Henry Avery (Every), is thought to have been the son of John and Anne Every, from Newton Ferrers near Plymouth Devon. Daniel Defoe claimed that Avery was born in1653, another source stated that his year of birth was 1659. Whichever year it was, by 1689 he was a midshipman, in the Royal Navy, aboard H.M.S Rupert. A few months later he became the chief mate of a sixty-four gun ship commanded by Captain Francis Wheeler. When Wheeler move on and took command of the ninety-gun Albemarle Avery went with him.The Captain was no sooner gone, but they called a Council, which agreed to own Avery as their Captain; which he accepted of with all humility imaginable, seeming to excuse himself on account of his inexperience at sea. But he did it so artfully that it more confirmed them in the good opinion of their choice.
The pirate that took the richest prize?
Part 1
However, in August 1660 Avery was discharged from the navy and nothing more was heard of him until 1694 when he appeared as the First Mate on a privateer hired by the Spanish to plunder the French ships of Martinique. The privateer was the Charles II commanded by a Captain Gibson a drunkard. There was much dissatisfaction amongst the crew who were stuck in port at the time and the idleness, a lack of pay and a drunken captain caused the crew to Mutiny. The captain and one or two of the crew were sent ashore in the longboat, Avery was voted in as captain and after renaming the ship ‘The Fancy’. Avery was now a pirate and he set sail for Madagascar.
The History And Lives Of all the Most Notorious Pirates And Their Crews, Fifth edition printed in1735, takes up the story…
“Gentlemen,” said he, “what we have done we must live or die by; let us all be hearty and of one mind, and I don’t question but we shall make our fortune in a little time. I propose that we sail first to Madagascar, where we may settle a correspondence, in order to secure our retreats, whenever we think fit to lie by.”
To which they all agreed, “Nemine contradicente.”
“But hold,” saith Avery; “it is necessary that we make some order among us, for the better governing of the ship’s crew.”
Which were in a few days drawn up by the clerk of the ship.
And Avery promising them vast things, they all came into them at last, although some things went very much against the grain of many of them.
It took up all their spare time till they arrived at Madagascar, where they saw a Ship lying at the N.E. part of the Island, with which the men had run away from New England; and seeing Avery, they supposed that he had been sent after them to take them, but Avery soon undeceived them, and promised them protection; therefore they resolved to sail together.
In the whole company, there was not above ten that pretended to any skill in navigation; for Avery himself could neither write nor read very well, he being chosen Captain purely for his courage and contrivance.
In the latitude of Descada, one of the Islands, they took two other sloops, which supplied them with provisions, and then they agreed to proceed to the West Indies; and coming to Barbadoes, they fell in with a ship for London with twelve guns, from which they took some clothes and money, ten barrels of powder, ten casks of beef, and several other goods, and five of her men, and then let her go. From thence he went to the Island of Dominico, and watered; there he met with six Englishmen, who willingly entered with Avery.
They stayed not long before they sailed for the Granada Island to clean their ships; which being known to the French Colony, the Governor of Martenico sent four sloops well manned after them.
But they stayed there not long, but made the best of their way for Newfoundland, entering the harbour of Trepasse with black colours, drums beating, and trumpets sounding.
It is impossible to relate the havoc they made there, burning all before them.
.S Rupert. A few months later he became the chief mate of a sixty-four gun ship commanded by Captain Francis Wheeler. When Wheeler move on and took command of the ninety-gun Albemarle Avery went with him.