Walter Kennedy

By Crusader1307

Born in 1695 in Wapping, England - Kennedy started out his life of crime as a pickpocket and burglar. He attempted to “go right” by working as an apprentice to his father (an anchor smith), but Kennedy still supplemented his income with house breaking. After his father's death (a several close captures by The Law), Kennedy joined The Royal Navy. She fought in The Spanish War For Succession (where he no doubt met and heard stories of famous – and soon to be infamous Brigands). He was deployed to The Bahamas and Havana on the Sloop “Buck” - to fight Piracy. Recruiting other crewmen there (that were in fact ex-pirates), soon a mutiny occurred and Kennedy and his confederates killed the ships Captain and commandeered the vessel. Kennedy's life of piracy had begun. Kennedy's Sloop became part of Captain Bartholomew Roberts “”Pirate Flotilla”. However, soon afterwards (with his Captain dead from combat), Kennedy “declared” himself Captain. This annoyed the infamous Roberts who “detached” Kennedy from Pirate service. He and his crew cut he Caribbean and decided to head for Ireland. A near second mutiny occurred when it was found out that Kennedy knew little of navigation (his crew threatened to throw him overboard).

Kennedy and his crew ended up in Northern Scotland. Landing, they came up with the cover story of how they were “shipwrecked mariners” (not an uncommon story. However, Kennedy and his men tore a swath thru many coastal towns and villages (drinking, fighting and stealing). Arrested and determined to be Pirates, a large number of Kennedy's crew were tried and hung. Kennedy (ever clever) escaped capture. Ending up in Dublin (broke) it was said he opened a Brothel. He was arrested for trying to “cheat” one of his female “employees”. Initially a small sentence, a prisoner recognized him from his “Bartholomew Roberts days” and informed against him. He was hung in 1721. Kennedy is known as “The Captain who Wasn't a Captain”.