An Introduction to Wallasey Pirates

by Tony Franks-Buckley

The History of Pirates in Wallasey has been somewhat over shadowed by the likes of Bristol and of course the Caribbean. Pirates & Smugglers have played a big part in the early history of Wallasey and is known only to local people.

There have been plenty of rumours of Wallasey's piratical past and its connections with smuggling in the eighteenth century. Many local people know stories of Mother Redcap, and the legendary smugglers’ tunnels beneath Wallasey.

Mother Redcap’s death, however, is linked with mystery; thousands of pounds worth of privateers’ prize money had been entrusted to her care, but after she died it was never seen again. What did happen to Mother Redcap’s treasure? Was it spirited away into the labyrinth of tunnels riddling Wallasey’s bedrock and just exactly how was Wallasey Linked to Pirates and Smugglers.

36 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 17, 2012

About the author

Wallasey Historian and Author that completed BA Honours Degree in Modern History at Liverpool John Moores University under the guidance of fellow author Prof Frank McDonough, Dr Mike Benbough-Jackson and a host of others.

My main interests in history are from the Industrial Revolution era in Britain, which was the beginning of the modern day Britain as we know it today. I also hold a keen interest in World War II due to my uncle, who served in the Royal Navy and was involved in the D-Day landings. Stories that were told to me by him when I was a child have stuck with me to this day.
As well as graduating from university, I have also attended Wirral Met College in Birkenhead where I gained A Level results through an Access to Higher Education Diploma in English Literature, History and Environmental Studies which allowed me to enter University.

In year one my modules included, Presenting the past, Historical Themes, Nineteenth Century America, Historians in action, Revolutions in the modern world and Reconstructing the past. In year two my modules were, British Economy and Society 1800-1990, British Political History 1832-1990, The Rise & Fall of the British Empire 1750 to the Present day, Key Skills in Historical Research and Career Planning. I read works during my university time by John Belchem, Phylis Deane, Eric Hobsbawm, and Peter Mathias who all write about Social Economy and the Industrial Revolution.

In year three my modules were, Decolonisation in Southeast Asia post 1945, Life on the British Home front during the Second World War, Popular Culture in the nineteenth century, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich as well as my Independent study on Liverpool during the Industrial Revolution 1700-1850.

I am now embarking on my next part in life of historical research. I have previously written two books called, The History of Wallasey - A Small Surburb with a Large History and The History of Birkenhead & Bidston. I am also writing my first Historical-Fiction Novel on Mother Redcaps that was on the New Brighton shoreline. New Brighton has a vast amount of history and the Pirates and Smugglers that came to the shores of Wallasey from the 16th Century onwards will be the future focus of my work in both Historical Fiction and Non Fiction form.

Hector Hornsmith will be bringing plenty of old Pirates back into the public eye with his Diary Entries that he collaborated whilst at sea. I am the creator of Hector Hornsmith and his Memoirs which can also be found on my History blog site http://tonyfranksbuckley.blogspot.co.uk/ Hector speaks of his adventures with his good friend Captain Gray who is married to Mother Redcap the owner of Mother Redcaps Inn.

Beneath Mother Redcaps and Wallasey is a network of tunnels that are used by Captain Gray and his crew to stash their loot when returning from sea, as well as their living quarters, where they hide in comfort away from the eyes of the forever pursuing Captain Vernon and his Royal Naval crew of the Barfleur. The tunnels and caves stretch underneath the whole of Wallasey in several directions.