Type Pirate Name George Booth Years active 1696-1700 Role Pirate | Died 1700, Zanzibar Commands Speaker | |
Base of operations Indian Ocean, Red Sea | ||
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George Booth (16?? - 1700) was an English pirate who was one of the earliest active in the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. His crew included the prominent captains Nathaniel North, Thomas Howard and Booth's eventual successor, John Bowen.
He is first recorded as a gunner aboard the Pelican under captain Robert Colley about 1696, and later on the Dolphin under captain Samuel Inless, both operating in the Indian Ocean.
While he was a gunner on the Dolphin, she was trapped at Sainte-Marie Island by a British fleet in September 1699. The crewmen were offered a pardon by the British commander. Some of the pirates such as Robert Culliford accepted the offer, but Booth, North, and others escaped after burning the Dolphin. They captured a French merchant ship by pretending to wish to trade liquor and other goods for slaves. Booth was elected their captain, and the pirates sailed to Madagascar.
Booth encountered fellow British pirate John Bowen, and joining forces, they captured the Speaker, a 450 ton, 50 gun slave ship, near Majunga in April 1699. As captain of the newly captured prize, Booth eventually sailed towards Zanzibar and arrived towards the end of 1700. While going ashore for provisions, Booth and Bowen were attacked by Arab troops and Booth was killed in the fighting. After the death of Booth, Bowen was voted by the crew to replace Booth as captain of the small fleet.