Posted on 08/01/2020 1:38:41 PM PDT by PghBaldy
Two ships were to carry the pilgrims to the New World, the Mayflower and the Speedwell.
Two ships would carry the Pilgrims to the New World, the Mayflower and the Speedwell. If you’ve never heard of the Speedwell, that’s because the ill-fated vessel was abandoned after two attempts heading to sea.
The Speedwell was a pine-hulled, square-sterner built in England in 1577 as the light warship, Swiftsure. She participated in the battle of the Spanish Armada, and later sailed as an exploration vessel to the Azores.
After her decommissioning, she was renamed Speedwell.
Some of my ancestors were on that ship!
My husband was a Mayflower descendant from both Francis Cooke and John Alden and Priscilla Mullins.
More people but more supplies and they would have arrived a month or so earlier.
Just like the 4th ship that accompanied the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria, it fell off the edge.
My ancestor was John Billington. He, along with his wife and son, were the most hated and despised members of the group. He was eventually the first person executed by the pilgrims and for many decades individuals who attempted to use him as their line to join The Mayflower Society were always blackballed.
Unless I see video and selfies, I ain’t buying it.
The Speedwell was the one carrying all the cats
and they knocked it off the edge.
Mine came over in 1634. But, that particular ancestor married a young lady whose family had come earlier as she had been born here. But, I haven’t learned her name yet or how that family arrived.
Was the son the one who came very close to blowing up the Mayflower?
My mother always said our ancestors were on the ship that followed the Mayflower- turns out it was the Speedwell. Wish someone would make a movie about it!
My ancestor was John “MadJack” Oldham. He got run out of Plymouth for preaching differently from the pilgrims
The Speedwell initially was supposed to accompany the Mayflower.
She developed leaks three miles out of port and had to turn back.
I had ancestors on the Speedwell.
They had to come over later.
That’s the one.
I'm bored. But I got some gun powdered... and some quills....
Let's get this party STARTED!
*2017 article ping*
Then we are related! John Alden and the Mullins clan are my family too.
A 43 year old ship built of pine in that era had to be unseaworthy before she pulled away from the quay. Ships that were listed as “repaired” or rebuilt were often a brand new ship except the fittings. That was done for accounting reason. I suspect that’s what happened to Speedwell.
Didn’t your relatives arrive on the REO Speedwagon?
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