These wooden plaques depict famous pirates from the Golden Age of piracy, and their famous flag ships. Thomas Tew’s , short pirate career only lasted from 1692–1695, however his success during his two piratical voyages was enough to secure his reputation in pirate history, and earn him the equivalent of $112.8 million in today’s money. Known as the Rhode Island Pirate due to his association with Newport, and possibly his place of birth in the colony; Tew started out as many eventual pirates did as a privateer issued a letter of marque from the Governor of Bermuda. In his ship the ‘Amity’ Tew and his crew quickly turned into pirates raiding ships in the Red Sea. Tew pioneered the route which became known as the Pirate Round. Many other famous pirates, including Henry Every and William Kidd, would follow in Tew's path. Before William Kidd was declared a pirate he was commisioned to hunt Tew down. Original illustration.