Dark Markets Observatory
Smuggling Prosecutions in England and Wales c. 1722-1732
This is a raw version of the data that was transcribed and compiled from reports ordered by the British House of Commons in 1733. In that year and following debate over the Excise Bill, the House ordered a summary of all prosecutions for smuggling throughout England, Wales, and Scotland for the preceding 10 years.
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While the Scottish report has not yet been located, the reports for England and Wales were found
at the National Archive, Kew, England (references T64/146-149).
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Corrected data will be provided in early March, 2026
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If you think this data might be useful, please feel free to email me with ideas about formatting, visualizations or connections with other sources. If you detect errors, please also let me know. dasmith@wlu.ca
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Thanks to Jessica Duncan and Nicholas Morrison for their excellent assistance putting together this database. Jessica used TransKribus to create the transcription and Nicholas proofed the copy.
This research is supported in part by funding from Canada's Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.
Index | Year | Persons | Place | County | Circumstances | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 | 1723 | William Row | At the Naze Land in Essex | Essex | Imported & run without payment of Duty | These persons were prosecuted for these & other Frauds - William Row is Dead John Sayers & Daniel Freeman cant be taken, the rest are Witnesses |
2 | 1723 | John Sayers | At the Naze Land in Essex | Essex | Imported & run without payment of Duty | These persons were prosecuted for these & other Frauds - William Row is Dead John Sayers & Daniel Freeman cant be taken, the rest are Witnesses |
2 | 1723 | John Skingsly | At the Naze Land in Essex | Essex | Imported & run without payment of Duty | These persons were prosecuted for these & other Frauds - William Row is Dead John Sayers & Daniel Freeman cant be taken, the rest are Witnesses |
2 | 1723 | Thomas Beverley | At the Naze Land in Essex | Essex | Imported & run without payment of Duty | These persons were prosecuted for these & other Frauds - William Row is Dead John Sayers & Daniel Freeman cant be taken, the rest are Witnesses |
2 | 1723 | Daniel Freeman | At the Naze Land in Essex | Essex | Imported & run without payment of Duty | These persons were prosecuted for these & other Frauds - William Row is Dead, John Sayers & Daniel Freeman cant be taken, the rest are Witnesses |
2 | 1723 | Richard Row | At the Naze Land in Essex | Essex | Imported & run without payment of Duty | These persons were prosecuted for these & other Frauds - William Row is Dead John Sayers & Daniel Freeman cant be taken, the rest are Witnesses |
3 | 1724 | William Brown | Near Alnwick in Northumberland | Northumberland | Imported & run without payment of Duty | were prosecuted for this Fraud but the officer who commenced the prosecution would not proceed |
7 | 1724 | Samuel Tate | Filey Bay near Scarborough | Yorkshire | Imported & run without payment of Duty | was prosecuted for this fraud but ye proof was not sufficient to proceed to Trial against him |
8 | 1724 | William Scarlett | Lynn in Norfolk | Dorset | Imported & run without payment of Duty | was prosecuted for this fraud & took out a License to Compound |
10 | 1724 | William Robinson Junr | near Bridlington | Yorkshire | Imported & run without payment of Duty | were prosecuted for this Fraud & a Verdict was obtained against William Robinson |
14 | 1724 | Robert Davison | Hartlepoole Road near Durham | Durham | Imported & run without payment of Duty | were prosecuted for this & another fraud And a verdict was obtained against Hodgson & he paid ye money recover'd. |
14 | 1724 | William Sharpe | Hartlepoole Road near Durham | Durham | Imported & run without payment of Duty | were prosecuted for this & another fraud And a verdict was obtain'd agt Hodgson & he paid ye money recover'd. |