P is for... Pike, Captain Samuel

Captain of the Black Albatross which was moored off the Cornish coast at the time when the Doctor and new companions Ben and Polly arrived in the area. A notorious pirate whose left hand had been replaced with a cruel-looking spike, he had previously sailed as First Mate with Henry Avery and had come here in search of his long lost treasure. The local churchwarden, Joseph "Holy Joe" Longfoot, held a clue to its whereabouts. Pike's henchman Cherub failed to get this information and killed Longfoot, but believed that he had imparted the knowledge to the Doctor. He was subsequently abducted and brought on board the Albatross. There, the Doctor discovered that Pike had pretensions towards being a gentleman, and was able to play on this. 

After escaping the ship Pike took his revenge on his servant, Jamaica, who had allowed the Doctor to get away - stabbing him with his spiked hand.

Pike visited the local squire and learned that he was head of a smuggling ring, so claimed to be in this line himself - proposing a partnership. This was a ruse to get closer to the treasure, however, and when Squire Edwards discovered he was dealing with such a notorious pirate he feared he had brought death and destruction to his community.

On learning that Cherub sought to cheat him and take the treasure for himself, Pike killed him as well. He learned that the treasure was concealed beneath the floor of the church crypt - its exact position marked by a number of tombstones, all of people who had sailed with Avery. Pike eventually got his one good hand on the treasure - only to be shot dead by Militiaman Josiah Blake.

Played by: Michael Godfrey. Appearances: The Smugglers (1966).

• Godfrey (1918 - 1977) tended to play villains, appearing in a number of TV series throughout the 1950's and '60's, including Z-Cars, The Persuaders, The Baron, The Saint and Danger Man.
• He also appeared, uncredited, in the first Quatermass serial.
• Presumably Pike took on his name after losing his hand, so we don't know what his real one is - unless by some massive coincidence he was actually called Pike and was given a pike-like attachment...