top of page
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
68 | 1726 | Man Gretham | Warnfield in Suffolk near Harwich
Ravenstone in Essex
Beardsey Cliffe in Suffolk
Hayfleet Waters Essex | Suffolk | Imported & Run without payment of Duty | These persons were Severally prosecuted on Account of these & other frauds - for Several different parcels of the Goods - John Frost absconded & could not be taken - John Dorman became a Witness - Haylaid was arrested & Isaac Cobb Compounded - Thomas Eve, John Copsey became Witnesses - John Sayers could not be taken John Cooper was arrested & Sent to Gaol. A Verdict was Obtain'd against Man Gretham & he was Charg'd in Execution thereon in the Fleet prison as herein before mentioned |
68 | 1726 | John Frost | Warnfield in Suffolk near Harwich
Ravenstone in Essex
Beardsey Cliffe in Suffolk
Hayfleet Waters Essex | Suffolk | Imported & Run without payment of Duty | These persons were Severally prosecuted on Account of these & other frauds - for Several different parcels of the Goods - John Frost absconded & could not be taken - John Dorman became a Witness - Haylaid was arrested & Isaac Cobb Compounded - Thomas Eve, John Copsey became Witnesses - John Sayers could not be taken John Cooper was arrested & Sent to Gaol. A Verdict was Obtain'd against Man Gretham & he was Charg'd in Execution thereon in the Fleet prison as herein before mentioned |
68 | 1726 | John Cooper | Warnfield in Suffolk near Harwich
Ravenstone in Essex
Beardsey Cliffe in Suffolk
Hayfleet Waters Essex | Suffolk | Imported & Run without payment of Duty | These persons were Severally prosecuted on Account of these & other frauds - for Several different parcels of the Goods - John Frost absconded & could not be taken - John Dorman became a Witness - Haylaid was arrested & Isaac Cobb Compounded - Thomas Eve, John Copsey became Witnesses - John Sayers could not be taken John Cooper was arrested & Sent to Gaol. A Verdict was Obtain'd against Man Gretham & he was Charg'd in Execution thereon in the Fleet prison as herein before mentioned |
68 | 1726 | Thomas Eve | Warnfield in Suffolk near Harwich
Ravenstone in Essex
Beardsey Cliffe in Suffolk
Hayfleet Waters Essex | Suffolk | Imported & Run without payment of Duty | These persons were Severally prosecuted on Account of these & other frauds - for Several different parcels of the Goods - John Frost absconded & could not be taken - John Dorman became a Witness - Haylaid was arrested & Isaac Cobb Compounded - Thomas Eve, John Copsey became Witnesses - John Sayers could not be taken John Cooper was arrested & Sent to Gaol. A Verdict was Obtain'd against Man Gretham & he was Charg'd in Execution thereon in the Fleet prison as herein before mentioned |
68 | 1726 | James Haylaid | Warnfield in Suffolk near Harwich
Ravenstone in Essex
Beardsey Cliffe in Suffolk
Hayfleet Waters Essex | Suffolk | Imported & Run without payment of Duty | These persons were Severally prosecuted on Account of these & other frauds - for Several different parcels of the Goods - John Frost absconded & could not be taken - John Dorman became a Witness - Haylaid was arrested & Isaac Cobb Compounded - Thomas Eve, John Copsey became Witnesses - John Sayers could not be taken John Cooper was arrested & Sent to Gaol. A Verdict was Obtain'd against Man Gretham & he was Charg'd in Execution thereon in the Fleet prison as herein before mentioned |
68 | 1726 | John Sayers | Warnfield in Suffolk near Harwich
Ravenstone in Essex
Beardsey Cliffe in Suffolk
Hayfleet Waters Essex | Suffolk | Imported & Run without payment of Duty | These persons were Severally prosecuted on Account of these & other frauds - for Several different parcels of the Goods - John Frost absconded & could not be taken - John Dorman became a Witness - Haylaid was arrested & Isaac Cobb Compounded - Thomas Eve, John Copsey became Witnesses - John Sayers could not be taken John Cooper was arrested & Sent to Gaol. A Verdict was Obtain'd against Man Gretham & he was Charg'd in Execution thereon in the Fleet prison as herein before mentioned |
70 | 1726 | William Wilson | at Filey Bay Scarborough | Yorkshire | Imported & Run without payment of Duty | was prosecuted for this Fraud & Compounded. |
72 | 1726 | James Bushell | On the Coast of Essex | Essex | Imported & Run without payment of Duty | is prosecuted for this fraud & other Goods he Run away before he could be taken & resides in Dunkirk |
73 | 1726 | Edward Grice | On the Coast of Essex | Essex | Imported & Run without payment of Duty | was also Prosecuted for this Fraud he can't be heard of |
74 | 1726 | Peter Goad | On the Coast of Essex | Essex | Imported & Run without payment of Duty | were prosecuted for this & other Frauds Chisam, Goddy, & Goad cant be heard of - Judgment was obtained against Warren with which he was Charg'd in Execution in the Fleet prison |
74 | 1726 | Alexander Chisam | On the Coast of Essex | Essex | Imported & Run without payment of Duty | were prosecuted for this & other Frauds Chisam, Goddy, & Goad cant be heard of - Judgment was obtained against Warren with which he was Charg'd in Execution in the Fleet prison |
74 | 1726 | Peter Goddy | On the Coast of Essex | Essex | Imported & Run without payment of Duty | were prosecuted for this & other Frauds Chisam, Goddy, & Goad cant be heard of - Judgment was obtained against Warren with which he was Charg'd in Execution in the Fleet prison |
bottom of page