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.
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).
Corrected data will be provided in early March, 2026
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
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
59 | 1726 | John Harman Junr | Yarmouth in Norfolk | Hampshire | Imported & run without payment of Duty | were prosecuted for this Fraud & Compounded |
59 | 1726 | Thomas Masterman | Yarmouth in Norfolk | Hampshire | Imported & run without payment of Duty | were prosecuted for this Fraud & Compounded |
60 | 1726 | James Raymond | Aldeburgh Beach in Suffolk | Suffolk | Imported & run without payment of Duty | were prosecuted for this Fraud & process Issued against them - Hunt & Raymond absconded - Dallinger & the 2 Cuffords run away to Sea & could not be taken |
60 | 1726 | John Cufford | Aldeburgh Beach in Suffolk | Suffolk | Imported & run without payment of Duty | were prosecuted for this Fraud & process Issued against them - Hunt & Raymond absconded - Dallinger & the 2 Cuffords run away to Sea & could not be taken |
60 | 1726 | James Dallinger | Aldeburgh Beach in Suffolk | Suffolk | Imported & run without payment of Duty | were prosecuted for this Fraud & process Issued against them - Hunt & Raymond absconded - Dallinger & the 2 Cuffords run away to Sea & could not be taken |
60 | 1726 | Timothy Hunt | Aldeburgh Beach in Suffolk | Suffolk | Imported & run without payment of Duty | were prosecuted for this Fraud & process Issued against them - Hunt & Raymond absconded - Dallinger & the 2 Cuffords run away to Sea & could not be taken |
60 | 1726 | Martin Cufford | Aldeburgh Beach in Suffolk | Suffolk | Imported & run without payment of Duty | were prosecuted for this Fraud & process Issued against them - Hunt & Raymond absconded - Dallinger & the 2 Cuffords run away to Sea & could not be taken |
61 | 1726 | Thomas Buckle | Orford Beach in Suffolk | Suffolk | Imported & run without payment of Duty | were prosecuted for this fraud (& other Goods) & process Issued against them but they absconded & could not be taken |
61 | 1726 | Charles Batney | Orford Beach in Suffolk | Suffolk | Imported & run without payment of Duty | were prosecuted for this fraud (& other Goods) & process Issued against them but they absconded & could not be taken |
62 | 1726 | David Depiers | Near Wainfleet in Holbeach Marsh | Lincolnshire | Imported & run without payment of Duty | were prosecuted for this fraud (& other Goods) & process Issued against them but they both run away |
62 | 1726 | David Depiers William Burton | Near Wainfleet in Holbeach Marsh | Lincolnshire | Imported & run without payment of Duty | were prosecuted for this fraud (& other Goods) & process Issued against them but they both run away |
63 | 1726 | Henry Wright | Near Leigh in Essex | Essex | Imported & run without payment of Duty | was prosecuted for this Fraud & process Issued against him, but he Absconded & could not be taken |