London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Sep 16, 2025

Burgh Island statue 'should be pilchards not pirates'

Burgh Island statue 'should be pilchards not pirates'

Plans for a statue of two female pirates thought to have been lovers have been rejected by a parish council.

The statue of 18th Century pirates Anne Bonny and Mary Read is proposed for beauty spot Burgh Island in south Devon.

The pirate pair, cast in concrete and looking out to sea, would enhance the area, say supporters.

Others say a tribute to the local pilchard industry or "a fisherman's wife" would be more appropriate.

The statue, by sculptor Amanda Cotton, celebrates the pair who broke gender boundaries and, according to historians, became lovers after they pitched up on a pirate ship.

Bigbury Parish Council, which had 13 objections and three messages of support about the plan, voted unanimously against it on Monday.

Anne Bonny and Mary Read: A statue remembering the pair is stirring up controversy in Bigbury


Island owner Giles Fuchs said he thought the 2.5m (8.2ft) tall statue on the island's rocky shoreline was a "brilliant idea".

The island was "notorious for smuggling and we have our own Pirates Day, so it seemed like a no-brainer", he said.

The statue, proposed by London-based marketing agency The Producers, would have found more support if it had been linked to the former pilchard fishing industry in the area, said councillor Cathy Case.

"I'm not convinced it's the right thing for the island," she said.

Councillor Sharon Smith agreed: "It would be better to have a fisherman's wife looking out to sea.

"It does not belong in this area."

Burgh Island owner Giles Fuchs said the plan was a "brilliant idea"


Anne Bonny and Mary Read: "Inseparable"


The pair were exceptional for their time said Dr Rebecca Simon, an expert on the history of piracy.

Seafarers were almost always men in the late 17th and early 18th Centuries because women were not generally even allowed on ships; they were thought to be bad luck and not up to the physical challenges.

Mary Read, born in England in 1685, dressed as a boy to seek work on board ship, and ended up being captured by the notorious pirate Jack Rackham.

Along with Anne Bonny, born in Ireland in 1697, she became part of Rackham's crew.

"They were inseparable and they were most likely lovers," said Dr Simon.

She had been "surprised" to hear of the statue but she was "pleased the two of them are getting attention".

Read and Bonny were both captured and sentenced to death in Jamaica, although their sentences are thought to have been stayed until they gave birth.

Sculptor Amanda Cotton: Burgh Island a "perfect home" for the statue


Ms Cotton said Burgh Island was an "obvious choice and a perfect home" for the statue.

Little was known about Mary and Anne so the statue would "bring that rich history to the island" and be a "visual reminder of the hidden voices of women".

"I wanted to make it sure it complemented the surroundings rather than took away from it," she said.

A final decision will be made by South Hams District Council at a later date.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
U.S. and Britain Poised to Finalize Over $10 Billion in High-Tech, Nuclear and Defense Deals During Trump State Visit
China Finds Nvidia Violated Antitrust Laws in Mellanox Deal, Deepens Trade Tensions with US
US Air Force Begins Modifications on Qatar-Donated Jet Amid Plans to Use It as Air Force One
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
Elon Musk Retakes Lead as World’s Richest After Brief Ellison Surge
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
×