![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() "Speaks little and almost always swearing. Those who did were considered pirates because they no longer had valid licences – called letters of marque – issued by the state.Įlected captain by his shipmates, Ward's prolific exploits on the high seas gained him a reputation as one of the most fearsome and notorious pirates of his time. Faversham Creek is a far cry from the turquoise waters of the Caribbean When James I ended the war with Spain on assuming the throne in 1603, many privateers refused to give up their livelihood and simply continued to plunder. After the failed invasion of England by the Spanish Armada in 1588, Ward found work as a privateer, plundering Spanish ships with a licence from Queen Elizabeth I. Like many born in coastal areas, he spent his youth and early adult years working in the fisheries. Information about Ward's early life comes from a pamphlet purportedly written by someone who sailed with him during his pirate days. Kent already has a firm connection to the film franchise in Canterbury-born actor Orlando Bloom, who starred as Will Turner in the movies.īut what do we know of Jack Ward, who also went by the name Jack Birdy, and who is believed to have been born in Faversham around 1553? Picture: BBC History Magazine/Sue Gent (56926642) He adds that he was "an out-and-out wastrel who spent much of his time getting drunk" but who went on to be one of England's most notorious pirates. The BBC History Magazine, which makes the claim of the link to Sparrow, says John Ward was "outlandish and fearless, terrorising the Mediterranean with a complete absence of morals", adding: "Little wonder the English pirate was an inspiration for Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean films."Īccording to the author and history writer Giles Milton, Ward was born into an impoverished family with his early life spent fishing the tidal waters of his native Kent. #JACK SPARROW SERIES#Picture: Disneyīut while swashbuckling Jack Sparrow – played by Johnny Depp in the blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean film series – became a household name, few, if any, will have heard of Jack Ward whose life he was based on.Īnd there's certainly no blue plaque to mark his former residence in the town. Captain Jack Sparrow, played by Johnny Depp, is one of Hollywood's best-loved characters. Yet that is where the fisherman turned notorious pirate, who is said to have inspired the flamboyant lead character of one of Walt Disney's best known film franchises, first set sail. The brown, murky waters of Faversham Creek are a far cry from the turquoise seas and white sands of the Caribbean. ![]()
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