Sir Henry Morgan

17th century buccaneer and adventurer

Born:

1635

Died:

1688

Place of Birth:

Llanrumney

Famous For:

17th century buccaneer and adventurer

Trivia:

Captain Morgan's name lives on as a brand of rum.

Biography:

A daring buccaneer of the 17th century who battled the Spanish for control of the Caribbean.

Some may call him a pirate, but Henry Morgan was flying the flag for the English Commonwealth to secure trade routes to the New World.

Thought to have been born in Llanrumney, then a village between Cardiff and Newport, little is known of his early life.

Morgan first came to prominence in 1655 as a soldier in a British expedition which captured Jamaica from the Spanish.

Further battles followed with the Dutch and again with the Spanish over Cuba, Morgan's leadership qualities coming to the fore.

But an attack on Panama in 1671 proved a personal setback as the city was burned down and looted in violation of a peace treaty between England and Spain.

Morgan was arrested and sent to London to face the consequences.

But as relations with Spain deteriorated, King Charles II forgave him, gave him a knighthood and sent him back to Jamaica.

He took over as deputy governor and later acting governor, winning praise for strengthening the island's fortifications against the Spanish threat.

Sir Henry saw out his days as a planter and respected member of the ruling class before he fell ill and died in 1688.

So was Sir Henry Morgan a swashbuckling adventurer or a bloodthirsty pirate?

Many believe the piratical tales were a creation of one of his crewmen, but Newport historian John Weston takes a more postive view.

"I prefer to think of him as more of a buccaneer," he says.

"His crew were a really rough, tough bunch - often coming from prisons and being escaped slaves.

"But Sir Henry didn't have any noticeable problems with leadership and seemed to be accepted by his crew."

"And of course he was acting for the British Commonwealth to try and allow British trade in the area - so he would have been immune from any crimes related to piracy."

Moment of Glory:

Capturing Jamaica from the Spanish and later returning to the island as deputy governor

your comments

We're making some changes to the sites shortly and although this form will be closing, you will have other opportunities to contribute on our new-look site.

Deb from South Melbourne
My Mother maiden name is Morgan. When I was growing up my Mother used to tell us kids stories about Captain Morgan. And throughout my years well thats what I thought they were just stories. Being a curious person I decided to look this man up and to my suprised he existed and the stories were true. And to find out that I am sort of a relation like many others on this Websit well it blew my mind. Who would of thought we've all part of this history.

Kelly Anne Morgan
Sir Henry Morgan's date and place of birth is difficult to determine, primarily because he never spoke of his early life. We do know that he was born in Wales, sometime between December 21, 1634 and December 21, 1635. His birthplace may have been Llanrhymni in Glamorganshire, Pencarn in Monmouthshire, or Rymney, near Tredegar, in Monmouth. His father may have been Robert Morgan of Llanrhymni, or Thomas Morgan of Pencarn. (See Winston, Alexander; "No Man Knows My Grave"; Houghton Mifflin; 1969). It is impossible to link one's descendancy directly from Sir Henry Morgan, simply because he and his wife had no children. There is, however, an interesting twist to the Morgan genealogy. In his will, Sir Henry Morgan bequeathed all his possessions to his wife, Dame Mary Elizabeth Morgan. He also stated in his will that when his wife passed away, the estate would be divided among a number of people PROVIDED THAT those people would change their names to Morgan, and that all their descendants must bear the Morgan name. So, although some connection to Morgan might be proved through provisions of his will, a blood connection DIRECTLY to the man cannot be possible as previously stated.

Ray Williams, Burlington, Ontario, Canada
There was an article in the Merthyr Express about 25 years ago regarding Henry Morgan. According to legend, he was born in my Rhymney. He was supposed to have buried treasure in some field at the top of Rhymney, near the heads of the valley. Have you heard this story before?

Ben Cole
As I grow older the ignorance of Americans astounds me more and more. "England is an island you know". PS My mums maiden name was Morgan and I am from Glamorgan. I don't claim relation though.

Natasha Boivin from Keshena, Wisconsin, USA
Sir Henry Morgan is named on a drink of rum - I just realized that when I read his biography! I'm not saying I drink or anything but I see it at stores sometimes! I am doing a school project on him and I need all the information I can get so that is why I am at this web site!I think it kind of cool that he is named on a bottle of rum, except it would of been better to be named after something else besides alcohol!

Viv Gregson
I was born in Rumney in 1946 and as kids we would go to Bluebell Woods. Our favourite was Squires wood with the lake or pond in the middle, We would make rafts and catch toads there. When we were older we would drink in the Llanrumney Hall and the Goodies. We all knew the legend of Cap'n Morgan and would always toast his name before we left...'Here's to you Captain'.

Alexander Morgan, Miami, Florida, USA
We long suspected to have proof of Henry Morgan's descent in Guadalajara, Mexico - we hold documents and other evidence that seem to support this theory. In 1847 during the Mexican American War and the American occupation of Mexico Henry F Morgan was named provisional governor of the state of Jalisco.

Editor's Note
All comments relating to family connections with the Morgan family should now be posted on our message board.

John Howard
I am told by my grandpa on my mother's side that I too, am descended from him. I would like any info on possible offspring of Morgan. (Really wierd - my grandpa's middle name is Morgan, as are my cosins, in honor of our ancestor. Is this a Morgan family tradition or what? lol)

Natalie in East London
I have started to find out more about the history in the West Indies more so to do with Jamaica and Barbados. But I wanted to share with you the places that are named after him Morgan's Brigde, Morgan's Pass and Morgan's Valley in Jamaica. Also he had an effect on some of the Welsh names of places still used today such as Llandovery in St Ann's and many more. But can someone tell me if he really have any children?

Jill New Zealand
Like every one else I was told by my grandmother that we were related to Henry Morgan, however never was it claimed as a direct line. Has anyone thought that he could have been the brother of your grandfather, a story that is more believable? Most of us want a scallywag in our family tree but we want it at least three hundred years in the past.

John Persoons, Australia
I can't beleive the amount of people claiming to be related to Sir Henry Morgan. It's unbeleivable, it's like Australians claiming that Ned Kelly is their ancestor or every second Englishman claiming they are a descendent of King Arthur ... the simple fact remains that we have no records of Sir Henry Morgan's family tree, nor any great details of his life before the British Navy. It is one of those things that shall forever remain a mystery hidden in history, and unless some other evidence or information comes available to us I imagine it will always remain so. But he truly is one of history's most colorful and memorable characters.

Kim Persson, New Zealand
It's interesting to see how many others there are out there related to old Uncle Henry, lol. I am (apparently according to an old family tree) related on my mother's maternal side. I think it an interesting tidbit to share with friends!

Charles Jones
My great grand father, Mesach Jones, came from Wales to US around 1840 & settled in Maine. He was from Bethesda, Wales and the son of John & Susan Jones. I have not researched beyond that, to determine where this John Jones arose. However, my grandmother said that there was a "family connection" to Henry Morgan but did not elaborate. As to him being "without issue", there are many issues about that fathers do not claim.

Martha Morgan Daniels from Nashville, Tennessee
I have done some research on our family and have connected to Tredegar and as far back as Sir James b.1643, married Ann Jones in 1667. He was from Llanlaraum, Abby Wales. I would like to know Henry Morgan's parentage. My research says he had no children.

Julie Edge, Australia
Boy O Boy haven't we all got a lot of relatives. Growing up I was told by my mother and a aunty that our family tree went back to Morgan the pirate on one side and Bonnie Prince Charles on the other side. I don't know that this as fact but would love to find out for myself.

Gareth James, Swanage
My dad used to live in Llanrumney and his best friend actually lived at Llanrumney Hall where his parents were the landlords. When they were having some redevelopment done in the grounds they discovered a large sword which was then passed down to me. I am trying to get the sword dated but have had no success so far.

Christopher Morgan
Well all I know is that Henry Morgan married his cousin, so if he had any children, they were probably dumb. Now I know what some of you might think, but you know what? since he didn't have any kids, you can't be direct descendents. Now, he did have uncles that did have children, so you could be related to him, through the uncles. And it is my understanding that I am related to him also. A lot of Morgan’s in Wales and America are related. I'm related to half of them, possibly from some Grandfather during the 1700s. I should let you know though; I thought it was cool that I got to see a sword he might have used in a museum at Crazy Horse in South Dakota.

Renona Frey from Oregon
The gentleman that made the statement that Sir Henry left his estate to a nephew was correct. That nephew had a granddaughter, Bethia Morgan, who married Lewis Frey, hence my relation to that branch of the family. My sister & other family members have done a lot of research into the various branches of our family. Evidently, the Morgan looks run strong in my family. My father was recognized as a Morgan relative by another Morgan outside a store one December... & they had never met! The man just came up & asked my father if he was a Morgan. While watching a show on famous pirates, I saw a portrait of Sir Henry that looked very much like my uncle as a younger man. As to the people who have been saying that all these Morgans can't possibly be related... England is an island, people! Duh! If you were able to go back in history far enough you will find a common ancestor for all Morgans. Even all Smiths, Jones, etc. It had to start somewhere. If the anthropologists are to be believed, all humans had one common ancestor in Africa. If you go by Biblical scholars, that common ancestor would be Noah, or further back, Adam. How's that for famous ancestors?!

William Stanford, Oklahoma, USA
I am simply astounded at the brilliance of Sir Henry Morgan. I am researching him so I can give a speech. I am a pirate enthusiast, and enjoy history. Technically he was not a pirate but is included in that category. He is on man who I would have liked to shake hands with.

Anonymous, Australia
Sir Henry Morgan had no children, therefore he has no direct descendents. For your interest, Sir Henry Morgan was descended himself from King Henry III of England through his grandfather's second marriage to Lady Catherine Herbert.

Richard Bindloss from Manchester
He did get married and left a will in which he promised to leave his estate to his wife's nephew if he adopted the name Morgan. This he did calling himself Christopher Byndloss Morgan. My grandfather went into this and was convinced that there is a link between our families.

shelly llanrumney
i think the hall story soinds very intreasting but i have been to the llanrumney hall lots of times and i dont think it is haunted it is a great pub to go to .

Sara Morgan Wall, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
Considering that he had no children, it is hard to believe that anyone could be his great great great great grandchild. Yes, I am a Morgan, but I do not believe that I am anyway actually related to him. It's possible, but there is no proof.

Zepher 2121
Do ya'll know how many people he killed, tortured, or made walk the plank??????? Yeah but his family sounds pretty cool.

Mary-Jane Morgan London
My great Aunt Mary Morgan has researched and written the family tree dating back to 1155. We are direct descendants of Lord Rhys son of Gruffydd, Prince of S Wales and Bleddyn Ap Cynfyn Prince of Powys. Our family has married between the Rhudderch/Vaughans/Lloyds/ Wozencrafts. John Lucas Popkin Laugharne married Livia Wozencraft in 1826. They carried the name Laugharne (yes the castle). Sophia Laugharne Popkin married Jeremiah Clarke Richardson. Her sister Mary Anne Popkin Laugharne married Lewis Morgan 1852. He was the eldest surviving son of Morgan Morgan and Margaret Lewis. They are descendents of Morgan also descending from (Meddygorn Myddfai) (is this Morgana Myffai? need to know more). Rhys Morgan married a Gwen Mary Saunders. They had 2 children, one being Morgan Morgan. He had 7 children including a John and an Eliza, who married a John Henderson Jeffreys. They went to San Francisco. There is no mention of Mildred. Lewis and Mary Anne had 10 children. This family we are still in touch. My aunt found that going back beyond Morgan we are supposed to have x many greats uncle Captain Henry Morgan. He may have had brothers and sisters. King Henry 2 slept with a Welsh princess called Nesta. She carried the name Henry to her son to lay claim to his royal English Title (commen in those days). She was married to a Morgan. Any further information is always good. My great uncle left the UK and moved to Texas where he was reputed to have had a large ranch. This could be the american Morgan family. contact haha.films@virgin.net

sharon worley from Boulder Creek, California
Well, I am aboard as another who was told, via family tree information, that Sir Morgan is kin. Now, if family behaviour is any indicator, it just may be true! There is something to be said for genetics! This site has been very interesting and I hope to learn more.

Michael Romanko, E. Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
I believe one of the better books on the life of Henry Morgan is The Buccaneer King, by Dudley Pope. Some others are Brethren of the Coast, by Kemp and Lloyd, and The Quest For Captain Morgan, by John Ure. An interesting experiment would be for an motivated individual to organize a seance with an accomplished medium, and call in the spirit of Sir Henry Morgan. Then you can ask for the whereabouts of his buried treasure. Don't forget to say "please".

Lulu, Wales
Good Lord, how many of you are related to Sir Henry? Give it a rest please By the way, Sir Henry's old home in newport is very posh. I enjoyed looking around it

michael, scott carmarthen
i think henry morgan is a brilliant welsh idol

Christina in Ohio
If anyone has any information about Sir Henry Morgan's Family tree,I am very interested in finding this out .I am told that I am the Great,great,great,great,great,great, etc. granddaughter of Henry Morgan on my father's side.

Candice Jade Penberthy from Australia
I am Candice. Rhiannon's elder sister and great granddaughter of Louisa Morgan from Cardiff Wales. Sir Henry Morgan was our realative from the welsh side as my other side is Irish. Henry was given a parden for privateering and Knighted. As goodbye present from Charles 2nd, given Governorship of Jimaca. And a bottle of rum. ho ho. I'm related to a pirate and my friends don't doubt me. My grandfather Donald Phillips who married Mildred Morgan was a merchant sea man from Cardiff. I have loved as a child the stories of the sea. I still have the pirate book we spent hours looking and talking about. I even have his splice tools he also left me. I wish he was still alive to see "Pirates of the Caribbean". He would have loved it. May our family's blood flow strong and across the seas the way he used to live and leave.

alan llanrumney
i have lived in llanrumney most of my life and i heard the story of henry morgan when i was a wee lad and it put shivers down my spine then just lately i told my son about it and now he wont go any where near the hall after dark

Samantha, Cardiff
I was born in Llanrumney, and lived there most of my life (up to now). I've heard all the ghost stories about Captain Morgan, and how his spirit rides on horse back across the open fields. And apparently theres supposed to be secret tunnels that lead from Llanrumney Hall cellars right down to the river, that were used hundreds of years ago for smuggling. I'd like to know where the tunnels begin from the river, cause I'd like to go up them and smuggle beer kegs out of the Llanrumney Hall!

Robert Bucknell from Sturbridge, Massachusetts
I grew up directly opposite the Llanrumney Hall, on Pepys Crescent. I well remember all the stories of a Prince buried in the walls of LLanrumney Hall and Henry Morgan's ghost riding across the field to and from Bluebell Woods etc. As kids we also spent many a day digging down near the river looking for the tunnel that was said to contain rum and treasure. Can't say as I ever saw the ghost or found the treasure but the story did keep us gainfully occupied and gave a splash of local colour to an otherwise very bland LLanrumney housing estate.

Rees
Morgan was a common Welsh name and all these people claiming to be descendants are as mistaken as someone called Kennedy thinking they are in some way related to JFK! Think about how many there are in the world then and now - these names often related to places and clans and people with no blood connection could share the same surname! Eg Smith. As a Welsh Historian, the only girl I can see on this blog actually having some reasonable chance of being related is the Girl from Cuba who cites Morgan as her great(er) Uncle.

Richard Vernon Morgan, Mpls
I find it amazing that a man who's name is known the world over has left virtually no evidence of his lineage. My grandfather, Vernon Rupert Morgan was a bootlegger and I guess that is as close as I will ever come to having a pirate in the family!

Dave from Penarth
Is there anyone called Morgan who DOESN'T claim to be related to Sir Henry? Get real - most of you are old enough to stop believing your grandad's tall tales...

Tessa Morgan, South Africa
My father was William Ellers Morgan, his brother General Sir Frederick Morgan. I too would love to see a family tree as they claimed to be direct decendants. Let's hear from you all!

keith Bond of st mellons.
Sir Henry Morgan? For such a man, a title grand/ A killing tool for the Saesneg Crown./ Women and children and Spaniards drowned/ It did not matter who they were./ Bestowed a title by King Charles/ Yes! Sir Henry Morgan, sir!

L. Morgan S., Maryland
I'm a 14 year old girl; my middle name is Morgan, and my grandmother is from Cuba. I'm told by my mom and dad that my middle name is after my great great great great uncle, Henry Morgan.

Rebekah Barnett, Derbyshire England
We have traced our family back to Henry Morgan. There is no record of his daughter as she disowned him and moved back to her Fathers home in Wales where she started a family. However I don't think she married as the name Morgan was still in the family two generations ago. As it stands I am Henry Morgans great great great great great granddaughter. It is possible that there are many of his descendants across the world as my family branches out across to California and Africa.

Henry J Morgan, Guadalajara, Mexico
My father's older brother was named after my grandfather who in turn was named after his father. All of them and myself are supposed to be direct descendants of the famous privateer and proud to be named after him. According to our family legend the oldest son Sir Henry left Jamaica after some land dispute with other powerful people from the island who did not care for Morgan in life and whereafter his land and possessions after his death his son was still a young lad of about 14 and his mother (not married to Morgan) who had 2 more children with him fled with the kids to North Carolina where she had some kin. I have no children but my brother has named his youngest son Henry in honour of our long tradition of Henry Morgans in our family. I have lived in Mexico almost all my life wich is the reason for my rusty English.(sorry). Anyway if any Morgans in North Carolina have ever heard of the same legend I would appreciate some input. Thank you very much.

Jane Davies, Birmingham
I'm yet another person who grew up believing the tale that my grandmother told that we were descended from Henry Morgan's family via her mother, Eliza Morgan. Guess we will never know definitely, but it makes a nice story.

Celes
My great,great,great,greatgrandmother told us that we are the decendent of john morgan who died when a tree he was chopping fell on him and killed him. Could someone give some information about this person.

Haydn Davis ,Undy, Newport
Sir Henry Morgan has become a legend in British maritime history and unfortunately much has been said about his early life that is just that - legend! It would appear that just because he finished up with a title, the belief has arisen that he was always heir to that title, that he was born on the Tredegar Estate and somehow related to the Morgans of Tredegar. There is absolutely no evidence in fact that any of these theories carry any weight! It is now popularly believed in reputable historical circles that Henry Morgan was born on the Llanrumney Tredegar Estate as the son of one of Lord Tredegar's tenant farmers; that as a late teen-ager, disenchanted with tending the soil and yearning for adventure, he travelled to Bristol and took ship (he may even have been shanghaied)to the West Indies. This much seems reasonable. It would have been highly unlikely for a young man from a wealthy family to deliberately seek the extremely harsh life of a 17th Century sailor! The rest of the story is well documented. Henry Morgan, by dint of fierce determination and a powerful spirit of leadership became a first class navigator, captain of his own ship, a government-sponsored privateer and scourge of the treasure ships of Spain. All his actions remained legal as long as a state of war existed between Britain and Spain. w Not of his own choosing, he actually became a buccaneer in name only for a short while. Due to poor communication over long distances Morgan was unaware that a peace treaty had been signed so he continued to attack Spanish ships and shore installations - now acts of piracy! After protests by the Spanish government Morgan was recalled to London for punishment but after a slap on the wrist he was rewarded by a knighthood and the Lieutenant-Governorship of Jamaica! There is no record of his ever having set foot back in South Wales much less as being invited as a visitor to Tredegar House. Neither is a marriage recorded which would appear to thwart any claim to relationship by any present-day wishfuls. However, that is not to say that having spent so little of his life in England there is not still a lot of his blood flowing around the West Indies!

Joe Brown
i live directly opposite the woods and llanrumney hall where captain Henry Morgan used to live , guess im lucky :D

mark from penarth
i am from rumney, and lived as a youngster in llanrumney as a child we considered the bluebell woods as most haunted. the fishponds were dream-like. the tunnel went from the hall to the river and was filled with treasure. another tunnel led from rumney pottery to morgan,s (a pub on rumney hill sted next to rumney castle. another tunnel is supposed to lead from the entrance to the lounge of the rompney castle in rumney village. something was found during renovations to morgans which was hushed up by the powers that be. i'll try and find out from the people who worked on site(labourers etc.) exacly what was unearthed under the new restaurant. it's also strange that they've renamed the pub the buccaneer. a culvert(roman) was found during work to rumney potterty and a roman road leads across the front of the building. llanrumney hall is sited on a much more ancient building though there seems to be a lack of info. or interest in it. as any local will tell you for many years it was the local wild west saloon (shotguns, fights etc.)maybe capt. morgan would have been right at home here.

Charles Morgan
He is an excellent character in history.

Nash Gracie, Canada
Well I'm not related to Henry Morgan at all but if I was that would be so wicked! I hear he has buried treasure here in Nova Scotia, Canada, and it's so far underground they can't get to it. Hundreds have tried and some have dedicated their lives to find it but no one's been successful yet.

Colleen Hughes, Toronto, Ontario
Our family also is said to be related to Captain Henry Morgan. My great grandfather Richard Hughes came to Canada from Wales in the early 30's. My father's middle name is Morgan, after our ancestor. I would love to find more information on this.

Ged From Rumney/Llanrumney
I grew up in Llanrumney and you would never venture anywhere near the Llanrumney hall after dark because of the stories of Captain Morgan riding through Bluebell woods (just above the hall) on his horse with his head tucked under one arm. Even when I reached my teens I would rather walk the extra 1/2 mile than go anywhere near the Hall. It was only when I saw an article in the main Cardiff library many years later was it mentioned that it was not the ghost of Captain Morgan but the ghost of the last true Welsh Prince born in Wales, Prince Llewellyn, who is said to be buried in a tomb under the Hall after being beheaded under the orders of an English prince who lived in Conway castle when invading Wales in the 12th Century.

Margaret from Newport.
My interest focuses on Llanrumney Hall. There are many different stories about the hauntings and apparitions which occur. Can anyone confirm sightings or phenomena?

Rhiannon from Sydney, Australia
Well here comes another relative to the Morgan family, gee there is alot of us. My grandmother Mildred Phillips swears we are related also. Her mother is Louisa Morgan who was a prodestant from Cardiff and married a guy called Flash Harry and had 12 kids.I am looking for any info to get the story right. rhisian@hotmail.com

Sian, england
My grandma says my family are distant reletives of Sir Henry Morgan, where can I find his family tree on the internet?

should i be a morgan.
i was always told that henry morgan was the father of a great great great gramdmother of mine but as her mother was not married to the pirate henry morgan ,she could not take his name when the child was born, ...hence the fact Davison (her mothers maiden name)began as my family name.

Nick Clarke from Pontypool
My Grandmother told me we were direct decendants of Henry Morgan and the Morgans of Tredegar. My 2nd cousin Richard Morgan from N ewport looked very much like Henry. Aparently my Grandmother & Great Aunty Lucy discovered they were entitled to some of if not all of the fortune left by the last Lord of Tredegar Evan Morgan who died childless in the 20th Century but all the wealth had gone to the crown a few years previous as they went to claim it.

Vivian (of the Gibbons) ON, Canada
Roswen...your oldest sister E did a full geneology I believe and might still have some of the stuff handy. Im not sure, but it might be worth writing a letter to ask. Peter Spooner...Since my grandparents were the only ones of our family that I know of to come to Canada I don't think that we are of any relation to the Iggulden family but who knows?

Jennifer, USA
I was also told that I was related to Captain Henry Morgan, we have the cannon balls that he used to bomb Panama in our house.

jer.ed j.e.c.
if I were captian Morgans great great great Grandson I would be very proud of him. but I never knew that captian morgan was the name of rum!

trava- Lanrumney
henry rides his horse across the fields at night lalalalalalalalaaaa apperntly b4 henry lived in the llanrumney hall it used to be a monastery an there is tunnels from the cellar leading to the river by rumney pottery !!!!FACT!!!! HENRY MORGAN IS A BLUEBIRD TRUE LLANRUMNEY BOY :D

Karl Waldbauer, Burbank, California, USA
My mother's family legend has it that Henry Morgan had a brother who came to Virginia and settled in what is now New Kent County near Richmond. The Morgan family plantation burned to the ground in the 1920s after having survived the American Revolution and the Civil War. A number of Morgan relatives served in the Confederate military. I inherited some very old silver flatware engraved with the Morgan "M". I've always wondered how much of the legend surrounding the founding of the family was true. Can anyone shed some light?

Christopher Williams from Newport
Was Henry Morgan a relative to the Morgans of Tredegar House or not. I can also remember my Grandfather telling me that we were related to both the Morgans of Tredegar House and to Henry Morgan as well as the Williams' of Aberpercwm House or Williams-Ap-Aberpercwm near Glyn-Neath.

Martha Daniels in Brixton
My Nana told my dad that I was related to Henry Morgan but I don't know if it's true. Apparently he is my Great great great great great great great great great grandad!

Lyndsey Morgan in Gateshead
Maybe Henry Morgan did have some children but just wanted to keep them a secret, just in case they were threatened. That's probably how there are all these Morgans. My great Aunty Beryl and her family is rich and I think it is because we are related to Henry Morgan.

Peter Spooner from Birmingham England
According to our family tree Henry Morgan did indeed die without any blood relatives but did adopt 7 children (hence lots of distant relatives) during his lifetime of which one was a member of my family. The most popular surname appearing in my family tree is Iggulden and i know they now live in Ontario Canada. Is that a surname you recognise Roswen Gibbon?

Jonas Bernardes
I think that henry morgan was probably the best Buccanneer I've heard because well, I really dont Know any other pirates except for the stories my mom used to read to me.

Wayne Parfitt from Houston Texas
Looks as though old Henry has more relatives than Tom Jones. When I attended West Mon School in Pontypool many years ago we used to sing a song about Morgan in Music class. It went "Proud I am of Welsh blood born near Monmouth town & border men are roving men they tread the far leagues down. Henry Morgan is my name, famed on Spanish seas, from Cape St. Verd to Cayman Isles from Cuba to the Keys"

Cher, Blackwood
It was always said by my grandfarher that we were related to Henry Morgan. So I looked into it and also found that he had NO children what so ever so I guess that's the end of story.

Tydfil from Merthyr
What about Morgan Fairchild?

Roswen Gibbon Ont.Canada
My father's name was John Desmond Gibbon. His nother was a Morgan I think. I do know that I was realated to Henry Morgan. If anybody could help to fill me in on more, I would be forever greatful

Sarah Swankie, Llanrumney
I don't think they've had the lights cleaned in Llanrumney hall since Sir Henry Morgan was around.

Kev Morgan
I am from a Welsh family, from the parish of Rumney, about 1-2 miles from Llanrumney. My father was Vivian Cyril Trevor Morgan, and my Grandfather was William (Bill) Morgan, and was in the navy. If anyone has traced the family tree could they let me know please. If it's any help Bill Morgan and his wife (my grandmother) Violet are in Allensbank Rd cemetery in Cardiff. Her maiden name is Hughes.

Martyn Allen - Sheffield
My great Grandfather was one of the Bristol Channel pilots in the 1900's based in Cardiff docks. We were told by relatives in various parts of the UK that we were related in the distant past to Henry Morgan, pirate and buccaneer. Should you have details of any of the Morgans from Cardiff, i.e. Late 1800's and who were ships pilots please let us know. By all accounts we go back along way and were all related to the sea!!!!!

(Editor's note: If you have any such information, please email it to wales.southeast@bbc.co.uk or post it via the form below)

Rhiannon from Cardiff
I lived in Llanrumney for 14 years and used to walk past Llanrumney Hall every morning to go to school. Everyone in Llanrumney grew up with the same story about Henry Morgan; that he had commited a ferocious crime and was killed in his home Llanrumney Hall. He was put in the slave cells at the bottom of the house, then his body was chopped into little pieces and put into different parts of the wall. The story goes that Henry Morgan now haunts the Llanrumney Hall. People say that after 12.00 midnight every night he rides his horse across the field.

Stephanie in Pembroke
The name Henry Morgan is supposed to be a proud name in my family. I was told by my great grandmother that we were blood relatives. Before I was married I had a double barreled name - well all of us did - Morgan-John. I don't really know much about the name or how it originated, but if anyone reads this and knows anything, I would like to read about it.

Lewy Summersmith
Henry Morgan is my HERO. He was born in Beddau, near Pontypridd, South Wales in 1933. He died in 1993 and has been known as the Beddau Buccaneer ever since! Are we talking about the same guy?

(Editor's Note: Probably not!)

Roger Cheesman - a Pontypridd lad in Kuwait
Morgan was undoubtedly both a patriot (in his later years) and a buccaneer in his earlier life. The two were not uncommon in his times and were not mutually exclusive ... the higher echelons of British Colonial life were often quite cruel and severe people from a modern perspective. Morgan should not be judged by 21st century eyes but against the backdrop of his Jacobean period. There are stories of his links to Ruperra Castle - are these true?

Sian from Cardiff
As part of my family are Morgans it was always believed that we were related to Captain Henry. However research on this infamous privateer shows that he in fact died in Jamaica, without issue, that is he had no children.

Gwyn
Henry Morgan was not born at Llanrumney but at a place in old Monmouthshire, in a town at the top of the valley that straddles the border between Monmouthshire, Glamorgan and Brecknock. The town is named Rhymni and the place of his birth was the Ras Farm. John Steinbeck even wrote a book on this fact - "Cup of Gold" is the name of the book.

(Editor's Note: All sources we've checked suggest Morgan was born at Llanrumney near Cardiff rather than Rhymney/Rhymni near Merthyr. Furthermore, Llanrumney was at the time in Monmouthshire while Rhymney/Rhymni was in Glamorgan. But we're happy to consider evidence in support of either location as being Morgan's birthplace.)

Mitch from Blackwood
It's believed locally that Henry Morgan once lived in a local pub now known as the Monkey Tree, which several regulars swear is haunted by a woman ghost. Not sure on the last part but it's thought to be a daughter who died on the premises.

Kathleen Thompson from Tucson, Arizonausa
Spoils generally went to the Crown so whatever Captain Morgan got wasn't for himself. Everything he did, even the skirmishes in Panama, were for and on behalf of England. What was his religion? -that would be a factor relative to his overall life. His life makes me think of Scott/Antarctica - I see Captain Morgan as a hero. He led his men well. He risked his life many times over. I want to learn more about him.

Francisco Lazcano from Chile
Did you know that a Henry Morgan's Stern Mask hangs on the wall of our poet Pablo Neruda's Museum Home? Yes, once you visit Isla Negra you will see it facing all visitors in the dining room. During poet's days, Morgan joined him at lunch and dinner time, sharing, giving speeches and cheering in the company of all Neruda's best friends. Beyond the great taste of rum, we have an old friend of our loved Pablo.

Rowland Webster
As a distant relative of the Morgan family formerly of Tredegar House, I always smile when I read about the 'pirate' Morgan. As many know he is strongly suspected to be a member of my family although we obviously deny it. After all, respectability is more importaint than infamy! However I laugh when I hear of another idiot digging for Morgan's treasure. If he were any relative of mine he would not have put his pretty baubles into the ground nor under the waves. He would have invested any such wealth in the only thing in the 17th centuary guaranteed to give you:
1. Respectability
2. A legitimate income
3. Nourishment
4. A home
5. Power
This commodity is not vulgar treasure...it is LAND!!!

Susan in East Lothian
Is there any truth to the 'pirates code' mentioned in Pirates of the Caribbean?

Gwenillian
The name Henry Morgan was known to a family of Morgans who lived in Alexandra Street Blaina. The son of that family was named Jerry Morgan - he had two daughters who on their marriage were given a dowry from the will of Henry Morgan.

Due to the huge amount of correspondence, you're now invited to discuss Henry Morgan on our main message board.

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