Kidd, William
| Dates | 1695-6, c.1698-1701 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Location | London | ||
| Vocation | Pirate | ||
| Place of Birth | Greenock, Renfrewshire? | ||
| Marriage | Sarah | ||
| Issue | |||
| Place of birth | Source | Oxford Dictionary of National Biography |
Enters the historical record as a privateer as captain of a ship during the Williamite wars. Joined the royal forces in New York and met Robert Livingston. Both travelled to London and approached Richard Coote with a scheme to hunt pirates in the Indian Ocean, capture and imprison them and then divide the spoils. Coote in turn approached his Whig patrons and formed, along with Kidd, a junto administration in London. Kidd returned to New York, recruited men and sailed for the Indian Ocean. Once there, openly consorted with the pirates he was sent to capture. Had equally angered the East India Company and Kidd fell out of a favour by 1698, with orders to seize him. Arrested and sent to England. Sentenced to death and executed 1701. Queen Anne devoted his treasure to the Royal Hospital for Seamen at Greenwich, for the construction of the Old Royal Naval College and for other charitable purposes.
