What links pirates, passports and the pill?

26th February 2020

Pirates, passports and the pill - what’s the connection between them all? They all have a link with Plymouth and they all feature in Plymouth’s third Book of Wonder.

More fabulous facts have been pulled together for the new edition of the book that celebrates the city’s amazing history. This edition includes:

• A-Arghhhh: Drake’s licence to be a pirate - The Box has the actual parchment complete with a royal seal from Queen Elizabeth I given to Sir Francis Drake giving him permission to be a privateer.
• Hot topic of passports: Did you know that way back in 1390 Plymouth and Dover became the two licenced English ports for pilgrims to travel to Spain. This allowed pilgrims to leave without obtaining special permission from the King.
• Pill-popping: Herchel Smith, the ground-breaking chemist whose research led to the development of the contraceptive pill, was born in Plymouth in 1925.
• We’ve got the power! In 1849 Devonport Column was used for one of the world’s first experimental demonstrations of electric lights. Organised by Plymouth scientist John Nash Hearder the light burnt for three hours
• In the swim: Endurance swimmer and UN patron of the Oceans Lewis Pugh was born in Plymouth. He’s recently been swimming in the Antarctic

Council leader Tudor Evans said: “How many cities have so many fascinating facts that they can fill not one, not two, but three books of wonder and we keep uncovering more!

“2020 is a big year for Plymouth, we have Mayflower 400 with tonnes of events and we have the opening of The Box.  We need to keep telling our story and this is a cracking way of doing it.”

Copies are for sale at the Tourist Information Centre or you can read it online.