articles of Roberts,
Lowther and Phillips, and the shares given to privateer officers of the 17th
century according to Monson. By way of comparison I have also included the
amount officers listed would have been paid per month had they served in a
Royal Navy sloop in 1700. I have not included all the ranks listed in Monson
or the Navy pay lists, only those ranks which also appear in pirate
articles. |
 |
Rank |
Roberts |
Lowther |
Phillips |
Monson |
Royal Navy |
Captain |
2 shares |
2 shares |
11/2 shares |
10 shares |
£8, 8s |
Master |
11/2 shares |
11/2 shares |
11/4 shares |
7 or 8 shares |
£4 |
Boatswain |
11/2 shares |
11/4 shares |
11/4 shares |
5 shares |
£2 |
Gunner |
11/2 shares |
11/4 shares |
11/4 shares |
5 shares |
£2 |
Quartermaster |
2 shares |
|
|
4 shares |
£1, 6s |
Carpenter |
|
|
11/4 shares |
5 shares |
£2 |
Mate |
|
11/4 shares |
|
5 shares |
£2, 2s |
Doctor |
|
11/4 shares |
|
5 shares |
£5 + 2d per man aboard. |
"Other Officers" |
11/4 shares |
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Various rates |
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