Only one man in British history has ever been knighted for
services to combat piracy, but his name – unlike those of his legendary
adversaries – is practically unknown. Now in the collection of Royal Museums
Greenwich, a cup made of coconut and set into a silver mount links the lives of
pirate-hunter Chaloner Ogle and pirate extraordinaire Bartholomew Roberts, the
infamous ‘Black Bart’. Their story reveals the realities of crime, justice and
the Royal Navy’s role in protecting British interests at sea during piracy’s
‘golden age’, at a time when growing global trade networks were increasingly
under threat from roving bands of sea robbers.

Captain Ogle’s Cup: A Pirate Adventure is part of the
Royal Museums Greenwich Spotlight series, accessible introductions to some of
the most intriguing objects in the collection.