In the small village of Casnewydd Bach, Wales, young John Roberts, the dread pirate Black Bart, was born May 17, 1682.

 

Capt. Bartholomew Roberts 
Definitives 1970-1977 series 
Issued by St. Christpher Nevis Anguilla Post February 1, 1970
Designers: John Waddington Studios
The writing on this stamp is the death sentence that was handed down to 8 of Bart’s surviving crew members

Capt. Bartholomew Roberts (“Black Bart”)
Part of the Pirates series
Issued by Bahamian Post March 18, 2003

Better known as Bartholomew Roberts, he went to sea at the tender age of 13 and lived an anonymous life as a sailor until 1718 when he was made a ship’s mate aboard a sloop plying the waters around Barbados. By 1719, he was second mate on a slave ship that sailed between the Gold Coast of west Africa to Cuba. In June of 1719, his ship was attacked by pirates under the command of Howell Davis, a fellow Welshman who found the pirating life better than that of an ordinary seaman.  Roberts quickly joined the pirates when his ship was captured. 

He became close to the pirate captain, who was also from Wales, and after the death of the captain, he was elected to be the new captain. He continued on capturing ships in large numbers until his ships, which were being careened at Cape Lopez, on the coast of Gabon, were spotted by HMS Swallow. A broadside from Swallow delivered a withering fire of grapeshot, some of which struck Roberts in the throat and killed him. He was buried at sea by his crew and his body was never found. After a two-hour battle the ship struck her colours and the pirate crew were captured.

This action proved to be a turning point in the war against pirates and is generally considered to be the end of the ‘Golden Age of Piracy.’ 

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Bartholomew Roberts was one of the most successful pirates of all times having captured some 400 ships over a 4-year period. He died in a fight with HMS Swallow, a Royal Naval ship ordered to chase down pirates. The Royal Navy developed a specific design of warship to chase pirates, small, fast, with a shallow draft, well-armed and easily maneuverable. The Golden Age of Pirates Pt 16 – 1670 to 1730 – Philatelic History of the Royal Navy (rnhistory.com)