MAYFLOWER DEPARTS FOR AMERICA WITH PILGRIMS ABOARD
Plymouth, England (JFK+50) On September 16, 1620, the Mayflower, with 102 passengers on board, departed from here at the English port of Plymouth bound for America.
The Mayflower, a merchant ship, had made the voyage many times but this was the first time she carried passengers. They included a number of religious dissenters*, who referred to themselves as Saints, and entrepreneurs who were known by them as Strangers.
The Separatists were in quest of establishing a new colony in America far from the control of the state Church of England.
The Mayflower, which was about 100 feet in length and 25 feet wide, was commanded by Master Christopher Jones**. He had been with the ship for eleven years. Despite being a ship of trade, the Mayflower was heavily armed for protection. On this voyage she carried a cargo of 180 tons.
The ship sported 3 masts and 3 levels: main deck, gun deck and cargo hold. Her crew numbered about 50 men.
*Governor William Bradford of the Plymouth Colony referred to his group in his Journal as "pilgrimes," but the term Pilgrim was not applied to these people until the early 1800s.
*Christopher Jones (1570-1622) was born in London. CJ remained in Plymouth for six months giving time for his crew to recover from disease. CJ died at the age of 52 shortly after returning to England from a voyage to France.
Crewman on the Mayflower II
Plymouth, Massachusetts
Photo by John White (1986)
