Mary Reed was born in England in 1685. In order to retain favour with her grandmother she is known to have dressed as her elder brother who was ravaged with disease.

Until her death, Mary Reed’s grandmother supported her and her mother. Ater that time Mary had to work herself in order to support her family. She joined the British army for a time but soon left when she met and married another soldier. Together they ran an inn until his early death forced Mary to look for alternative forms of employment.

Remembering her youth, no doubt, Mary dressed as a man and joined a Dutch merchant vessel that was heading for the Caribbean. On her arrival she met the famous pirate Calico Jack Rackham and joined his crew.

Whilst on board she met another woman in disguise, Anne Bonny, and the two became good friends. After a year of relentless pirating they were captured by Captain jonathan Barnet. With the men drunk or scared in the hold the women were the only ones who put up any resistance.

Unlike Anne Bonny, Mary Reed was sentenced to hang. However, she never made it to the gallows as she died from fever whilst still in prison.

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