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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
46 | 1725 | James Garferr | near Baldsey in Suffolk | Suffolk | Imported & run without payment of Duty | these persons were prosecuted for this fraud Garrett, Wood, & Garferr could not be taken; Booth was arrested & sent to Goal on Accot of another Fraud |
46 | 1725 | Thomas Wood | near Baldsey in Suffolk | Suffolk | Imported & run without payment of Duty | these persons were prosecuted for this fraud Garrett, Wood, & Garferr could not be taken Booth was arrested & sent to Goal on Accot of another Fraud |
47 | 1725 | Richard Porter | Brancaster Bay near Holkham Norfolk | Norfolk | Imported & run without payment of Duty | were prosecuted for this fraud - Porter gave an Information against others - Judgment was obtained agt Leckie & he was taken & Sent to Gaol |
48 | 1725 | John Woollard | near Harwich in Essex & at several places near
Baudsey Cliff in
Suffolk | Suffolk | Imported & run without payment of Duty | These persons were severally prosecuted for Running & receiving these (& other) goods in several different Quantitys - John Woollard Edwd Gutteridge & John Rambert became Evidences; Fally Buckle, Thomas Pemberton Samuel Cole John Chipperton Richard Cole William Manning John Branson absconded & could not be taken - Benjamin Woollard was arrested & gave Bail; Samuel Everett, John Bentley, Denny Briant were arrested & sent to Gaol - Judgments were obtained against John Johnson & William Beddon for other frauds William Crafton was taken & sent to goal & Judgment was obtained agt him & he was charg'd in Execution thereon. |
48 | 1725 | John Bentley | near Harwich in Essex & at several places near
Baudsey Cliff in
Suffolk | Suffolk | Imported & run without payment of Duty | These persons were severally prosecuted for Running & receiving these (& other) goods in several different Quantitys - John Woollard Edwd Gutteridge & John Rambert became Evidences; Fally Buckle, Thomas Pemberton Samuel Cole John Chipperton Richard Cole William Manning John Branson absconded & could not be taken - Benja Woollard was arrested & gave Bail; Samuel Everett, John Bentley ,Denny Briant were arrested & sent to Gaol - Judgments were obtained against John Johnson & William Beddon for other frauds William Crafton was taken & sent to goal & Judgment was obtained agt him & he was charg'd in Execution thereon. |
48 | 1725 | Samuel Everett | near Harwich in Essex & at several places near
Baudsey Cliff in
Suffolk | Suffolk | Imported & run without payment of Duty | These persons were severally prosecuted for Running & receiving these (& other) goods in several different Quantitys - John Woollard Edwd Gutteridge & John Rambert became Evidences; Fally Buckle, Thomas Pemberton Samuel Cole John Chipperton Richard Cole William Manning John Branson absconded & could not be taken - Benja Woollard was arrested & gave Bail; Samuel Everett, John Bentley ,Denny Briant were arrested & sent to Gaol - Judgments were obtained against John Johnson & William Beddon for other frauds William Crafton was taken & sent to goal & Judgment was obtained agt him & he was charg'd in Execution thereon. |
48 | 1725 | John Rambert | near Harwich in Essex & at several places near
Baudsey Cliff in
Suffolk | Suffolk | Imported & run without payment of Duty | These persons were severally prosecuted for Running & receiving these (& other) goods in several different Quantitys - John Woollard Edwd Gutteridge & John Rambert became Evidences; Fally Buckle, Thomas Pemberton Samuel Cole John Chipperton Richard Cole William Manning John Branson absconded & could not be taken - Benja Woollard was arrested & gave Bail; Samuel Everett, John Bentley ,Denny Briant were arrested & sent to Gaol - Judgments were obtained against John Johnson & William Beddon for other frauds William Crafton was taken & sent to goal & Judgment was obtained agt him & he was charg'd in Execution thereon. |
48 | 1725 | William Crafton | near Harwich in Essex & at several places near
Baudsey Cliff in
Suffolk | Suffolk | Imported & run without payment of Duty | These persons were severally prosecuted for Running & receiving these (& other) goods in several different Quantitys - John Woollard Edwd Gutteridge & John Rambert became Evidences; Fally Buckle, Thomas Pemberton Samuel Cole John Chipperton Richard Cole William Manning John Branson absconded & could not be taken - Benja Woollard was arrested & gave Bail; Samuel Everett, John Bentley ,Denny Briant were arrested & sent to Gaol - Judgments were obtained against John Johnson & William Beddon for other frauds William Crafton was taken & sent to goal & Judgment was obtained agt him & he was charg'd in Execution thereon. |
48 | 1725 | Benjamin Woollard | near Harwich in Essex & at several places near
Baudsey Cliff in
Suffolk | Suffolk | Imported & run without payment of Duty | These persons were severally prosecuted for Running & receiving these (& other) goods in several different Quantitys - John Woollard Edwd Gutteridge & John Rambert became Evidences; Fally Buckle, Thomas Pemberton Samuel Cole John Chipperton Richard Cole William Manning John Branson absconded & could not be taken - Benja Woollard was arrested & gave Bail; Samuel Everett, John Bentley ,Denny Briant were arrested & sent to Gaol - Judgments were obtained against John Johnson & William Beddon for other frauds William Crafton was taken & sent to goal & Judgment was obtained agt him & he was charg'd in Execution thereon. |
48 | 1725 | William Beddon | near Harwich in Essex & at several places near
Baudsey Cliff in
Suffolk | Suffolk | Imported & run without payment of Duty | These persons were severally prosecuted for Running & receiving these (& other) goods in several different Quantitys - John Woollard Edwd Gutteridge & John Rambert became Evidences; Fally Buckle, Thomas Pemberton Samuel Cole John Chipperton Richard Cole William Manning John Branson absconded & could not be taken - Benja Woollard was arrested & gave Bail; Samuel Everett, John Bentley ,Denny Briant were arrested & sent to Gaol - Judgments were obtained against John Johnson & William Beddon for other frauds William Crafton was taken & sent to goal & Judgment was obtained agt him & he was charg'd in Execution thereon. |
48 | 1725 | Denny Briant | near Harwich in Essex & at several places near
Baudsey Cliff in
Suffolk | Suffolk | Imported & run without payment of Duty | These persons were severally prosecuted for Running & receiving these (& other) goods in several different Quantitys - John Woollard Edwd Gutteridge & John Rambert became Evidences; Fally Buckle, Thomas Pemberton Samuel Cole John Chipperton Richard Cole William Manning John Branson absconded & could not be taken - Benja Woollard was arrested & gave Bail; Samuel Everett, John Bentley ,Denny Briant were arrested & sent to Gaol - Judgments were obtained against John Johnson & William Beddon for other frauds William Crafton was taken & sent to goal & Judgment was obtained agt him & he was charg'd in Execution thereon. |
48 | 1725 | John Branson | near Harwich in Essex & at several places near
Baudsey Cliff in
Suffolk | Suffolk | Imported & run without payment of Duty | These persons were severally prosecuted for Running & receiving these (& other) goods in several different Quantitys - John Woollard Edwd Gutteridge & John Rambert became Evidences; Fally Buckle, Thomas Pemberton Samuel Cole John Chipperton Richard Cole William Manning John Branson absconded & could not be taken - Benjamin Woollard was arrested & gave Bail; Samuel Everett, John Bentley ,Denny Briant were arrested & sent to Gaol - Judgments were obtained against John Johnson & William Beddon for other frauds William Crafton was taken & sent to goal & Judgment was obtained agt him & he was charg'd in Execution thereon. |
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