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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
16 | 1724 | John Chapman | Whitby | Yorkshire | Imported & run without payment of Duty | was prosecuted for this fraud & was sent to gaol being Insolvent. |
17 | 1724 | Miles Breckon | Whitby | Yorkshire | Imported & run without payment of Duty | was prosecuted for this Fraud & Compounded |
19 | 1724 | John Watson | Whitby | Yorkshire | Imported & run without payment of Duty | was prosecuted for this Fraud & Compounded |
20 | 1724 | Thomas Watson | Whitby | Yorkshire | Imported & run without payment of Duty | was prosecuted for this Fraud & Compounded |
22 | 1724 | Christopher Burley | Holcomb Bay in Norfolk | Norfolk | Imported & run without payment of Duty | was prosecuted for this fraud & other goods & became a witness |
23 | 1724 | Walter Batney | Erwarton Ness in Suffolk | Suffolk | Imported & run without payment of Duty | were prosecuted for this fraud & Batney Compounded |
24 | 1724 | William Aldbrough | Erwarton Ness in Suffolk | Suffolk | Imported & run without payment of Duty | were prosecuted for this fraud & Annis compounded. |
24 | 1724 | Walter Annis | Erwarton Ness in Suffolk | Suffolk | Imported & run without payment of Duty | were prosecuted for this fraud & Annis compounded. |
25 | 1724 | Jacob Walter | near Leigh in Essex | Essex | Imported & run without payment of Duty | were prosecuted for this fraud & other goods - Beacon cant be found - Loseby has afforded a Composition - a Verdict was obtained against Butterworth for his part of the goods & he paid the money - Judgmt was obtain'd against Walter & he is charged in Execution in Chelmsford Gaol. |
25 | 1724 | Thomas Loseby | near Leigh in Essex | Essex | Imported & run without payment of Duty | were prosecuted for this fraud & other goods - Beacon cant be found - Loseby has afforded a Composition - a Verdict was obtained against Butterworth for his part of the goods & he paid the money - Judgmt was obtain'd against Walter & he is charged in Execution in Chelmsford Gaol. |
25 | 1724 | Alexander Butterworth | near Leigh in Essex | Essex | Imported & run without payment of Duty | were prosecuted for this fraud & other goods - Beacon cant be found - Loseby has afforded a Composition - a Verdict was obtained against Butterworth for his part of the goods & he paid the money - Judgmt was obtain'd against Walter & he is charged in Execution in Chelmsford Gaol. |
26 | 1724 | Several other persons | In the Port of Bridlington | Yorkshire | Imported & run without payment of Duty | were prosecuted for this Fraud, some for the whole goods & others for part - Ward was arrested & ye cause was at Issue but the proof against him was not thought Sufficient to go to Trial - the other persons could not be taken |