The Mayflower was a cargo-carrying merchant vessel employed in the trade of goods such as wine. Her trade route was between England and Europe. She was probably a carrack with three masts, square-rigged on the foremast and the mainmast; lateen-rigged on the mizzen. From c1609 to 1622 Christopher Jones was her Master - the Master who transported The Pilgrim Fathers to the New World in 1620.

The Mayflower was registered at Rotherhithe in London and on her return from her celebrated transatlantic voyage, she was broken up there in about 1623.

The ship's dimensions are unknown, but based upon her load weight and the typical 180 ton merchant vessels of the period, her length was about 90-110 ft. and her width about 25 ft.

The Mayflower's complement was between 25 to 30 men.

The Mayflower set sail from England on September 6th 1620 (old style) ; September 16th (new style) with 102 passengers onboard. After a gruelling 66-day voyage in which disease claimed but one life,the vessel anchored at Cape Cod on November 11th/November 21st.

The Mayflower holds a sacred place in American history as a symbol of European settlement and colonisation - the very foundation of the United States.

LIST OF CREW and PASSENGERS ONBOARD THE MAYFLOWER, 1620:

Name Place of Origin Occupation


Crew (list incomplete)

Alden,John Harwich Ship's Cooper
Allerton,John London Seaman
Clarke,John Master's Mate/Pilot
Coppin,Robt. Second Master's Mate
Ely/Ellis Seaman
English,Thos. Seaman
Heale, Giles Ship's Surgeon
Jones, Christr. Ship's Master
Leaver, Master Seaman
Parker, John Seaman
Trevore, Wm. Seaman
Williamson, Andr. Seaman


Passengers

Allerton, Isaac London Tailor
Allerton, Mary Newbury Wife
Allerton, Barth Leiden Son
Allerton, Remember Leiden Daughter
Allerton, Mary Leiden Daughter
Billington, John London
Billington, Elnr. London Wife
Billington, Francis London Son
Billington, John London Son
Bradford, Wm. Austerfield, Notts.
Bradford, Dorothy Wisbech, Lincs. Wife
Brewster, Wm. Scrooby, Notts Church
Elder
Brewster, Mary Scrooby Wife
Brewster, Love Leiden Son
Brewster, Wrestling Leiden Son
Britteridge, Rich.
Browne, Peter Gt. Burstead, Essex
Butten, Wm. Austerfield, Notts. Servant
to
Sam. Fuller
Carter, Robt. Servant to Wm.
Mullins
Carver, John Doncaster, Yorks.
Carver, Kath. Sturton le Steeple, Notts.
Wife
Chilton, James Canterbury Tailor
Chilton, Susanna Canterbury Wife
Chilton, Mary Daughter
Clarke, Rich.
Cook/Cooke, Fran. Blyth, Nott. Wool
Comber
Cook/Cooke, John Leiden Son
Cooper, Humility Niece of
Edw.
Tillie
Crackston, John Colchester
Crackston, John Leiden Son
Doty, Edw. London Servant
to
Steph.
Hopkins
Eaton, Francis Bristol Carpenter
Eaton, Sarah Bristol Wife
Eaton, Saml. Son
Fletcher, Moses Sandwich, Kent Blacksmith
Fuller, Edw. Redenhall, Norfolk
Fuller, Ann Redenhall Wife
Fuller, Saml. Leiden Son
Fuller, Saml. London Silk Maker/
Physician
Gardiner, Rich. Harwich, Essex
Goodman, John Weaver
Holbeck, Wm. Norwich, Norfolk Servant
to
Wm.
White
Hooke, John Leiden Servant
Hopkins, Steph. Wooten under Edge,
Glouc.
Hopkins, Eliz. Wife
Hopkins, Giles Son
Hopkins, Constanta Daughter
Hopkins, Damaris Daughter
Hopkins, Oceanus Son
Howland, John Servant
to
John
Carver
Langmore, John Servant
to
Christ.
Martin
Latham, Wm. Servant
to
John
Carver
Lister, Edw. London Servant
to
Stephn.
Hopkins
Margeson, Edm.
Martin, Christ. Gt. Burstead, Essex
Martin, Mary Wife
Minter, Desire Norwich Servant
to
John
Carver
More, Rich. London Child, Ward of
Wm. Brewster
More, Ellen Child, Ward of
Edw. Winslow
More, Jasper Child, Ward of
John Carver
More Child, Ward of
Wm. Brewster
Mullins, Wm. Dorking, Surrey Shop -
Keeper
Mullins, Alice Wife
Mullins, Joseph Son
Mullins, Priscilla Daughter
Priest, Degory London Hatmaker
Prower, Soloman Essex Servant
to
Christ.
Martin
Rigdale, John London
Rigdale, Alice Wife
Rogers, Thos. Merchant
Rogers, Joseph Son
Samson, Henry Cousin of Edw. Tillie
Soule, Geo. Eckington, Worc. Servant
to
Edw.
Winslow
Standish, Myles Ellenbane, Isle of Man
Soldier
Standish, Rose Wife
Story, Elias London
Thompson, Edw. Servant
to
Wm.
White
Tillie/Tilley, Edw. London Cloth Maker
Tillie/Tilley, Ann Wife
Tillie/Tilley, John London Silk Maker
Tillie/Tilley, Joan Wife
Tillie/Tilley, Eliz. Daughter
Tinker, Thos.
Tinker Wife
Tinker Son
Turner, John Merchant
Turner Son
Turner Son
(Unknown), Dorothy Servant
Warren, Rich. London Merchant
White, Wm. Wool Comber
White, Suzanna Wife
White, Resolved Leiden Son
White, Peregrine Born on Voyage Son
Wilder, Roger Servant
to
John
Carver
Williams, Thos. Yarmouth
Winslow, Edw. Careswell, Worc. Printer
Winslow, Eliz. Chattisham, Norfolk Wife
Winslow, Gilbert Brother


One passenger died on the voyage - by the name of William Butten. Oceanus Hopkins was born onboard The Mayflower during the voyage. There were a total of forty Pilgrims who died in 1620, soon after landing in Cape Cod. This might have been the result of some kind of epidemic, although The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography states that "half died in the first winter", due to the inability to provide adequate shelters before the coming of Spring. The Mayflower became a hospital ship. Regarding diseases, scurvy, the scourge of seagoing folk was undoubtedly a factor - salt beef or pork being the staple diet on the voyage; no fruit or vegetables. Pneumonia too would have prevailed and the ever-present typhus must have taken its toll on the voyagers Consumption (TB) too was a contemporary scourge. The ever-hardy seamen would have stood up comparatively well to these malaises. There is evidence that these professional seamen, selected from ships like The Mayflower's usual trade routes, were set apart, starkly, from the passengers. They made great play at the genuflecting passengers with their constant praying.


Martin Wakley (copyright)