The Voyage of the Mayflower 

Mike Hayward gave a very interesting talk for the May meeting. He began by asking whether the stories we know about the Mayflower are myth or reality. It seems mainly myth, and he enlightened us with the reality.

The very first settlers to America did not sail on the Mayflower, but earlier, when in 1607 a ship sailed from London to Virginia. It was a time of religious unrest and people were being tortured and even killed for their beliefs.  A group of separatists escaped the persecution by moving first to Holland, and then in 1620 they decided to emigrate to America on board the ‘Speedwell’.

They were joined in Southampton by a second group on the ‘Mayflower’.  The ‘Speedwell’ was considered unseaworthy and both boats returned to Plymouth.  The ‘Mayflower’ measuring only 80ft x 24ft about the size of the town hall, they took on board some of the ‘Speedwell’ passengers and then set sail for Virginia. There were 102 passengers +30 crew, together with their animals, and all they would need for their first year in the new world. They met heavy seas, sometimes too rough for any sail, and finally after two months at sea found calm anchorage near Cape Cod. After the ordeal of the journey they decided to stay there rather than sail on to Jamestown, Virginia, and gradually dispersed to colonise that area with the help of the native Indians.

Only 5 of the 18 women aboard survived + 50 men and children.  A Cornishman from St Endellion was the first survivor to have a family there.  One of the other survivors who was almost drowned when he fell overboard went on to have 10 children and 88 grandchildren.  His descendants included Presidents Roosevelt and Bush.  His brother who joined him later, was an ancestor of Winston Churchill.  How would history have changed had he not been saved?  It is estimated that there are now 10 million living descendants of these hardy folk.

Mike’s talk was vibrantly illustrated by some of his excellent paintings of the ‘Mayflower’ in stormy seascapes.