Details

IPSMG:R.2011.14.48

Ipswich Collections

The Pirates of Penzance

A hardback children's book called The Pirates of Penzance by W S Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan told by Jean Blashfield and illustrated by Janet and Anne Grahame Johnstone. The front cover is of a pirate primarily dressed in black, with skull and cross bones on their hat, sash and cape. They are holding two pistols. On the back of the book there is a skull and cross bones with a crown placed upon the skull's head. There are also other titles in this series of books on the reverse. Both the front and back covers are coloured the same black colour. There are illustrations inside the book by Janet and Anne Grahame Johnstone.The object has been identified as part of the LGBT+ collections as it refers to pirates. There are several accounts of same sex relationships between pirates. Anne Bonny and Mary Read both dressed up as men to live on a pirate ship and ended up developing a romantic relationship. The same sex relationships amongst pirates were such a concern to the French government that they sent prostitutes to the pirate colony on Tortuga in an attempt to turn them straight, but the pirates just ended up sleeping with the prostitutes as well.

Thomas Nelson and Sons Ltd (publisher)‎, W.S. Gilbert, Mr and Sullivan, Arthur, Mr, Jean Blashfield, Ms, Janet Grahame Johnstone, Ms#, Anne Grahame Johnstone, Ms

London, 36 Park Street, England

1966 - 1966

1960's

cardboard, paper