Owen Rice, a pirate from South Wales

It's possible Rice was abducted by Captain Harris or the infamous Captain Low for use as a interpreter, Rice being a Welsh speaker and there being so many Welsh pirates it would have been a clear advantage when negotiations began but...

...no one really knows how Rice went from South Wales to piracy off the American Colonies.

It was common for pirates to supplement their crew with men taken from plundered ships, these poor fellows were usually just asked to join but sometimes if the pirates thought a prisoner had a skill of value that person would be forced to join or pay with their lives. It could be Owen Rice had such an offer, who knows, maybe like Bart Roberts, he just liked the idea of a life of crime.

Above: An 18th Century Sloop sporting Black Barts 'Flaming Sword' Jolly Roger.
Illustration © Wayne Stock, 2007

There was much traffic between Britain and the colonies, Rice probably sailed from Bristol headed for Boston, right into the path of Low who harassed shipping in that part of the world. Captain Low (a Londoner by birth) had a particular dislike for New Englanders and any vessel headed to the Northern colonies was a target. 

Come what may, Owen found himself aboard one of Low's consort ships, one Captain Harris in charge. Low and Harris made a most unfortunate mistake in giving chase to a ship which on close quarters proved to be not a merchant vessel, but H.M.S. Greyhound. After a short fight, the coward Low slipped away and left his consort, Harris, to carry on an unequal contest until he was compelled to surrender his ship

The Welsh pirate Owen Rice was hanged at Newport, Rhode Island,
on July 19th, 1723. Age 27.

connection: From South Wales


Related information...
      Henry Morgan, Buccaneers, Freebooters and Pirates.
      David Williams, Buccaneers, Freebooters and Pirates.
      the Hump Murray, Wrong side of the law.
      John Callice, Buccaneers, Freebooters and Pirates.
      Black Bart, Buccaneers, Freebooters and Pirates.
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