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Mayflower (ship)

The Mayflower was, most famously, the ship which transported the Pilgrim Fathers from Plymouth, England to North Virginia in what was later to become the United States of America in 1620. Initially the plan was for the voyage to be made in two vessels (the other being the Speedwell[?]), however, due to problems after setting out both ships were forced to return and after some reorganisation the voyage was made in the Mayflower alone. As a result of the delay, the settlers did not arrive until the onset of winter, which made for a difficult time for them. On April 5, 1621 the Mayflower set sail from Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts on a return trip to Great Britain.

Mayflower ii.JPG
Details regarding the size and overall dimensions of the ship are unknown, but it has been estimated from its load weight and the usual size of 180-ton merchant ships in the period to be 90 - 110 feet in length and about 25 feet in width. Careful research went into designing a replica, the Mayflower II (launched on September 22, 1956), to make it as much like its namesake as possible.

Table of contents

Mayflower passengers

Pilgrims

Planters recruited by London merchants

Men hired to stay one year

Family servants & young cousins

The Mayflower is, incidentally, the emblem of the English football club Plymouth Argyle F.C., who are known by the nickname of "The Pilgrims".

wikipedia.org dumped 2003-03-17 with terodump