John Quelch (pirate)

John Quelch
Born	1666 London
Died	30 June 1704(1704-06-30) (aged 38) Boston
Piratical career
Years active	1703–1704
Rank	Captain
Base of operations	Marblehead
Commands	Charles
Wealth	£10,000 sterling

John Quelch (1666 – 30 June 1704) was an English pirate who had a lucrative but very brief career of about one year. His chief claim to historical significance is that he was the first person to be tried for piracy outside England under Admiralty Law and thus without a jury. These Admiralty courts had been instituted to tackle the rise of piracy in colonial ports where civil and criminal courts had proved ineffective.