When were smugglers around?

When were smugglers around?

In England smuggling first became a recognised problem in the 13th century, following the creation of a national customs collection system by Edward I in 1275. Medieval smuggling tended to focus on the export of highly taxed export goods — notably wool and hides.

What was smuggling like in Dorset?

Mr Guttridge, a descendant of the Ridout’s, said: “They would smuggle alcohol, mostly brandy, but also gin and rum, as well as tobacco, tea, salt and silks, from Bournemouth beach and Purbeck on a cavalcade of 12 horses, led by armed men.

Why was the Dorset coast was such a good place for smuggling?

The coastline is dappled with coves and bays and its high cliffs made it secretive enough for smugglers to sneak down to the shore in the middle of the night. This part of England had the added benefit of being a mining hotspot, meaning open caves were easy to access and there was a network of tunnels in the cliffs.

When did smuggling end?

When Prime Minister William Pitt lowered duties in the 1780s, smuggling became less profitable. Further removal of duties in the 19th century put an end to the kind of smuggling which went on so openly in the 18th century.

How was smuggling in the 18th century similar to smuggling in the 20th century?

Often these items were ‘luxury goods’. For example in the 18th C such ‘luxury goods’, were categorised as tea, brandy and silk. This is similar to the 20th C as it was likely to be cigarettes as well as alcohol and clothes that were smuggled. The factor that explains this is the similar rise in taxation of goods.

When did smuggling End in Cornwall?

Smuggling boomed until the end of the 18th century. Some souces say 500,000 gallons of French brandy per year were sumggled into Cornwall.

When did smuggling became a crime?

Smuggling is a crime entirely created by governments. In the 18th century, the British government collected a good deal of its income from customs duties – tax paid on the import of goods such as tea, cloth, wine and spirits. The tax was high, up to 30%, so these items became expensive.

How did Rattenbury get away from the smugglers?

Rattenbury became a trusty inmate, though, and eventually managed to sneak away. Escapes of one sort or another soon became his forte: he describes how a smuggling brig in which he was travelling was captured by a French privateer, and he was left at the helm to steer for a French port while the crew got drunk below…

Who was Jack Rattenbury and what did he do?

Jump to navigation Jump to search. Jack Rattenbury, nicknamed Rob Roy of the West (1778, in Beer, Devon – 1844) was an English smuggler. In 1837 after thirty years at sea as a fisherman, pilot, seaman and smuggler he wrote about his life in a book called Memoirs of a Smuggler with the help of a local Unitarian clergyman.

How did Jack Rattenbury escape from customs men?

Rattenbury followed this with a series of daring escapes — from the navy, the press-gang, from privateers, from customs men. He hid up chimneys, in cellars, on board small boats, and in bushes. Jack catalogues a series of adventures, some of them doubtless exaggerated, and most of them carefully drawn to show him in a heroic light.

How much did Rattenbury pay for his boat?

Rattenbury’s shipping transactions cast an interesting perspective on the values of the day. Piloting proved very lucrative for him — sometimes paying £100 in a storm…he buys a boat for £200… his bail is set at £200… he pays a fine of £200.