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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
142 | 1730 | Henry Nardy | Yarmouth | Hampshire | Imported and run without payment of Duty | was Prosecuted for this Fraud - he is Dead. |
143 | 1730 | William Wren | Sunderland | Durham | Imported and run without payment of Duty | was Prosecuted for this Fraud & Compounded. |
144 | 1730 | Cornelius Landmeter | Dunsinburra Castle near Berwick | Northumberland | Imported and run without payment of Duty | is under Prosecution for this Fraud - Depending |
145 | 1730 | Mathew Dates | Maldon | Essex | Imported and run without payment of Duty | were Prosecuted for this & other Frauds they can't be taken. Thomas Broom & Mathew Dates were Prosecuted for part of these goods - they can't be taken. |
145 | 1730 | William Gosling | Maldon | Essex | Imported and run without payment of Duty | were Prosecuted for this & other Frauds they can't be taken. Thomas Broom & Mathew Dates were Prosecuted for part of these goods - they can't be taken. |
145 | 1730 | Thomas Broom | Maldon | Essex | Imported and run without payment of Duty | were Prosecuted for this & other Frauds they can't be taken. Thomas Broom & Mathew Dates were Prosecuted for part of these goods - they can't be taken. |
145 | 1730 | Robert Hudson | Maldon | Essex | Imported and run without payment of Duty | were Prosecuted for this & other Frauds they can't be taken. Thomas Broom & Mathew Dates were Prosecuted for part of these goods - they can't be taken. |
146 | 1730 | Eliza Rickenson | Scarbrough | Yorkshire | Imported and run without payment of Duty | were jointly Prosecuted for this Fraud - Compounded. |
146 | 1730 | Joseph Fisher | Scarbrough | Yorkshire | Imported and run without payment of Duty | were jointly Prosecuted for this Fraud - Compounded. |
147 | 1730 | Thomas Marshall and others | near Chester Churches Yorkshire | Yorkshire | Imported and run without payment of Duty | were Prosecuted for this Fraud & other goods - But the Witness against them did not come to support his Information. |
148 | 1730 | John Hare | at Hemsby Yarmouth | Norfolk | Imported and run without payment of Duty | were Prosecuted for this Fraud - Veal became an Evidence - Hare & Sacker can't be taken. |
148 | 1730 | Isaac Sacker | at Hemsby Yarmouth | Norfolk | Imported and run without payment of Duty | were Prosecuted for this Fraud - Veal became an Evidence - Hare & Sacker can't be taken. |