Emily Wilding Davison and Morpeth - Our Local Suffragette.

Our local Suffragette.....

Emily Wilding Davison was born on the 11th October 1872 at Roxburgh House, Greenwich, South East London. Her parents were Charles Davison and Margaret Davison nee Cailsley, who were both from Morpeth.

Charles was married before and had nine children, unfortunately his first wife died in 1866, the marriage to Margaret was his second. When they were married in 1868 Charles was 45 years old and Margaret was 19, Emily was the third of four children that they would have. 

Charles died in 1893 putting quite a financial burden on the family, Emily was at the Royal Holloway College at this time studying literature and doing very well, she was a very bright student, but she would have to end her studies as they became unaffordable.

Emily in 1893.

Working as a governess she managed to save enough money to fund her further education at St. Hugh's College, Oxford, where she achieved a first in English, but was unable to graduate as degrees were unavailable to women.

She would become a private tutor in Edgbaston, Worthing and Northamptonshire, and would finally gain her degree in 1908 from the University of London. Meanwhile, in 1906, Emily Davison joined the Women's Social and Political Union (W.S.P.U).

The W.S.P.U had been formed in 1903 by Emmeline Pankhurst, and from the outset it was to be a militant and confrontational organisation, quite different to the suffrage movement of Millicent Fawcett, the N.U.W.S.S. Davison fitted in perfectly, she left teaching in 1908, and became a permanent fixture in the W.S.P.U, in March 1909 she was arrested for the first time during a demonstration in London, and that August she found herself in Morpeth.

The Market Square, Morpeth, Tuesday 31st August 1909.

(Morpeth Herald 4th September 1909)

Suffragette Addresses A Morpeth Meeting. 

Miss Emily Davison, one of the ladies who recently attracted public attention by their "hunger strike" policy in Holloway Prison, addressed a meeting in furtherance of the woman suffrage movement, in the Morpeth Market Place on Tuesday evening. Miss Davison, who is at present on a visit to Longhorsley, was formerly a resident in Morpeth. She is a B.A of London University, and is most accomplished and effective platform speaker. Her address, which occupied about half an hour, was listened to with close attention by a good size crowd.

Councillor Robert C. Oliver, who presided, explained in his opening remarks that his presence on such a platform must not be taken to indicate his approval of some of the methods adopted by Miss Davison and her co-workers with the object of achieving the cause of woman suffrage.

On the general question of the political rights of women, he believed in the old Liberal doctrine that representation and taxation ought to go together; and he believed, moreover, that great reforms must be won by constitutional means.

The Holloway Brooch.

Miss Davison, in the course of her speech, said that whatever might be the differences of opinion as to the methods of the suffragettes, no one could deny that as a result of what they had done recently the cause of woman suffrage had been made a real living question - a question which would have to be dealt with at no distant date. She denied the charges of violence that had been levelled against them, and contended that they were simply attempting to appeal to the reason of the country.

Besides, when people talked of violence of various sorts that was associated with the efforts of men to obtain the franchise. Men had only been able to secure the various Reform Bills and the franchise as a result of great and deplorable violence, and this ought to be remembered when the tactics of the women of today were under consideration.

Miss Davison proceeded to show, in some detail, the disadvantages under which women labour in various walks of life in which they now gain a livelihood. Even in the teaching profession women were paid less than were men: and in cooking - which ought to be woman's exclusive sphere - no woman could obtain the great salaries that were paid to chefs.

In reply to those who said that women who wanted the vote ought to employ constitutional means, she reminded them of the fact that for years the women had sought to get what they wanted by means of public meetings, by means of petitions of Parliament, and by participation in the work of local government. The women had for long done the dirty work for candidates at election times - as a matter of fact it was to the efforts of the women workers that many Members of Parliament owed their success at the poll.

A Crowd in Morpeth Market Place.

But all the work that women had done in a "constitutional" way had been unavailing so far as the attainment of their political aspirations were concerned, and it had for a good while been perfectly obvious that the old "constitutional" lines were played out and that new methods must be adopted. "Our present methods," declared Miss Davison, "are not violent; they are merely political"; and she described the effect of those methods on the public as follows: "When people first read of them they are shocked, then they are induced to listen to us, next they begin to think - and when that happens we know that the battle, so far as they are concerned, is won".

Miss Davison agreed it was unfortunate that the cause of the women could not be won without what had been described as methods of violence. But she reminded her hearers that the Prime Minister and other Cabinet Ministers had refused to receive deputations of women, and that, all so called "constitutional" means having been exhausted, they had been forced to adopt a different system of forcing the attention of Parliament and of the country on the question of women's rights.  

Annie Kenny & Christabel Pankhurst, W.S.P.U.

Touching briefly on her prison experiences, Miss Davison protested against the manner in which women of culture and refinement had been treated by the authorities, and she justified the attitude that they had taken up at Holloway in reference to certain of the prison regulations. Particularly, on grounds of health, justified the breaking of prison windows, to permit of ventilation. 

She remarked it had been said that the cause of women's rights would not be won until a woman had died in prison as a martyr to her convictions. "Well," observed Miss Davison, "we have only to die once, and how could a woman die better than in an effort to bring to accomplishment the great cause of her sisters?"  (Prophetic words indeed!)

Miss Davison was heartilly applauded at the close of her address. Questions were invited, but none was forthcoming.

The Gentle Suffragettes.

(Morpeth Herald 11th September 1909)

It is of local interest to note that Miss Emily Davison, B.A., of Longhorsley, who addressed a meeting at Morpeth last week, under the auspices of the W.P.S.U, has since then been committed to prison, as a result of being concerned in the efforts to disturb Mr Birrell's meeting at Manchester on Saturday.

Augustine Birrell.

Augustine Birrell, Liberal Party MP who strongly opposed the militant stance of the W.S.P.U, but, he was not anti-suffragist, he was open to talks with Millicent Fawcett's rival suffragette movement, the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (N.U.W.S.S).

Five women, of whom Miss Davison was one, flung metal balls, which have been described as "bombs," on to the glass roof of the building in which the gathering was held, and on Monday they decided to go to gaol rather than pay the fines which were inflicted as an alternative.

This is not Miss Davison's "first offence," for she participated in the "hunger strike," in Holloway Prison. A similar policy, it is reported, is being carried out on the present occasion in Strangeways Gaol, Manchester, by Miss Davison and her companions.

An Imprisoned Suffragette.

On Tuesday they were brought before one of the visiting Justices and charged with a breach of the prison regulations, and, according to the reports, they were removed to the punishment cells.

The latest phase of the suffragettes tactics - the flinging of "bombs" - will perhaps cause those who attended Miss Davison's local meeting to Particularly recall her vigorous denials of allegations of the association of violent methods with her cause. "Our tactics," said Miss Davison, "are not violent; they are merely political." Bomb throwing, we may suppose, is one of the manifestations of high politics!

A Return To The Market Square, Morpeth, Saturday 18th September 1909.

(Morpeth Herald 25th September 1909)

A meeting arranged for the purpose of giving a welcome to Miss Emily Davison, B.A., of Longhorsley, was held in the Morpeth Market Place, on Saturday. Miss Davison, it will be recalled, was some time ago imprisoned, with other suffragettes, in Holloway; and the present demonstration was to welcome her on her return from her more recent incarceration in Strangeways Gaol, Manchester, for having participated in the "bomb" throwing at Mr Birrell's meeting in that city. 

A simple way of spreading the word.

It was organised by the National Women's Social and Political Union, and some of their members, including Mrs Taylor, Chipchase Castle, Miss Williams, and Miss C. Brown made special arrangements for the occasion.

In the afternoon, a meeting was held at which Mrs Taylor and Miss Williams were the speakers. They invited those assembled to accompany them to the station to meet Miss Davison. Headed by a brass band, the above named ladies and others drove in a brake to the railway station to await Miss Davison's arrival. Upon two of the banners displayed were the words "Welcome Northumbrian Hunger Striker," and "Votes For Women."

On her arrival Miss Davison was escorted to a carriage drawn by two horses, and she "drove in state," followed by a brake load of suffragists, the band leading the procession to the Market Place. There a large crowd of people assembled. Mrs Taylor presided over the meeting. Miss Davison, in the course of her remarks, related her experiences of her four day's hunger strike while in Strangeways Prison, Manchester. She received a patient and sympathetic hearing.

Miss Davison said a little over a fortnight ago she had had the pleasure of speaking to them in that Market Place. Since then she had gone down, as many of her own people had done, into the valley of the shadow; "only to come up again," she smilingly remarked, "to join my brave comrades in the fighting line."

Emily proudly wearing her hunger strike medal and Holloway Brooch.

She emphasised the fact that theirs was a political fight. Their methods were not violent. If they had advanced another stage lately it was the fault of the present Government, who in their obstinacy would not read the signs of the times.

She would tell them why they had gone that step further. They knew that some of their number had been brought up for throwing stones. No doubt they wanted to know why they had done so. Well, there was a great campaign being carried on all over this country. It was the budget campaign, and they knew as well as she did that women would be as much affected as the men by this budget, therefore they had no right to keep them out of these meetings.

Proceeding, she said there was a large meeting at Manchester, and another at Birmingham the previous evening. Only a few women were admitted after they had signed a pledge. It was insulting to their womanhood, but she expressed the opinion that they did not know what they were doing when they signed that pledge.

"If you went to a great budget meeting would you be satisfied if at the door you were met by stewards, who said;: "We will not allow you to come in unless you promise to ask no questions, or unless you are free traders," Would you tolerate it? No. You would force your way into the hall. We have not the physical force to get in like that as you men. We had to do our best in other ways, and we did it at Manchester. I had one stone to which was attached a label, and on that label I had written 'Votes For Women.' That was the stone that first went into the hall. As I have said before, it is the fault of the Government if we have to advance in our methods, and it will be their fault if we have to go further." 

Continuing, she said that the person who was responsible, most of all, for their tactics and their present position was Mr Asquith (the Prime Minister) himself. He was the only obstacle now in the way of their getting their just rights. Now that this Government was still in power they must somehow make them feel that they, as Liberals, before they went out, must show they had not put aside their great and noble maxim of the past. They must, if they could, make them give them this reform. They would rather it came from the Liberals than from the Conservatives, because, Liberals called themselves the "Apostles of Reform."

The Horror of Force Feeding.

In relating her experiences of what she called "her last hunger strike," while in Strangeways Prison, she said that it was a very clean and well kept prison. A peculiar feature, besides the cleanliness, it was the sympathy she and her companions met with from every single official, except the Governor (laughter). They made their usual protest. They said that if they were treated as first class prisoners they were quite willing to obey the prison regulations; but if they were second class they would refuse to do them.

"I was put," she added, "straight into a punishment cell of which they had heard so much - a plank bed fastened to the floor, and a tree trunk fastened to the wall to sit on. That was all we had absolutely. (laughter). When I got into the prison cell the first night, I had to try and break my window. There was no need to cause consumption among the prisoners by shutting them up in cells, of which the windows could not open." (hear, hear).

In the morning she heard a noise, and, she thought she must not be behind them. She got up, and after several attempts managed to break the cell window. The matron came in, and said she was sorry, but it was the magistrates' orders: "If you break your windows that you are to have handcuffs on." She replied: "If the order has been given, you must do your duty." Time passed slowly. They were in their cells all the time, and no exercise. Owing to breaking these window panes they were able to hear their brave companions outside, who were holding meetings.

On the call of Mrs Taylor cheers were given for Miss Davison and Miss C. Brown, also a hunger striker, and for the cause they represented.

 

Emily Davison writes to the Morpeth Herald.

(Morpeth Herald 25th September 1909)

Sir, Although I trust that my words in the Market Place, Morpeth, last Saturday have made clear to any Laodicean friends of our cause why we have thrown stones and "bombs" at recent budget meetings addressed by cabinet ministers, I still feel that there are many in the district who would like an explanation of this latest move. 

Of course, like our good friends Mr Aked (at Liverpool) and Mr Joseph John Hills (of Newbiggin) I might maintain that the men had no business to criticise our tactics, seeing the position in which we women are placed, as being politically dumb. Still, in spite of all assertions to the contrary we are preeminently logical, and like to justify ourselves.

The plain unvarnished reason here is that the Government are to blame. They are violating one of the greatest canons of political wisdom by giving those who already have a notable grievance another cause of complaint. Such action in the past has always led to serious results, witness 1867, when the Government roused the fury of the people who were clamouring for a just reform by refusing them one of the liberties of the English Constitution, for which their ancestors had fought.

I mean the right to free speech (in Hyde Park). What was the result? A determined riot and a responsible minister weeping tears of contrition because, owing to the action of his Government, the people had been forced to defy "law and order."

Even so now the Government are goading on our women by unconstitutional action, by using force to hold them back from their just right of petition and of free access to so called "public meetings" on great public questions. On whose head lies the blame if harm ensues? On this Government, which hides its head in the sand like an ostrich and refuses to observe the signs of the times.

I am, yours truly,

Emily Wilding Davison (B.A.)

Longhorsley.

Local Suffragette Once More In Court.

(Morpeth Herald 30th October 1909)

At Bury, last Thursday, Catherine Tolson, of Hale, Cheshire; Hannah Shepherd, of Rochdale; Emily Davison, of Longhorsley; and Helen Gordon Liddle, of Peaslake, Surrey, four suffragettes, were fined £2 and costs each, and ordered to pay damages for breaking windows at the Radcliffe Liberal Club, and the Radcliffe Post Office on Wednesday night, on the occasion of a meeting addressed by Mr Runciman (a Cabinet Minister). 

They declined to pay.

Local Suffragette's Prison Experience, Miss Davison Under The Hosepipe.

(Morpeth Herald 6th November 1909)

Miss Emily Davison, the victim of the hosepipe incident at Strangeways Gaol, was released at seven o'clock last Friday night. The time of her release was kept secret by the prison authorities, and a number of her friends in the W.S.P.U were thus prevented from giving her a proper welcome.

Dora Marsden being arrested

Arrangements had been made, however, that she should go to the house of Miss Dora Marsden, Chorlton Road, Manchester. Here, later in the evening, Miss Davison related to press representatives her bitter prison experiences. Miss Davison, who looked remarkably well under the circumstances, at once entered into the details of the hosepipe douche, which, she said, took place on Monday afternoon.

One of the first acts on entering the gaol was to break the window of her cell. On Monday afternoon she was taken into an adjoining cell in order that the window in her own cell could be repaired. "Directly the wardess left me," Miss Davison proceeded, "I noticed there were two long plank beds in the cell, and I at once saw how easy it would be to barricade myself. I put the two beds down, and also ramming in the stool. I then found there was still a little crevice, so I filled it in with a couple of slippers and a brush. Even then I was still afraid that the barricade would give, so I sat on the middle of it.

Soon after a wardess came and found she could not open the door. A number of other officials then came and looked through, until at last the deputy governor came. He immediately called upon me to to get up. I took no notice, so an attempt was made to batter down the door. This operation failed, and then the deputy governor called out that if I did not get off I would have the fire hose turned on me through the window.

Soon afterwards I heard a ladder being placed against the window, and a man came up and smashed the window with a fire hose. Persuasive methods were again tried, but I refused to answer. The order was promptly given to turn the hose on.

At first they could not get the hose turned on properly, but eventually they got it full tilt at me as I sat in a crouching position. I should think it lasted a quarter of an hour, although it seemed much longer. The water was icy cold, and fell on me with full force. In less than a minute I was thoroughly soaked and the cell flooded. At last I began to gasp - I could not help it. Somebody then called out: "Don't put it on again," realising, I suppose, that I had had more than enough.

Operations on the door were then resumed, but this took some considerable time, as the authorities were afraid it might fall on her. If it had done so it would probably have killed her. Eventually, however, the top hinge gave way, and two of the warders seized it just before it fell. Another warder climbed into the cell, seized her, took her off the beds, and so enabled the door to be got down. As the water streamed out of the cell a wardess hurried her away to another cell, tore her clothes off, wrapped her in blankets, and raced her along in a bath chair to the hospital.

Here she was given a hot bath, and a hot water bottle. Miss Davison further said that she was kept in bed practically until Friday.

Asked about her forcible feeding experiences, Miss Davison shuddered visibly. She, together with three other suffragists, had been forcibly fed all the time they had been imprisoned. Forcible feeding was simply barbarous, she said. They had all been forcibly fed twice a day. She had even been forcibly fed three hours before her release. Doctors, matrons, wardesses, all said forcible feeding was the most disgusting thing they had ever seen in the whole of their lives.

Miss Davison also stated that Miss Shepherd, one of the other suffragist prisoners was in hospital, and that the other two women prisoners, Miss Tolson and Miss Liddle, were both looking very bad.

Emily was awarded 40s in damages for having the hosepipe turned on her.

The year 1910 is missing from the records of the Morpeth Herald at present, so her story is told by other newspapers.

Suffragette Betrayed By A Tap.

(Edinburgh Evening News 6th April 1910)

"Put your own house in order before you interfere with the House of Lords, and appreciate our truce in this piping time of peace by giving votes for women."

This is the message which Miss Emily Davison, the suffragette who was discovered on Sunday evening about 10 o'clock, after remaining for 28 hours hidden in the heating apparatus of the House of Commons, intended to deliver to Mr Winston Churchill on Monday.

Thirst led to her discovery, she told "The Daily Mirror" yesterday, and after some hours she crept down, and, to her surprise, found a water tap just outside.

"I eagerly drank some of the water," she added, "and after I had been down a second time, the drippings of the water, which showed that the tap had been turned on, roused the watchman's suspicions. When he really saw me he thought I was the ghost of Guy Fawkes, for I was black all over my face and my clothes were very dirty, but he was more frightened than I, and he blew his whistle loudly."

Police Report - Emily Davison hides in a ventilation shaft 1910

Deeds Not Words.

(Manchester Evening News 24th June 1910)

Suffragist's Protest at the House of Lords.

Emily Davison, a teacher, was, in London, today, fined £5 and 7s 6d costs or, in default, one month's imprisonment, for wilfully breaking two panes of glass at the Crown Office of the House of Lords, yesterday.

Prime Minister H.H. Asquith.

Defendant threw at the window two large pieces of chalk, with labels bearing the words on the first "To Mr Asquith: Give full facilities for the new bill for woman's suffrage," and on the second, "To Mr Asquith: Indignant womanhood will not take this insult. Be wise!" A third label found lying beside the others bore the words "Be wise in time. Women will not be trifled with. - To Mr Asquith."

Defendant admitted that she broke the windows deliberately when she heard that the premier had refused full facilities to the Woman's Suffrage Bill. She felt deeds must take the place of words, and she believed her action to be the only protest that was likely to be understood.

It was stated that the defendant had on several occasions been convicted of assaulting and obstructing the police in Manchester and London. She was the woman who was found in the ventilating shaft of the House of Commons in April last.

Local Suffragette's Exploit.

(Morpeth Herald 14th April 1911)

Unsuccessful Plan To Evade The Census.

The door behind which Davison hid.

The suffragette who sought to evade the census (and failed) by hiding in the Crypt Chapel of the House of Commons was identified as Miss Emily Davison, the heroine of the hosepipe scene at Strangeways Prison, and the lady who covered herself in dust and glory some time ago by passing a day and a night in one of the hot air shafts of the House of Commons.

To a "Daily Dispatch" representative, who called at her residence in central London, she told the story of her 45 hour vigil in the pitch dark crypt. She laughed heartily over her adventures, but was mournful of the fact that for a second time she had been discovered and her plans frustrated.

"In addition to evading the census, I had planned to rush out and get into the House itself," she said, "I had got my message for Mr Asquith all ready."

Miss Davison hid herself on Saturday afternoon at four o'clock in a little dark chamber in the chapel, which she afterwards heard was the place where Guy Fawkes was found. She had food and drink, but she admits that the experience was very trying, and on Monday morning she was nearly discovered by an MP, who was escorting a lady over the chapel.

"He pushed open the little door of my hiding place," she said, "and peered in. I was standing bolt upright behind the door. I scarcely dared breathe, 'here's where Guy Fawkes was found.' he said. 'Most interesting,' murmured the lady, 'and do you think there are any ghosts here?' she asked. "If I had bobbed out at that moment what would have happened? I should have given them a rare shock, for I was as black as a sweep!"

"Hardly had I got over that shock when someone else came into the crypt. It was an old man. He was sweeping the chapel, and drawing nearer and nearer. As he came past he gave the door a vigorous push. It flew back, and bumped against one of the boxes. He then peered cautiously round the door and saw me."

"He drew back with a start, and then said 'Come along out of that.' I begged him not to turn me out. But he said he must do his duty, and well, of course, he must do it."

"He fetched the police. I was taken first to the inspector's room and had a wash, and then to Cannon Row Police Station. I refused my name, but they recognised me."

Miss Davison is well known in this district, being a native of Longhorsley. She has on more than one occasion pleaded the woman's suffrage cause locally.

The cupboard in which Davison hid for 45 hours.

Suffragist Tactics.

(Morpeth Herald 15th December 1911)

Alleged Attempt To Fire A Letter Box

Miss Emily Davison Arrested.

Some little excitement was caused in Parliament Street, London, yesterday morning, by a woman attempting to set fire to the contents of the Parliament Street Post Office Letter Box.

The woman, who gave the name of Emily Davison, and her address as Clement's Inn, was observed to approach the letter box, having in her hand what turned out to be a piece of linen, saturated in paraffin and wrapped in paper.

She set fire to this with a match, and was about to put it through the aperture of the letterbox when she was seized by a plain clothes officer, who had been observing her movements.

To the officer she said she had done the same sort of thing twice before that morning, and on several occasions in the city. Prisoner was remanded for a week, and the magistrate said that the doctor would report as to her condition.

Miss Emily Davison is well known in Northumberland.

Emily Davison Writes To The Morpeth Herald.

(Morpeth Herald 20th September 1912)

A Revision Court "Claim."

Sir, Those who carry out the machinery of the law have very often more sense of justice and more of a saving sense of humour than those who put the laws on the statute book. Yesterday, the revising barrister for the district visited the village to revise claims for the Parliamentary vote.

As a militant, I felt the chance not to be lost. Cutting the big "Votes For Women" heading from our W.S.P.U weekly, I supplied words above and below, so that my message ran as follows:-

MAY YOU SOON BE REVISING

       VOTES FOR WOMEN

     AS WELL AS FOR MEN!

I enclose it in an envelope, addressed "To the Revising Barrister, Longhorsley Schoolroom." The missive was entrusted to one of the school children, who came back with the message; "Tell Miss Emily Davison the claim is allowed!" Brevity is the soul of wit and the salt of life.

Yours ect

Emily Wilding Davison'

Longhorsley, Sept. 17. 1912.

A cleaning bill paid by Emily Davison in September 1912.

Not everyone was impressed, some were even quite sarcastic!

Letter To The Editor.

(Morpeth Herald 27th September 1912)

Women's Rights.

Sir, A movement, we have been told, is a curious thing. It begins in hopelessness, thrives on opposition, lives by ridicule, and then something quite simple happens as the result of years and years of apparently unproductive agitation, and the movement comes to a triumphal conclusion.

That something has turned up, on the approval and sanction of the Revising Barrister at Longhorsley to the women's rights movement, is a fact acknowledged by Miss Emily Davison. I congratulate that lady in gaining to their cause such a strong advocate.

Strangely enough when all is considered, he may have had in mind, when he endorsed that lady's message, that women have lately given voice to their pretended grievances in no uncertain way, or he may have fallen to the blandishments of the feminine gender.

I fear Miss Davison will have a harder and more stubborn rock to assail in our Cabinet Ministers.

Women's opinions, and even smashing of windows go for nothing in the face of this determined opposition, which, as a matter of fact include many of the most distinguished members of every party in the House of Commons.

A. Knox,

Bedlington Colliery.

Mr Fenwick, M.P., And Militancy.

(Morpeth Herald 11th October 1912)

Miss Laura Ainsworth, and Miss Emily Davison, of the W.S.P.U, waited upon Mr Charles Fenwick, M.P., at the Burt Hall, Newcastle, last Friday, to ascertain his views on the Franchise Reform Bill.

Charles Fenwick M.P.

The member for Wansbeck Division intimated that he was in favour of the franchise for women, and had been ever since he entered Parliament in 1885. It was one of the first questions put to him when he became a candidate for Parliament.

He would vote for the Reform Bill, but would not give the deputation any pledge to vote against the third reading if the amendments to include women in the measure were not approved by the House.

Mr Fenwick said he strongly disapproved of militant methods either on the part of men or women, and in his opinion the militant methods of a section of the suffragettes had injured their cause very considerably.

One of the ladies remarked that no great cause such as theirs had been won without strenuous efforts on the part of it's advocates; and that, therefore, until the Government of the country were willing to listen to their arguments and grant their requests they were justified in taking the line they had followed.

The strain Davison was under shows in her face.

The militancy of the miners was also alluded to by the deputation, and they spoke of the great efforts which the Chartists had to make to get the franchise in the early part of the last generation. Mr Fenwick said he did not regard these cases as at all analogous.

Whipped A Baptist Minister.

(Morpeth Herald 6th December 1912)

Miss Emily Davison Goes To Prison.

At Aberdeen Police Court, on Thursday morning, Mary Brown (alias Emily Wilding Davison), a suffragist, of Longhorsley, was charged with having whipped the Rev. F. Jackson, an Aberdeen Baptist Minister, with a riding whip, in mistake for Mr Lloyd George, on Saturday at Aberdeen joint station.

Davison at the Aberdeen court.

The  Rev. Forbes Jackson, of Crown Terrace Baptist Church, Aberdeen, gave evidence as to the assault. Cross examined by the accused, he admitted he had been offered an apology on Miss Davison's behalf, but declined to accept it. He thought an apology was due to Mr Lloyd George.

Accused, after other witnesses had given evidence, addressed the court, and admitted she had made a mistake. She did not intend to assault Mr Jackson, but Mr Lloyd George.

Accused was fined 40s, or in default, ten days' imprisonment. Accused decided to go to prison, protesting.

An autograph for an admirer in Longhorsley, 1913.

The Derby Tragedy.

(Morpeth Herald 13th June 1913)

Deeds Not Words.

Death Of Miss Emily Davison.

Miss Emily Wilding Davison, of Longhorsley, the suffragist who rushed at the King's horse during the race for the Derby, died in the hospital at Epsom at 4.50 on Sunday afternoon, without recovering consciousness.

The unused return ticket......

Her brother called at the hospital during the day. Two lady visitors, who were allowed at the bedside of the dying woman, pinned a badge of the Woman's Social and Political Union to the head of the bed and draped the screen with the colours of the union. The hospital authorities left the decorations undisturbed, and there they remained until Miss Davison passed away.

Captain Davison, brother of the deceased lady, arrived at Epsom on Saturday evening, but was not present when his sister passed away. The only persons at the bedside when death occurred were the matron of the hospital and two nurses. When Miss Davison was first admitted to hospital it was thought she was suffering from concussion, but signs of fracture of the base of the skull developed, and an operation was performed, as a last resource, by Mr Mansell Moulin. It was soon realised, however, there was no hope of recovery.

At the usual weekly meeting of the W.S.P.U, at the London Pavillion, on Monday afternoon, many of those present were attired in black, as a mark of respect to the late Miss Davison. Mrs Dacre Fox, who presided, read the following telegram, which she said had been sent to the King:-

"To His Majesty, Buckingham Palace: 

Constitutional methods of approaching our King have failed, Emily Davison has given her life to call attention to the women's passionate demands. We call upon our King to give serious attention to this appeal of womanhood."

The telegram was signed by "six loyal subjects."

Miss Mary Leigh, who spoke with emotion, said Miss Davison's last words were "Fight on; God will give us the victory."

The inquest.

The inquest on Miss Davison took place at Epsom on Tuesday. Contrary to general expectation, Herbert Jones, the King's jockey, did not attend the inquest, a medical certificate having been forwarded from Newmarket to the effect that he was too unwell to go to Epsom.

The first witness was Henry Jocelyn Davison, of Bexhill-on-sea, a retired naval officer, who gave evidence of identification. He said that Miss Davison was his half sister, he had not seen her for six months, and that she resided at Longhorsley, Northumberland. She was a spinster, with no occupation, aged 38. He was not aware that she would be in Epsom and was aware that she was prominent in the woman's suffrage movement.

In reply to the jury, witness said there was nothing to lead him to feel that his sister was abnormal on the mental side.

In reply to Mr Yates, witness said she was a person of considerable gifts, both as a speaker and as a writer. She was, in fact, a very prolific writer. He thought the reason for her action was to attract attention to the suffrage movement. In his own opinion, she had no intention of taking her own life. He thought she intentionally acted as she did, with a view of calling the attention of the public to the fact that the Government had not done justice to women.

Police Sergeant Frank Dunn, who was on duty at Tottenham Corner, said just as the horses were passing him he saw a woman rush out towards the horses, about 20 yards down the coarse near the winning post. She threw her hands up in front of the horses, and was knocked down by the King's horse. 

In reply to a juryman, witness said he did not notice anyone try to prevent her going on the course before she was knocked down. Had she wanted to cross the course, she could have done so in perfect safety by waiting two or three seconds. Witness found two suffragist flags pinned to the back of her jacket.

Constable Edey, of Walton Abbey, said he was on the upper side of the course at Tottenham Corner, about 40 yards from the straight, when he saw Miss Davison, as the leading horse was approaching, drop from the rail on which she was leaning, and her head shot under the railings just as the leading horse had passed.

In reply to the coroner, witness said that, considering the way the horses were bunched together, he did not think it was possible for anyone to pick out any particular horse as the one which knocked Miss Davison down.

The jury returned a verdict of "Death by misadventure."

Funeral At Morpeth.

The remains of Miss Davison will be taken from Epsom to London on Saturday morning, and will be escorted by a procession from Victoria to St. George's Church, Hart Street, Bloomsbury, where a service will be held. The procession will then continue from the church to King's Cross where the coffin will be entrained for Morpeth. Forming up in Buckingham Palace Road at 2pm, the procession will start punctually. The service is timed for 4 o'clock. The funeral will be at Morpeth Churchyard on Sunday.

The arrangements for the funeral at Morpeth, so far as they can be ascertained at present, are as follows: The body is due to arrive at Newcastle from King's Cross on Saturday at midnight, and it is expected that it will remain at the station overnight. A number of mourners will arrive by the same train from London.

During the day, members of the militant union will arrive in Newcastle from different branches in the country, in order to be in attendance at the funeral.

The members of the Newcastle branch of the W.S.P.U as well as other North country branches, and friends, will assemble at the Central Station on Sunday morning, and leave by the 10.40 train for Morpeth. The ladies have instructions to be attired in white, black, or purple, and a large majority of them will be dressed in white, while all will wear a black silk band on the right arm.

At 11.45 the procession will leave Morpeth station for the High Church, where the service is to be held, and the interment will afterwards take place in the burying ground adjoining. On the coffin of the deceased lady are to be the letters "W.S.P.U", The Benwell Silver Model Band will head the procession.

Wreaths have been sent from all branches of the union in the country, and these will be conveyed to Morpeth by train carrying the remains. The funeral service, it is stated will be conducted by the Rev. T. Wallace of St. Stephen's, Seaton Delaval. Mr T. J. Smith, undertaker, Morpeth, has charge of the local arrangements.

A Notable Funeral.

(Morpeth Herald 20th June 1913)

The funeral of the late Miss Emily Davison, who in pursuance of the tactics of the militant suffragettes lost her life, was the most impressive ceremony witnessed at Morpeth, doubtless since the old parish church was erected and that was in the Norman era.

The slow moving, well organised procession, with the banners and devices of the suffragettes in purple and white and green, marching to the mournful strains of the Dead March made up a spectacle most impressive, which was rendered more so by the reverent conduct of the thousands, who from all points along the route from the station to the churchyard silently viewed this demonstration where the pomp of politics invades the awful territory and presence of death itself.

The flowers and wreaths alone cost £500; one wreath of orchids alone costing £25. The public aspect of the funeral ceased at the lych gate, where the relatives took responsibility for the graveside proceedings.

The police arrangements were admirable, and in appreciation of this a brother of Mrs Pankhurst called at the police station and expressed appreciation and thanks to the Chief Constable and Superintendent Marshall for the admirable manner in which the proceedings had been carried out.

A Meeting In The Market Place.

On Sunday evening, the suffragists attending the funeral held a meeting in the Market Place, where a large crowd gathered and listened to a fluently delivered speech by Mrs Arncliffe Sennett, of the Actresses' Franchise League.

Mrs. Maud Arncliffe Sennett.

"I think Morpeth has every reason to be proud of itself today; it has given to the world a heroine." were among Mrs Sennett's first words. They were told, she proceeded, that it was not fitting to mix up religion with politics, but until they did so they would never get any politics of use in the world, because unless a man fused religion with his acts, those acts would not be of benefit to mankind.

She thought it was because politics had been separated from religion that politics has become what politicians had called them, a dirty game.

One woman had died for her creed, and she came from Morpeth, unless they had freedom in the body politic, the body politic would go under. They wanted the voice of the mothers as well as the voice of the fathers. Until women were brought into line with men they would never had a sound civilisation.

Those were things that Emily Davison saw clearly. She had done a great deed, and she shone for all time on the top of the hill, as a light shining in a dark place, until the dawn broke and the daystar rose in their hearts.

The Late Miss Emily Davison's Will.

(Morpeth Herald 5th September 1913)

Miss Emily Wilding Davison, formerly of Longhorsley, near Morpeth, who, it will be remembered, was the suffragist who caused a great sensation at the Derby by running in front of the King's horse during the race for the Derby Stakes, receiving injuries from which she never recovered, left an estate valued at £186 1s 7d. The will was made four years ago.

The Life Of Emily Davison.

(Morpeth Herald 26th December 1913)

An outline of the life of Emily Davison, who, it will be remembered, met her end under such tragic circumstances on Derby Day, has just been issued by the Woman's Press, Lincoln's Inn House, London, this book, which consists of 61 pages, is printed in readable type and nicely bound. It's author, G. Colmore, opens with the words;

"In the north country there is a small grey town, set in a basin of green hills. One of these hills bears on and about the summit remnants of a castle built and destroyed in bygone days;  and on the shoulder of the same hill stands an old church, in a churchyard, thick grown with yews and cypresses, with cedar pines and trees and shrubbery of many kinds. 

In that church, on a Sunday in June, in the year 1913, the burial service was read over the body of a woman - a body which had been carried from the midst of a shouting multitude to a shelter where death might come quietly....The name of the grey Northern town is Morpeth, and the body brought back to it from the south was that of it's most splendid daughter, and in that ancient graveyard, on a slope stretching upwards from the church towards the sky, lies the dead sheath of her who was known in life as Emily Wilding Davison."

The fight went on, in 1914 the Great War erupted across Europe and the world, during this conflict a motion was put to Parliament for electoral reform that included limited women's suffrage. 

It finally happened in the Representation of the People Act of 1918, which saw women over the age of 30 with property, gain the right to vote. It also saw all men aged from 21 get the vote without the need to own property. The fight was still on.

Eventually the Equal Franchise Act of 1928 was passed, this act gave the vote to every man and woman over the age of 21, without owning property. Fifteen years after Emily's demise words could finally overcome deeds, rest in peace Emily.

SMUGGLERS' BATTLES PART 7 - ....them that ask no questions..., 1800 to 1809.

SMUGGLERS' BATTLES PART 7 - ....them that ask no questions..., 1800 to 1809.

A history of the skirmishes seen across Britain during the "golden age" of smuggling, gleaned from newspaper accounts from the time it shows how far both side would go to gain success.

Smugglers Cove. A painting by Donald MacLeod

April 1800;

Last Tuesday morning Mr Whitpain, an officer of the Customs, assisted by a party of Light Dragoons, seized on the beach, near Broadwater, between three and four hundred casks and bags, containing brandy, rum and tobacco, which the smugglers had just landed, but by the activity of the above officer were prevented from conveying away.

The goods were afterwards safely lodged away in His Majesty's warehouse, at Shoreham.

June 1800;

Old Shoreham.

Some smugglers, a few nights ago experienced a serious loss, owing to their signal lights not being properly attended to, near Rottingdean, where a boat, containing one hundred and fifty tubs of contraband spirits, was, on being rowed on shore, seized by the Revenue Officers in waiting.

The crew of a larger boat, laden with four hundred and fifty tubs and packages, to effect their escape, were compelled to throw their cargo overboard, but which, for the most part, was afterwards recovered, by boats belonging to the Customs house at Shoreham.

Shoreham Customs House Vault.

November 1800;

A gentleman and his wife were passing through Earsham in a whiskey, the horse suddenly turned out of the road, and the gentleman was thrown from the carriage, but happily received no injury.

On examining the cause of the animal's fright, he discovered a heavy lift of 4 bars, laid across the road, and on proceeding about a furlong further, there was another laid in the like manner. It is strongly suspected that this wantonly atrocious act was committed by a party of smugglers to elude some cavalry who were in pursuit of them.

January 1801;

Saturday, Richard Harnell, otherwise Arnold, otherwise Little Dick, a noted smuggler was brought before R. Ford Esq. by Dixon, one of the Bow Street Officers, who had just arrived in town with him from Sheerness.

He had been detained  a prisoner on board His Majesty's ship, the Zealand, on a strong suspicion of being the Captain of a smuggling cutter, which, on the 18th June 1794, maliciously fired into a boat belonging to the Lively Excise Cutter, off the coast of Sussex, and wounded three of the crew, and for whose apprehension a reward of £500 was long advertised.

The prisoner was taken a short time since on board another smuggling vessel, of which he was the commander; together with 600 tubs of brandy, and 97 of tobacco, and which vessel was captured by the Repulse Revenue Cutter off Harwich.

Little Dick would die after a fall from his horse in January 1807.

March 1801;

The Revenue Cutter Buckingham, Capt. Hopkins, has carried into port of Strangford the noted smuggling cutter, the Lottery. After a chase of 48 hours, she threw overboard her guns and part of her cargo, the smugglers even cut some of her beams in order to escape the King's Cutter.

May 1801;

Robert Carter, whose offence was peculiarly atrocious, it appearing that his party of smugglers fired at the officers, and kept their smuggled spirits in caves under rocks defended by barriers, was sentenced to three years hard labour on the river Thames.

A Thames Prison Hulk.

June 1801;

Tuesday morning about 1 o'clock a skirmish took place on shore at Dungeness, between the boats of the Anacreon armed brig, and a party of smugglers.

It is said 2 of the smugglers were killed and 2 wounded, and being repulsed by their opponents, about 700 tubs of spirits and a vessel were taken possession of and carried to Dover.

August 1801;

Edward Brotherton (Customs Officer) said that on the 8th September 1800, he was employed as riding officer to the Customs House, and received information which led him to a village called Great Clackton.

He got there about ten o'clock at night. About twelve he saw two carts close by the roadside, loaded with casks of liquor, and four persons standing by them. He had seen three of the persons, namely, Micklefield, Miller and Edwards, they were dressed in smock frocks, and the other was in a blue coat.

He tasted one of the casks, and having satisfied himself that it contained foreign geneva, he seized it for the use of the King, and himself; he proclaimed his seizure, the defendants ran to the horses' heads, and came round and attacked him.

They struck at him with large sticks about four feet long, they struck him as hard as they could, and repeated their blows, holding their bludgeons with both hands. He tried to protect himself with his stick, but they drove it out of his hand, he then took his hanger, with which he attempted to defend himself, they struck his hanger and drove it out of his hand.

Finding himself thus hard pressed, he pulled out his pistol, rode towards them, and attempted to discharge it, but it miss fired, they retreated at the sight of the pistol, and ran towards the carts.

In the scuffle he had lost his hat, at the same time the wounds he had received bled very much. It was so dark he could not see where the defendants were. Just as he reached the place where he lost his hat, two of the men came up, and before he could mount his horse, began upon him with their sticks.

One of them snatched up the pistol he had lost and exclaimed "Damn him, blow his brains out!" snapped it at his head. Another struck him with his own hanger, and cut through his hat. One gave him a blow with a stick on the temple, which rendered him insensible.

When he recovered , he found himself lying between two trees, and the smugglers had disappeared with their carts. He walked down to a public house about two hundred yards distant, but could not get the people up. He made the best of his way home, which was about five miles off, with a deal of trouble  he reached home at near five in the morning. He was attended by a surgeon for two months after.

When he saw Micklefield he was clear he was one of the persons who had assaulted him, he never had the least doubt as to his identity, he had not the same certainty at first about Miller, but he verily believes he was one of the men. All three were found guilty.

September 1801;

A singular circumstance occurred on Tuesday last, at King Harry's Passage, Cornwall.

A smuggler, with two ankers of brandy on the horse under him, was discovered by an Exciseman, also on horseback, on the road to the Passage. The smuggler immediately rode off at full speed, pursued by the Officer, who pressed so close upon him, that after rushing down the steep hill to the Passage, with the greatest of rapidity, he plunged his horse into the water, and attempted to gain the opposite shore.

King Harry's Passage

The horse had not swam half way over, before, exhausted with fatigue and the load on it's back, he was on the point of sinking, when the intrepid rider slid from his back, and with his knife cut the slings of the ankers, and swam alongside his horse, exerting himself to keep his head above water, but all to no purpose, the horse was drowned, and the man with some difficulty reached the shore.

The less mettlesome Exciseman had halted on the shore, where he surveyed the ineffectual struggle, and afterwards, with help of the ferryman, got possession of the ankers.

September 1801;

James Tubb (Revenue Officer) said, in January last, he was an officer of excise, and was in company with March and Clarke, Customs House Officers, upon the look out after smuggled goods; he observed late at night four men with a cart and two horses, which they were driving towards a sheep house in the Seasalter marshes.

Seasalter Marshes

He went with March to the spot, found 30 ankers of foreign geneva, and seized them, the defendant, Robinson, was lying by them. Tubb had left Clarke in charge of the horses, and sent March to Seasalter for a cart, after he had gone they saw 6 men with large sticks coming up to them. Tubb posted himself at the door of the sheep house, and presented his pistol.

Robinson immediately joined the six, threw off his great coat, and said "Now, damn me, if you shall keep the goods, though you have taken them", he advanced towards Tubb, Hart, one of the smugglers seized his arm, and wrested his pistol from him, thrust him back into the sheep house, and threw him down.

Hart struck him repeatedly with his fist, exclaiming, "Damn me, I'll kill him, I'll kill him!" Robinson said "No, we will not kill him." At that instant Clarke fired and shot Hart in the shoulder, in consequence of which he left Tubb and desired Robinson to keep him down.

Hart, who was but slightly wounded, went towards the ankers, and said, if the officers would not let them have half, he would stave the whole. Finding that Tubb would not comply, he threw the whole of them out of the sheep house into an adjoining field.

Tubb begged Robinson to let him up and wipe his face, as it was very bloody. The smugglers at length went away, and Tubb, out of 30 casks, found 26 in different parts of the fields. Tubb had known Robinson before, and was positive as to his being one of the smugglers, he was equally positive about Hart being the man shot and wounded by Clarke. Both men were found guilty.

September 1801;

Thomas Pelham (Customs House Officer), assaulted in the course of his duty.

In consequence of information he had received, he proceeded to the coast, having previously procured the assistance of some dragoons. About one in the morning he arrived at Rottingdean Gap, and perceived a company of smugglers, amounting to between 50 and 100.

Rottingdean Gap 1820

He likewise observed a number of horses, with saddles and straps. Upon his approach with the soldiers, the smugglers flashed their pieces, and made fires on the hills, as signals to the boats to stand off.

One boat was very near the shore, and another farther off, they both appeared deeply laden, the boats answered the signal. At this time a quantity of stones were thrown off the cliff, there were a great number of stones, and very large ones, aimed at him and his assistants.

Pelham then went up the Gap, and requested the smugglers to desist from throwing stones, as one of the soldiers had been struck. Two of the smugglers, of the names of William Dunk and William Kinnard, came up, and the latter abused him very much, by calling him a rascal, robber, murderer and a villian, and threatened to knock him off his horse if he did not alight and fight him, and said, he and his party would fight them, man for man until they died.

A man, Davey, caught hold of his bridle, Pelham asked him what authority did he have, only to be replied "Damn him!" Pelham soon twisted it out of his hand, and Davey struck him in the side.

Pelham sent some soldiers to another place, where he expected the boats to land, and remained with the rest at Rottingdean Gap. A smuggler took out a bag of gold , and placing 3 guineas between his fingers said "You are good fellows, quit this rascal, and we will work the goods in defiance of him." The soldiers refused to take the money, and followed Pelham to Greenway, where he supposed the boats had gone. The smugglers followed abusing them all the way.

16th Regiment of Dragoons

Several soldiers of the 16th Regiment of Dragoons entirely corroborated the account given by the officer.

November 1801;

Edmund Davey, William Duncan and W. Dunn, convicted at the last assizes for Sussex, of having assaulted and obstructed a Revenue Officer, were brought to receive judgement.

It appeared from the affidavit of the officer, that the smugglers were assembled in a great gang near Rottingdean Gap, and attacked the officers and soldiers with great stones; one of the defendants at the same time offering 3 guineas to the soldiers if they would leave the officers; in which case they would land their goods in spite of their teeth.

There were then two or three boats lying in the offing, a little way from the shore, deeply laden with tubs.

It was understood that in that part of the country, that every servant or husbandman who chose to go out on a night and assist the smugglers, had claim to a guinea a night, and any quantity of liquor they chose. Among these people that is considered a debt of honour.

The Smugglers Rest, Rottingdean, the heritage of smuggling lives on.

November 1801;

General Don

Military Intelligence - In consequence of a gang of smugglers having fired on a party of the Derbyshire Militia at Deal (where their assistance was required by the officers of the Revenue to escort a seizure they had made to the Customs House).

General Don has issued very strict orders, and that in future, if called upon a like occasion, the party shall not consist of less than 50 men and three officers, who are to load their pieces before they march off, in order to return any fire that may be made on them.

December 1801;

William Sanders, said that on the night of the 11th September last, in consequence of information given, he and his partner, together with the supervisor, went from Yarmouth to a place called St. Olave's Bridge.

They were at this place about one in the morning, when two carts came up loaded with tubs of gin. The witness laid his hand on the first of them and said "I seize this cart and these horses, together with the liquor , for the use of the King and ourselves."

He had scarcely spoke these words when one of the smugglers named Benstead, came behind and cut him severely in the back of the head. The witness immediately struck at him with his cutlass and beat him down. A second man who came up he served in the same manner.

The prisoner Hawke then came up with a stick in his hand, and appearing as if he meant to use violence, the witness struck and wounded him also with his hanger. The smugglers then went off, and possession was taken of the goods.

December 1801;

Last Friday night a great number of tubs of contraband spirits (supposed to have been thrown overboard by some smuggling cutter under chase) floated on shore with the tide at Newhaven. 

The circumstances being unknown to the Revenue Officers, the tubs were taken up and secured by poor persons belonging to the place.

December 1801;

Messers Hiscock and Piddell, two officers of the Customs at Portsmouth, being on the lookout near Southsea Common, met a party of smugglers, from whom they took a quantity of tubs.

Southsea Common circa 1860

After having them in their possession for a quarter of an hour, the smugglers returned, and marching up like soldiers, and armed with large stones and pieces of railing, they swore they might as well die as to lose their goods.

The officers immediately presented their pistols, and threatened to fire, if they attempted to touch the tubs. The smugglers declaring they would have them or lose their lives. Each of the officers fired a pistol, which is supposed to have wounded some of the smugglers, but unfortunately the officers were soon overpowered and beaten in so dreadful a manner with the butt ends of their own pistols, that Mr Piddell is thought to lose one of his eyes, and is supposed to have saved his life by defending his head with his arms, which are most terribly beaten.

Mr Hiscock is also severely bruised and wounded. The officers, being glad to escape with their lives, left the smugglers in possession of the tubs. Mr Thomas Mottley, with his boat's crew, went in pursuit of the smugglers, and took one man, who's name is Bennet with a cask of spirits, he has been committed to gaol.

January 1802;

Mr James Ireland of the Customs cutter Tartar, stationed at Dover, was on duty in the six oared boat off Walmer, together with a crew. There they fell in with a smuggling lugger, and followed her to the town of Deal, where she anchored, and the officer and crew boarded her.

Smuggling Lugger at Deal.

While the officer and men were in the act of getting the lugger off, a great number of boats full of men, to the amount of 150 or more, were launched from the shore at Deal, and came alongside of the smuggling lugger.

With threats and oaths they boarded and struck the officer and his boat crew several times, and at last compelled them to leave the lugger, through fear of being killed by the smugglers. One of them took a pistol out of the hands of one of the Tartar's crew, and presented it to him, but it flashed in the pan, and missed fire.

January 1802;

Horsford, near Norwich

On Monday was seized, at Cawston Woodrow, by two officers of the Excise and two soldiers, six horses and five carts laden with spirits and tobacco. In conveying them to Norwich, they were followed and attacked at Horsford by upwards of thirty smugglers armed with guns, blunderbusses and pistols.

They immediately fired upon the soldiers and officers, a desperate engagement ensued, one soldier received a shot in the face and another in his left shoulder. Several smugglers were severely wounded, and two of them have since died.

A great reward is offered for the apprehending of the villains that were guilty of this audacious offence.

November 1802;

A violent combat ensued between the officers of the Customs and the smugglers, in which the Customs House Lieutenant was killed, and two of his assistants wounded. One of the smugglers is also dead.

November 1802;

Mr Reid, Supervisor of Excise at Dalkeith, with some of his officers, interfered on the road, with two horse loads of spirits, escorted by two smugglers, when a desperate affray ensued.

The officers shot one of the horses, and wounded another, after being repeatedly struck with bludgeons, and by these means alone were able to secure the seizure, with the exception of one anker, which the smugglers staved.

December 1802;

Yesterday morning early, B. Johnson, a smuggler confined in the Fleet, contrived to make his escape over the high wall of that prison. Johnson effected his escape, in company with Tapsel, a few years ago, from the New Gaol in the Borough, by an extraordinary stratagem, and by a relay of horses, got out of the Kingdom.

Horsemonger Lane Gaol, also known as the New Gaol.

When the expedition to Holland was first mentioned he offered his service to pilot the whole of the British fleet, which he completely effected, and obtained his pardon.

Returning to his old practice of smuggling, wherein he acted with a high hand against Revenue Officers, he was lately taken into custody, and admitted to the Fleet Prison, in order to be taken to Newgate to be tried for a capital offence.

December 1802;

A man scraped up a few pounds for a venture in what is called on the coast, a fair trade, and went over to the other side in a small boat, on his own account, smuggled on board a large quantity of what was warranted to him to be champagne, of the bulk vintage, and which he paid for at the rate of 24 livres per dozen.

He had the good luck to sell above half of it at an enormous profit, before a person, more cunning than the customers he at first had, and who depended on the peculiar shape of the bottle, the length of the cork and the wire that secured it, for the goodness of the contents, made the discovery that the bottles were filled with coloured water quite tasteless.

January 1803;

Friday morning an affray took place in this city (Chichester) between two smugglers and two Excise Officers, and after a very hard contest, during which one of the officers lodged a ball in the thigh of one of his opponents, they made off, leaving a horse and cart, laden with spirituous liquors and tobacco.

January 1803;

Mr Whitford, Coroner for Devon, took an inquest on the body of Mr Bartlett, Riding Surveyor of Excise for the Port of Dartmouth, who was so cruelly beat on the 12th December last by two smugglers and died last Sunday. Verdict of the Jury, wilful murder against person or persons unknown.

Four smugglers are in custody on suspicion of being concerned in this brutal and inhuman murder of a very active officer, and a very worthy member of society.

March 1803;

The Newhaven Riding Officers, assisted by the crew of the Seaford boat, fell in with a gang of smugglers, in number about 150, near the barracks at Bletchington, from whom, after a pretty sharp conflict, with bludgeons, cutlasses, and pistols, they seized 88 casks of contraband spirits and two horses.

Photo taken at the Smugglers Adventure, Hastings.

Being pursued by the smugglers the conflict was renewed, and obstinately maintained for about a quarter of an hour, during which time the officers kept constantly firing their pistols at the enemy, several of whom were wounded, as were many of their horses, and those deemed the most valuable, in a shocking manner, some of them having their eyes cut out, and some their ears cut off and others different parts of their body.

The smugglers at length gave way, and left the officers in possession of the 39 casks of spirit, and four small parcels of tea. The officers escaped with some severe bruises, and the smugglers, we believe, without any mortal wounds, but two of the horses have since died.

October 1803;

Old Deal, postcard.

A Coast Officer at Deal on the lookout for smugglers saw a boat running on the beach at the grey of the morning, from which 2 pipes of wine were landed and instantly carried off in a two horse cart, by the smugglers, to a house at some short distance from the shore, the owner of which the officer was intimate.

Proceeding thither with an assistant, in the course of the day, the owner of the house asked him kindly to come in the evening and smoke a pipe. "No thank you", replied the officer, "I smoked a pipe or two too many with you this morning, and am now come to have a peep into your wine cellar." The two pipes were seized, and half a dozen more into the bargain.

April 1804;

Monday night an affray happened between a Customs House Officer, assisted by a party of military, and some smugglers, who were in the act of unloading a cutter at Dumpton Stairs, near Ramsgate.

Dumpton Stairs (Gap) as it is today.

When the smugglers attempted, after resigning their goods, to get off the cutter, were fired upon, by which two of them were killed, and a third wounded in the face.

May 1804;

In an affray which happened at Doddington on Wednesday, between some Excise Officers and smugglers, one of the latter was unfortunately shot through the body, and another wounded in the cheek. The smugglers are said to have resisted the officers in the execution of their duty.

June 1804;

Tuesday morning early, an affray occurred in a lane near Shepherdswell, between a gang of smugglers and four riding officers. The smugglers had in their train 18 horses, loaded with half ankers of spirits, the greater part of which were taken, but not until several were wounded on each side.

July 1804;

James Barnford, Supervisor of Excise, at Rochester, was arraigned on the Coroner's Inquest for killing and slaying John Eaton, on the 9th May, at Doddington in this county (Cambridgeshire).

It appeared that the deceased was a smuggler, and that his resistance to the officer occasioned the latter to fire a pistol which took fatal effect.

The Jury without hesitation acquitted the prisoner.

January 1805;

Murder - A few days ago some smugglers deposited several tubs of gin in a wood near Sprat's Bottom, in Kent, till a convenient opportunity occurred to remove them.

On their return for that purpose they discovered that one of the tubs was gone, and on enquiry they were told that a person usually denominated 'Old Will' had been seen with one on his back, they accordingly set out in pursuit of him, and induced him to return to the spot with them.

When questioned he denied any knowledge of it, on which they tied him to a tree, and with their double thonged whips, flogged him until not the smallest sign of life appeared, and then left him.

Some persons passing through the wood, found the body about 100 yards from the place, whither it is supposed he had crawled on his hands and knees. A reward has been offered for the apprehension of the offenders, but, though they are known, it has been hitherto without effect.

January 1805;

On the evening of Tuesday se'nnight, Mr R. Herdman, officer of excise at Sheraton, attacked a gang of smugglers passing through Castle Eden to Sunderland, with several carts loaded with geneva and tobacco.

The conflict became severe, and the exciseman, after receiving several wounds, had nearly given up the contest, but the inhabitants from the above townships, assembled, a complete victory was at length obtained over them, when possession was taken of about 50 tubs of spirits, besides several bales of tobacco, which was lodged in the customs house at Stockton.

The above gang have carried this trade from Guisborough to Sunderland for some years past, with impunity, being of such daring disposition, that few of the revenue officers durst attempt to stop them.

March 1805;

Private Letter From New Romney.

First Lancashire Militia

A smuggler, which landed her cargo on this coast a few days since, was seized by a Revenue Cutter, but the officers, from the opposition they experienced, could not keep possession of her without the assistance of the military.

A party of the First Lancashire Militia, stationed at Dungeness, were accordingly called to their assistance.

They had not long been on this duty, when they were attacked by about 100 smugglers, in consequence of which a smart engagement ensued, nor were they repulsed till the military had fired eight or ten rounds.

One smuggler was killed on the spot, and several wounded, and we are sorry to add, that Captain Hollingshead, who headed the party, received a slug from a blunderbuss in his side, which we fear will prove fatal.

June 1805;

Last Thursday some smugglers being pursued by a press boat off Bognor, escaped to shore. On their way to Felpham they found a keg of brandy, which they took to the Fox public house, for the purpose of partaking of its contents.

The Fox, Felpham.

During the time they were thus employed, a quarrel ensued, and one of them, who was intoxicated, wished to fight with his companions, in endeavouring to do this, he so much bruised himself (for it does not appear that he received a blow from either of his companions) that he died on Saturday. He was a native of Hastings.

June 1805;

Willian Fosten, mate of the Defence cutter, in the service of the Customs, in company with nine seamen also from the Defence, being on duty at Whitstable Bay seized a boat and about 42 tubs of smuggled spirit.

As they were proceeding to secure the said seizure, they were violently attacked by a large party of smugglers armed with cutlasses and clubs and other offensive weapons.

The smugglers knocked down Mr Fosten, and while he lay bleeding by the boat side, beat and dangerously wounded him and several of his men in a most cruel and brutal manner, and rescued and carried away 33 of the casks of spirit, and one musket, five pistols and five cutlasses belonging to the seamen.

A reward of £100 has been posted.

August 1805;

At Newcastle assizes an indictment was preferred by one of the coroners for the Northern District of Northumberland, against the township of Crookham, for neglecting to give him notice of the death of a smuggler, who died in consequence of a wound received in resisting a seizure by a party of the Royal Cheviot Legion.

The penalty by Act of Parliament is £200. As the wound was received in resisting lawful authority, and there was no suspicion of murder attached to the transaction, the verdict was for the defendants.

August 1805;

It is now a penal offence to make a light, fire or blaze, for the purpose of giving signals to smugglers at sea by an Act of Parliament. Defendants charged with making a fire on the 29th October 1804, on a hill, near Bognor, for the purpose of a signal to a smuggling boat, hovering on the coast.

Edward Pencham, officer of Excise in the parish of Pagham, was on duty on the coast, near Burstead, in the company of other Excise Officers, about 2 in the morning they saw a fire kindled on the cliff, Hornsby was the only man attending this fire; at the same time they saw two men on the sands making flashers, this was Sheppard and another man.

A Flasher & Signal Lantern

They saw another flash in the direction which Sheppard took, they pursued and searched him, and found upon him the flash pistol. As they passed they saw a smuggling boat about 200 yards from the shore, and they had no doubt but these flashes were a signal to her.

The boat was seized, and contained 350 half ankers, and three bags of tobacco. The defendants were acquitted on the grounds that the court had no jurisdiction, because the information had not been filed at the nearest sessions, as the act directed.

November 1805;

One night last week a sharp rencontre took place on the Dicker, near Lewes, Sussex, between a party of smugglers and some Revenue Officers, in which one of the former was most desperately wounded with a cutlass; another of the gang had the muzzle of a loaded pistol at his breast when it missed fire, and thus fortuitously spared his life.

The Officers maintained their ground manfully, though greatly outnumbered, and after receiving some heavy blows, brought off two horses laden with contraband spirits.

May 1806;

An affray took place on Friday night, at Deal, between the Customs House officers and some smugglers. One of the Customs House boat's crew was carried off, in a desperate state, to the hospital, and several were wounded.

One of the smugglers, a man of the name of Stokes, was killed. There were 11 boats on shore at one time, and the companies, which went down to assist, amounted to no less than 300 men.

Deal Customs House.

June 1806;

The Nimble cutter from the port of Deal, seized a brig laden with a large quantity of smuggled liquor on board just off Folkestone, near the Customs House watch house, at that place, and shortly afterwards two boats, with persons armed, came from the shore, upon which the smugglers in the same brig began to assault the Customs men.

The smuggler William Pay forcibly took Mr Richardson's blunderbuss, which he  cocked and pointed at mariner William Parker, the smugglers then boarded the seized brig and compelled the mariners belonging to the Nimble, to get into their boats and remain alongside the brig.

One of the smugglers standing upon the deck of the brig, threatened to fire upon them if they tried to escape, and a boat with seven men armed, was stationed next to them, and also threatened to fire upon them if they resisted or attempted an escape.

The smugglers then rescued and took out of the brig 14 puncheons and pipes said to contain geneva, which they then landed on the beach at Folkestone.

June 1806;

Thursday night, a horseman, belonging to a small party of smugglers, in attempting to escape with his goods, was shot dead by a customs officer, a small distance from Folkestone, it is said he left a widow and four children.

June 1806;

The Murder Of Russell.

The Stag Revenue Cutter.

A few nights ago, as a six oared boat, belonging to the Stag Revenue Cutter, of Rye, was attempting to board a smuggling lugger, off the town of Deal, the crew of the latter discharged muskets into the boat, and wounded John Russell and Robert Barham, the former so desperately, that he has since died of his wounds.

The lugger immediately hoisted her forsail, and run on shore, where between 200 to 300 men, mostly armed, were assembled to run the goods, from the said lugger, and the contraband cargoes of nine others, of different sizes, on their approach to the shore.

As the boat of the Revenue landed, they were surrounded by the smugglers, who after disarming them, kicked and beat them severely, stove their boat to pieces, and carried away her mast, sails, arms and oars.

June 1806;

A reward of £300 is offered by Government for the apprehension of any of the smugglers concerned in the murder of Russell, a Customs House officer at Deal. The crews of the Io, Victory, Hawke, and Betsey of Deal, Fly of Folkestone, Nancy of Lydd, and of three other luggers, are implicated in the affair.

October 1806;

The Watchman of the Customs House at Deal, on going his rounds about 3 o'clock on Monday morning last, discovered a large quantity of gunpowder laid under the porch of the house of the Collector of the Customs; and also a train of gunpowder extending nearly round the whole of the Customs House and King's Warehouse; upon which he alarmed the Collector's family.

Presently he perceived two men dressed in sailor's jackets, who, on being called to, answered, with horrid impercations, that they would blow up the Customs House and the Collector's family, or hang the latter at the masthead, finding their plot was discovered they ran away.

It seems that the Officers of the Customs have lately made some very considerable seizures of smuggled goods at Deal, which were deposited in the King's Warehouse. This circumstance has greatly enraged the smugglers, who for several days used many threats to the officers.

A military guard is now doing duty at the Customs House, to prevent these desperados from carrying their diabolical designs into execution.

February 1807;

Ann Payne, about 26, of Dartford, in Kent, stated she had cohabited with a John Sisley for about two years, who got his living principally by smuggling. She used to dress in men's clothes and go out with him to assist in smuggling liquor, she rode on horseback as a man and used to be armed with two pistols.

Just before Christmas she went on horseback, as a man, in company with John Sisley, John Doe, a man called Old Tom, and the prisoners in order to smuggle 48 kegs of Hollands gin from Shepherd's at Deal.

The kegs were got safe on shore in the night, she had three kegs put upon her horse, and a horse was led which carried six kegs, all the men had the same. They proceeded safe on their journey, without interruption, until the following night near Hollingbourne, in Kent, when they met two Excisemen named Duly and Cocks, who desired them to "fall down" their goods.

Sisley answered  that they did not mean to lose them, and Sisley made an attack upon Duly, and struck his horse a violent blow with a stick, which knocked the animal down, and on it's recovery, ran away at full speed.

Old Dartford.

The officer was thrown from his horse , and Sisley struck him while he was down. Ann Payne and Old Tom rode off and made their escape with the liquor, while the officers were engaged in the affray with the smugglers. A few days after the prisoner Butcher came to Sisley's house at Dartford, and told Sisley, that the officers had cut off John Doe's straps and stirrups, and threw the kegs over a hedge.

He went back to the spot and recovered the kegs, and concealed them in Stone Wood, near Dartford, till a favourable opportunity offered to convey them home. The prisoner Butcher received a severe blow on the leg from the officers, and the prisoner Jeal had part of his ears cut off, and John Doe had a piece of one of his elbows cut off.

March 1807;

A very serious tumult took place at Dover on Monday evening, the particulars of which are as follows:

A Sketch of the Old Gaol, Dover

As seven men belonging to the Lilburn smuggling lugger, were conveyed to gaol, in consequence of having fired into the Customs House boat, about 500 persons assembled in the market place, and attempted a rescue.

The Magistrates and other peace officers interfered, and endeavoured to disperse the mob, but were repulsed, and some of them severely hurt, and the mob succeeded in getting three on the men away.

The Town Clerk then was obliged to read the Riot Act, and proceeded to swear in a number of extra constables and demand the assistance of the military.

The 12th Dragoons.

The 12th Dragoons immediately paraded the streets and by that means dispersed the crowd, which now amounted to about 2000 people, some of whom had ascended the Guildhall stairs, and were proceeding to rescue the rest of the smugglers.

These were, however, driven down by the constables, and the prisoners were safely lodged in the town, when the crowd gradually returned to their homes. No lives were lost on this occasion. It having been thought that an attempt would be made to break open the gaol, the men were removed, under escort, to the gaol at the castle.

April 1807;

A lugger laden with contraband goods, was seized off Deal, and afterwards delivered, with her crew, to the care of the Collector and Comptroller at Dover. While the officers were busy securing the seizure, an attempt was made by some of the smugglers to escape.

A skirmish ensued, and we are sorry to add, that several on both sides were wounded. A party of dragoons were called to assist the officers, and so desperate were the smugglers, that they continued their resistance even after the arrival of the military.

One of the dragoons had his horse shot from under him, the smugglers, we understand, were all afterwards secured, and properly guarded under their confinement.

June 1807;

Police Office - Bow Street.

The Goodwin Sands, looking towards the White Cliffs of Dover

The ship Endeavour, a West Indiaman from Jamaica, on her way home, was wrecked on the Goodwin Sands. A boat came to her assistance from Deal, and the men on board asked the Master of the Endeavour if she was likely to get off the sands, and being answered in the negative, they set to work to get the cargo out, about 30 other boats followed, put the passengers and crew on shore, and took possession of the cargo, to the value of several thousand pounds, on the grounds of it being a wreck.

The Three Kings Inn, now The Royal Hotel, Deal

Mr John Kneller, one of the passengers, inquired what they were going to do with the property, he was answered, with a great deal of abusive language, that it was none of his business. On Mr Kneller's arrival in London he informed Mr Wildburn, the principle owner of the cargo that they had taken. They agreed to go to Deal in pursuit of the man who had abused Mr Kneller on the shore. After being in the coffee house of the Three Kings Inn at Deal for a short time, a man came in whom Mr Kneller recognised to be him, he denied the charge. He proved to be Peter Atkins, the owner of the boat Noble, and kept a house at Deal.

Mr Wildman had employed Mr Carpmeal and several other Bow Street Officers, to go and apprehend him. On the officers going to Atkins's house, they were beaten off by a number of armed smugglers, and Atkins made his escape. Information being lately received that he had returned to Deal, Pearkes and Anthony were employed to go in pursuit of him.

From the Smugglers Adventure, Hastings

The officers accordingly went early on Sunday morning, and took all due precaution to avoid being discovered, and, to be provided against any forcible resistance, applied at horse barracks, a short distance away, for assistance, in case it was wanted.

The Commanding Officer ordered a Sergeant's guard to attend the officers, and they were stationed within a few minutes call of Adkins's house. The officers employed a boy to knock at the door, and, on it's being opened, they rushed in.

An alarm was instantly given, and several neighbours, who were smugglers, came in, and with horrid imprecations demanded to know the officers business. The officers presented pistols, and said if they attempted to interfere, they would shoot them.

In the meantime the officers had sent the boy for the party of soldiers, who arrived in about five minutes, and surrounded the house. The officers having secured Atkins, just as he was going to breakfast, brought him into the street, the soldiers formed a circle around him, and they all marched to the barracks, where the officers procured a chaise and four and set off for London, escorted by a troop of cavalry.

August 1807;

On the 27th June last, Stephen Saxby, Tide Surveyor of the Customs, at the port of Deal, and his assistants, being on duty, and about to seize smuggled goods, then landing from a boat, at the North End of the town of Deal, was feloniously obstructed by a large party of smugglers, to the number of one hundred and more, some of them armed with fire arms, who threatened to shoot the said Stephen Saxby, and prevented him from seizing said goods.

The beautiful town of Deal.

Reward for information leading to capture £200.

August 1807;

Deal - Yesterday evening, a smuggling boat having on board contraband goods, was observed approaching the shore, when a boat belonging to HMS Princess Of Orange, put off and rowed towards her.

Upon approaching, the smuggler fired at her antagonist (who was just going to board her), which unfortunately proved fatal to the coxswain, who was shot through the body, and wounded two men, the smugglers ran their boat ashore between Deal and Walmer Castle, and seemed part of her cargo, when they ran off. The boat was seized this morning and has since been cut through the middle.

August 1807;

Deal.

On Tuesday night Lieut. Campbell, commanding the guard boat pursued a lugger in the south east, standing directly for the land: The Lieutenant immediately rowed in for the land, in hopes to cut her off, but his efforts proved ineffectual, as she reached the shore before him.

He saw her in the act of landing her goods, when he hailed her to desist, and at the same time fired a shot over the party. The smugglers immediately fired a volley of small arms at the King's boat, which wounded a man through the groin.

At which Lieut. Campbell run his boat on the beach and landed with his party of men, consisting of 6, and attacked the smugglers, who by this time mustered between 60 and 70, when an incessant fire was kept up.

During the fracas, one man, which I understood to be the coxswain of the boat, was shot and 2 more wounded: the Lieut. immediately procured a guard from the barracks, and seized the goods, and the galley. The spirited conduct of Lieutenant Campbell is deserving of the highest praise.

September 1807;

Mr W. Thompson of Deal, who was supposed to have died from a wound he received in the late affray between some Revenue Officers and smugglers in the neighbourhood of Deal, and who was buried at Shouldon, near that place, without an inquest having been held.

An inquest was taken on the body the same day, when the jury returned a verdict "apparently killed by musket ball." 

The jury waited for 5 hours whilst the constable, assisted by 2 Bow Street Runners, endeavoured to apprehend a person alleged to be a material witness, and had been summoned to give evidence, but after a thorough search of Deal, he could not be found.

October 1807;

Bodmin Gaol.

Several smugglers were committed to Bodmin Gaol last week, and whilst they were loading them with irons, one of the party pretending a great deal of sang froid, said to the turnkey, "Well I've seen enough of this, so I'll be going home."

The turnkey supposing him to be a mere spectator, who had been induced by curiosity to come in to see the grieves put on the prisoners, opened the gate, and the smuggler quietly walked off, silently rejoicing in the success of his scheme.

The ingenuity of the delinquent, however, with whom he had taken shelter, forgot what was due to hospitality, and surrendered him again to the civil power.

October 1807;

The Customs House Lugger Scourge, fell in with a large smuggling boat off Walmer Castle, last night, and after a pretty obstinate resistance, succeeded in capturing her. Her contents, about 600 kegs of contraband spirits, have been deposited in the Customs warehouse.

She is quite new and it appears this was her first voyage. We hear one man was killed and another wounded in the action, on the smugglers side.

November 1807;

Cornwall - We hear that a man was killed a few days ago in the neighbourhood of St. Keverne, in this county, in a skirmish between revenue officers and smugglers.

December 1807;

On Wednesday about midnight, the Eastbourne and Pevensey revenue officers, fell in with a large gang of smugglers, running prohibited goods near Pevensey Sluice, when, after a long struggle, they seized about 50 casks of geneva, and three horses.

They also found an arms chest containing carbines, cutlasses, and nearly 100 ball cartridges. The whole of which the officers delivered to the care of the Collector of the Customs at Eastbourne.

January 1808;

An Excise Cutter.

Dover - A few nights back, as a boat belonging the the Lively Excise Cutter, under command of Captain Lilburne, was in pursuit of a boat near Deal, supposed to be a smuggler, she was fired at by the boat which she was chasing. Two of her crew were wounded, one in the shoulder and the other in the thigh.

May 1808;

On Wednesday morning a lugger ran into Crowlink, near Cuckmere in Sussex, where a party of men were assembled to convey them away, when some soldiers, who were patrolling the coast, fell in with them.

The soldiers took five horses and ten casks of spirits, and four men, two of whom made their escape. The goods were lodged in the Customs House in Newhaven, and the men put in confinement. A scuffle ensued, in which one of the smugglers received a dangerous wound on the head from a sabre.

July 1808;

Saturday morning, the Asp, Customs House lugger, of Deal, came into Dover, the crew having in the course of the night been on shore at Deal in their boats, accompanied by the boats of the Nimble, Customs House cutter, of Deal.

They had been in pursuit of some smuggling boats which had gone on shore, but on landing, they were fired upon by a party from the shore, the consequences of which were that two of the people in the Customs House boats, Ellis and Bruce, were killed on the spot, and a third is so badly wounded as to lie without hopes of recovery having received two shots, two others are slightly wounded.

Soon after the lugger came in, a jury was summoned, who returned a verdict of "wilful murder by persons unknown". Two boats and a part of the goods were taken, the smugglers made their escape.

August 1808;

A Stale Trick - Yesterday a man who had landed from a ship near the Customs House Quays, with a loaf of bread under his arm, which he appeared to carry carelessly, was observed by an officer, who suspected some contrivance.

The guardian of the public revenue therefore demanded of the man what he embraced so closely! "Only a stale loaf," was the answer. The officer then took hold of the loaf, which immediately came asunder, and discovered a quantity of foreign lace.

After seizing the lace, the officer then returned the loaf to the unfortunate smuggler and cooly observed, "this is indeed a very stale loaf, and you may keep it for your breakfast."

October 1808;

From the Smugglers Adventure, Hastings.

A smart affray took place on Monday night, between a party of smugglers, who were proceeding with a quantity of Hollands gin, tobacco ect, from Fordingbridge to London, and a party of officers, who accidently fell in with them.

The smugglers had seven horses heavily laden, and three of them were taken, with the spoil. There were no firearms, and the smugglers, who were numerous, made their escape, after a smart action with sticks and fists.

November 1808;

THE KING V. JOHN PHILLIPS AND NICHOLAS PHILLIPS (Father & Son), SMUGGLERS.

For a desperate assault on officers of the Revenue , near Penrhyn, in Cornwall. In which one of the Defendants had a pistol ball lodged in his breast, which is not yet extracted, part of both his ears cut off, ect. He having sworn that he would murder the officers.

December 1808;

On Sunday 11th December, was committed to the castle of Ilchester, George Culliford, a smuggler, under escort of no less than six excisemen and others, all well armed with pistols and blunderbusses.

Ilchester Gaol Illustration.

Four of the guard, well mounted, and the other two in the chaise with him, who had pistols and a double barrelled gun, it being thought a rescue would be attempted.

May 1809;

THE KING V. POTTER.

The defendant was brought up to receive the sentence of the court, for having endeavoured to procure the escape of a French prisoner of war, upon his parole in Devonshire.

The defendant was an old smuggler, and meeting the prisoner, a Colonel in the French army, persuaded him to quit the town, to the limits of which he was confined, and go with him to Bere, upon the sea coast.

Exeter South Gate and Gaol.

The defendant first asked thirty guineas, and received twelve guineas. He kept the Frenchman for two or three days secreted at several farm houses, and then having got all his money off him, wanted to induce him to go back to the place where he had escaped from.

Mr Justice Grose, in passing sentence, made very strong remarks on the baseness of his conduct, both with respect to his country, and to a distressed foreigner, confined in this country, whom he first tempted to break his word, pledged to the country, and then pillaged of his little property - He was sentenced to be imprisoned for two years in Exeter Gaol.

June 1809;

A serious affray took place last week at Hilton, near Dundee, betwixt some Customs House Officers and smugglers. The former, in attempting to seize from the latter three casks of whiskey, were resisted by them, and many blows were exchanged by the contending parties.

At the close of battle, which lasted for a considerable time, the smugglers escaped with two of the casks, leaving one a lawful prize to the officers. One of the persons, supposed to be a principal in this deforcement, is imprisoned, and another has run off, although he had previously obtained a certificate, that, from the wounds inflicted in the scuffle, he was unable to attend the court.

July 1809;

An unfortunate affair took place in the neighbourhood of Dungannon on Thursday se'nnight. Mr Edward Pilkington, supernumerary gauger, and a young man, his assistant, met with three men having clandestine whiskey.

On Mr Pilkington's coming up with them, two of the smugglers retreated, the third sat down on his keg, which was in a sack. Upon Mr Pilkington attempting to seize it, the fellow, who's name is Keenan, stepped aside, when, drawing a pistol from under his coat, he fired, three balls entered Mr Pilkington about the right hinch.

The young man, in the mean time, in pursuit of one of the fellows, who was running off with a keg, which he seized, being drawn back by the cries of Mr Pilkington whom Keenan was beating with a staff, he lying on the ground, having fired two shots at Keenan, neither of which took effect. On the young man coming up, Mr Pilkington and he both fired at Keenan, when he fell.

July 1809;

A shocking murder was committed on Tuesday night, on the road leading from the village of Pepper, New Forest, Hants, to Goring, by two fellows, on the body of a smuggler, who was Conveying some property with a little girl, his daughter.

The ruffians demanded the man's money, and having a quantity of guineas about him to convey to Portsmouth, he refused compliance, when they beat him with bludgeons until he was lifeless, and robbed him. They left the little girl bound in the cart, and after taking off the horses, and turning them loose on the common, the villains decamped.

September 1809;

A serious affray took place on Friday at Foreden Bridge, Sussex, between a party of smugglers, nine in number, and about six Officers of the Excise and their assistants.

The smugglers were attacked by the officers whilst removing contraband goods on 18 horses, heavily laden, and after having been stopped, they commenced an attack with cudgels, and completely got the better of the officers.

The latter, however, obtained assistance, and pursued the smugglers several miles, and took 12 of the horses and their lading. Several on both sides were injured, but there were no firearms used.

November 1809;

On Thursday last a person was fined by the Justices of the Peace at Aloa the sum of £20 sterling, for illicit distillation, but being unable to pay the money, he was ordered to prison.

While, however, the officers were escorting him to a chaise, which had been procured to take him to Stirling Jail, the prisoner, who had lost a hand, struck one of them on the breast with the stump of his arm, which so stunned him, that the smuggler effected his escape.

He was immediately pursued by a great number of people, but was not overtaken, and after running for about a mile and a half, followed by nearly 500 men, women and children, he stopped and took off his coat and shoes, which he put under his arm, then he darted over a hill, without leaving any trace behind by which he could be discovered....