Charlotte Badger – Buccaneer
Charlotte Badger became the first white woman to live in New Zealand, after taking part in a mutiny which followed two vicious floggings on board a civilian cargo ship. This novel recreates the adventurous life of this remarkable woman fugitive, her daughter, and their fellow mutineers.
Escaping from Van Diemen’s Land and New South Wales after commandeering the colonial brig, the Venus, the mutineers settle for an initially peaceful life with the Maoris in New Zealand. But simmering tensions within their group eventually burst into the open. The peace is shattered and escape to America is the only chance of survival. But how many will reach America?
This is Charlotte’s story, telling the reader in her own voice, the shock of being condemned to transportation, the drudgery of work in the Female Factory, the delight of little Anny, the baby at her breast, and the companionship of fellow convicts and the crew of the Venus, relaxing in the evening, singing on deck en route to Van Diemen’s Land.
Charlotte tells also of the cruel master of the Venus, who delighted in flogging Charlotte and her Irish friend and fellow convict, Kitty; of the terror of a wild storm at sea; escaping from the Maori war canoes, and the antagonism that builds up among the mutineers.
This is a story of courage, of determination and a mother’s love for her child.
June 2002, 248pp
Paperback, 216 x 138 mm
ISBN 0 9578735 2 2
RRP $aud 23.95
ISBN-13 9780957873520
The Author
Angela Badger was born in the New Forest, Hampshire, England. She emigrated to Australia in 1970 and maintains ongoing contact with UK. Her interest in Australian history is the main source of inspiration for her fiction. Charlotte, her daughter Anny, her friends Kitty, Lanky and the others were just names in the historical record until Angela Badger started researching the life of an earlier member of the Badger family.
Angela’s books
The Water People, Indra
Charlotte Badger – Buccaneer, Indra
The Boy from Buninyong
Junior fiction
The River’s Revenge
Poles Apart
Angela is currently researching her next novel, set in southern New South Wales in the late nineteenth century. This novel promises to continue her easy to read style of presenting historical events as lived adventures involving real people.
March 11th, 2008 at 10:35 pm
[…] are now proud owners of a chook. Her name is Lottie. I named her after the first Australian pirate, Charlotte Badger, because she only has one eye. (And that’s how I imagine a successful pirate to […]
January 30th, 2011 at 7:37 am
As a maritime historian I have a strong interest in Samuel Rodman Chace (captain of the Venus), as he was the so-called ‘father’ of Australian sealing. There is no evidence whatsoever that he was a flogging captain. Indeed, he was accepted by the cream of Australian society, marrying the most eligible young woman in town, the illegitimate (but officially recognized) daughter of David Collins. Though sealers were rough, his reputation for honesty and decency was impeccable. He was also famous for the detailed and accurate reports he posted to the papers. I know this is a novel, and subject to the author’s imagination, but I just wanted to put in a word for Captain Chace (note the spelling). I have written an academic paper on him, and a copy is in the Crowther Library in Tas.