Rare red Jolly Roger pirate flag captured in battle off north Africa 230 years ago goes on display for first time

With thanks to http://www.dailymail.co.uk  16/12/11

 

It was used to frighten passing ships into surrendering without a fight – the red background meaning the pirates would spare no life if a battle commenced.

Now a rare 18th Century Jolly Roger flag captured in battle in 1780 has gone on display for the first time.

It has taken pride of place at the National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN) at Portsmouth’s Historic Dockyard.

Fearsome: The red Jolly Roger which has gone on display for the first time since it was captured off the north African coast in 1790 by a British seaman

Museum curators say the dreaded skull and crossbones is an excellent example of ones used at those times.

A Jolly Roger with a red rather than a black background was most feared as it meant no life would be spared in a ship’s capture.

The ensign has been loaned to the museum by Pamela Curry, a descendant of Lt Richard Curry, who captured it in battle off the north African coast.

Richard Noyce, curator of artefacts at the museum, said: ‘Pirates always attract much interest, no doubt in part due to the many Hollywood films about them.

‘However, in reality they weren’t the loveable rogues they are often portrayed as.

‘Then, as now, pirates were seen as a threat to trade and great efforts were made to suppress their criminal activities.’

Much interest: Curator of artefacts Richard Noyce with the flag at the National Museum of the Royal Navy at Portsmouth’s Historic Dockyard

Gunpowder and small holes with charred edges were found on the flag when it was restored at the Winchester School of Art’s Textile Conservation Centre in 2007.

The skull and crossbones derived from the symbol used in ships’ logs, where it represented death on board.

It was first used on a pirate flag around 1700 and quickly became popular.

It is thought the early designs were in red until pirates began developing their own styles including the perhaps recognisable version with a black background.

Rich history: The flag has been loaned to the museum by a descendant of the man who captured it in conflict 220 years ago

As piracy developed, more flags were used, and pirates often had their own versions, such as a skull and crossed swords.

The title Jolly Roger is thought to come from the French phrase ‘joli rouge‘ which means ‘pretty red’.

In the museum intends to show how the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary fought and continues to fight piracy in its new 20th and 21st Century galleries, set to open in 2014.

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