Mary Read

Mary Read was born in London and was the child of an affair like her friend and fellow pirate Anne Bonny. Mary's mother hid the news from relatives, dressed Mary up as the boy, and so continued to receive money that was given for the son's upbringing.
After tiring of serving as a footboy to a wealthy French woman, she spent time as a cabin boy on a warship before eventually fighting as a dragoon, where she met her future husband during the War of Spanish Succession....
Read more at The Pirate's Realm.