SMUGGLERS' BATTLES PART 1 - Five and twenty ponies. 1720 to 1738.

SMUGGLERS' BATTLES PART 1.

Five and twenty ponies. 1720 to 1738.

    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.



November 1720;

    On Monday morning last very early were two boats of smugglers with goods from Ostend, having passed London Bridge, were attempted to be taken by some customs house officers, but they shot one of them in the eye (of which he died a few hours later) and proceeded, they were pursued almost to Chelsea.

October 1721;

    Last Sunday several horse grenadiers brought into Southwark a person suspected of smuggling, he was yesterday committed to the Fleet Prison.

December 1721;

    There has lately been a scuffle between the customs house officers and the smugglers, in which the latter were worsted, though double the number of the officers. In this engagement one Hughson, the ringleader of the smugglers was taken prisoner and brought away by the officers. Carried the next day before three Justices of the peace in order to suffer the penalty of the late act against smuggling, he was committed to the charge of a constable from whom he made his escape.

April 1722;

    They write from Lydd in Kent that two smugglers have defended themselves against the riding officers, were at last overpowered by them and carried prisoners to Lydd. But that on Sunday the 18th past in the morning there came ten horsemen to the prison having all of them pistols, swords and hatchets hanging by their sides.

The George Hotel, Lydd where this daring escape occurred.

    They demanded the two prisoners but were refused, upon which some of them got off their horses and entered the prison door and went upstairs firing their pistols before them as they went up. Coming to the door of the room where the two men were they broke it open and carried them off.
    One of the riding officers was shot in the arm by the men who were disguised as they could not be known, one of them was wounded and is since dead.

June 1722;

    They write from Colchester that several of the customs house officers have seized in an old barn near that town, a quantity of run brandy worth 500l. As also divers old guns and swords with which the smugglers use to defend themselves from justice.

October 1722;

    On the 27th some customs house officers belonging to Portsmouth seized at Stokes Bay six hogsheads and ten anchors of brandy, which is looked upon as a small part of what was run there last night.

Stokes Bay

    On the 31st October about twelve persons disguised and armed with swords and staves barbarously assaulted and beat Mr Joseph Clap, an office with the customs house at Portsmouth in the execution of his office. They stole from him his horse and arms and threatened at the same time several other officers of the customs.



January 1723;

    Yesterday was seized by the customs house officers at the White Hart Inn in Whitechapel, 4 bags of coffee of about 16 bushels and taken to the customs house, together with the waggon and horses which are forfeited.

The White Hart still exists and is a great pub to visit

February 1725;

    Edinburgh. An officer of the excise being informed that a considerable quantity of run brandy was hid underground at Stockbridge, about a mile from the city, went with a party of soldiers to seize it. They were strenuously opposed by a knot of countrymen who resisted the officer in the execution of his office and the soldiers firing shot one of the countrymen dead on the spot and two others are since dead of their wounds.

May 1725;

    We have an account from Eye in Suffolk of the following merry occurrence. Some smugglers having loaded a hearse with run brandy, with design to convey it farther into the country and being apprehensive that a certain person at Hexon near Eye, through which it was to pass, would inform the officer of excise and get it seized. One of the smugglers informed the officer himself that two hearses were to pass, one about three hours before the other and that in the first was just a dead corpse, but the last was full of brandy.
    Whereupon the officer permitted the first to pass, wherein was the booty and upon seizing the other found only a dead corpse.

 March 1728;

    Yesterday morning about 3 o'clock seven men on horseback were dogged to an inn near Long Acre and upon searching the hay loft by some of the King's officers assisted by a constable, there was 700 weight and upwards of tea. As the officers were doing their duty six men came with forks and other weapons and a battle ensued, but the officers and constable took three of them who are sent to New Prison.

New Prison, Camberwell

June 1730;

    Robert Kneale, commander of a customs house boat at Whitehaven, being with 3 men at an inn at Ryall near Annan, Scotland, waiting for the tide to bring up their boat. In the night the house was forced by a mob who in a very violent and barbarous manner beat and dangerously wounded Mr Kneale and his men and carried away their arms.

May 1732;

    A detachment of General Evan's Dragoons arrived here (Dover) on Friday last from their late quarters at Hereford in order to assist the customs house officers to prevent smuggling, which has grow to such height that an officer dare not attempt to do his duty, nor even a body of them.
    The Mayfield gang are so desperate, they were seen to go laden over Yeowell Minnis three times the week before last, all armed.

June 1733;

    Three smugglers and their horses were seized by the customs house officers of Greenwich, loaded with a great quantity of tea and other contraband goods, the persons were secured.

Dragoons on duty

    On the 10th instant a troop of Major General Gore's regiment of dragoons marched into the town of Yeovil in the county of Somerset to join another troop of the same regiment. This is in order to prevent any disturbances that might arise from a set of people remarkable for their disloyalty to his present Majesty and Government.




December 1734;

    The seizure of 7000wt of tea with a considerable amount of velvets, brocades and silks was brought up on Monday in waggons from Kent to the excise office by two officers and thirty dragoons who were concerned in seizing it and had 100 guineas given to them for their trouble.

July 1735;

    John Willson, alias Old York and John Biggs, alias Young York received sentence of death for aiding, abetting and assisting in the murder of William Cam a Dragoon. Cam who with three or four more and some Officers of the Customs had seized a large quantity of smuggled goods at Seamer near Hadleigh.

    They lay at Hadleigh that night and in the morning were attacked by a large number of smugglers among which were the prisoners. There was a sharp engagement between them in which Cam the Dragoon was killed and Biggs was shot through the calf with which shot his horse was killed.

    The two were seized in London and transported to Bury with a guard of soldiers. 

February 1736;

    A great seizure of brandy and other goods was made at Sittingborne in the county of Kent by two officers of the customs house assisted by four countrymen well armed. But the same was retaken from them by a party of six smugglers who wounded two of the countrymen and made off.

General Tatton's 3rd Regiment of Foot.

March 1736;

    On Tuesday the Customs House officers and soldiers that took the cargo of tea and John Cart, one of the smugglers, at Bexhill in Sussex and were examined before the Honorable Commissioners of the Customs. By their depositions it appears that the smugglers were so numerous and resolute that they beat off the party of Dragoons and the Officers of the Customs by plyed them so warmly they had no inclination to return to the battle. 

    But that a corps of Foot of the late General Tatton's regiment, consisting of a Sergeant, a corporal and seven privates who had been on another command accidently passed that way. They courageously attacked the smugglers and after having a hot dispute forced them to retreat and leave the cargo of tea behind. As the seizure was made and the gang defeated wholly be the valour of this small party 'tis not doubted they will have the profits of the capture which will be a hansom reward for their bravery. 

June 1736;

    They write from Kent that the customs house officers at Folkestone made a seizure of 1300lb of tea which they took from a gang of twenty smugglers.

Old Folkestone, post card.

October 1737;

    On Tuesday last Mr Bailey, Mr Mortimer and Mr Hurst His Majesties riding officers at Eastbourne in Sussex with the assistance of six dragoons made a seizure of 17 CW of tea and 105 half anchors of brandy, which they immediately carried to the customs house. The smugglers rode off well armed with blunderbusses but did not think proper to take their goods with them.

April 1738;

    On Monday the 19th instant, about one o'clock in the morning, Mr John Wheatley, a customs house officer at Pagham in the Port of Chichester with the assistance of two of his servants seized 25lb of tea, besides brandy and rum together with two horses and a waggon.
    Though the smugglers, who were five in number, and well armed, made a stout resistance and fired their blunderbuss at the officer and men, happily they missed.

November 1738;

    On Thursday night two customs house officers boarded the Samuel and Mary, Captain Holland made a seizure of five casks of brandy. Upon which the crew rose upon them, retook the brandy, manned each boat with eight men and rowed off huzzarring in triumph before the officers faces.

Highwaymen and Footpads in North Northamptonshire.

     Stand and deliver!!

    I've recently been reading stories of swashbuckling, derring-do and highwaymen, fine stuff I'm sure you'll agree. Searching through some files of old newspaper cuttings, I came across a few articles I was saving for a reason that escapes me now.
    I used to live just north of Northampton in a village called Brixworth, this rather picturesque village is found along the A508, also known as the Harborough Road as it eventually reaches Market Harborough and then on to Leicester.
    Many years ago I searched the Northampton Mercury for stories of highway robbery along this road and close environs, it was a long drawn out process, all microfilm and photocopiers, sounds quite mediaeval by todays standards!


    I've re-read the stories and I believe they need to see the light of day, so dear friends I take you back to the afternoon of the 16th December, 1738, just near the Northampton gallows (now the White Elephant crossroads..ish).

    "Mr Bracekettle of Holcot and a farmer of Overstone Grounds, on their return home from our market, were attacked by a single highwayman near the gallows, who took from each of them five shillings, being all the money he could find about them.
    Immediately he rode up to another man, but his horse stumbling, the man had the good luck to escape his hand.
    On Thursday last a butcher of this town coming from Moulton, was stopped by a highwayman who presented a pistol to his breast and took from him about forty shillings."


    Leaping ahead quite some years, something must have happened, couldn't find it sadly, we now find ourselves in October 1780....it's a Friday night...about 10 o'clock.
    "Two post-chaises were stopped upon the Harborough Road, near Kibworth by two footpads. One of the Gentlemen in the first chaise declared he would not be robbed and discharged a pistol at them. Whether either of them was wounded or not is uncertain, but they thought it proper to desist from any further attempt."

The Coach and Horses, Kibworth

    One dark night (about 8 o'clock) in December 1781 a traveller was heading down Sibbertoft Lane towards Clipston, it's a lonely spot even today but this encounter must have been terrifying!
    "John Allen of Oxendon, (on returning from North Kilworth where he had been to receive some money) was stopped in the lane between Sibbertoft and Clipston by two footpads. One of them held his horse and beat him on the arm, while the other, with horrid oaths, presented a pistol to his breast and robbed him of four guineas, threatening him with instant death if he didn't immediately deliver him the money.
    One was a tall fellow, dressed in a carter's frock and slouched hat, the other was a short man, dressed in a dark shabby coat and a slouched hat and had on a flesh coloured mask.

Sibbertoft Lane, a lonely spot.

    A farmer from Clipston that same night met the man with the mask on a path outside the lane, who dared not alone to attack the farmer but walked off to a distance of a few yards and whistles surprisingly shrill, to which another answered with a whittle. During which time the farmer ran so far they could not rob him."


    Near Brixworth is another charming village called Pitsford, I'm not sure when it changed it's name, but in the 18th century it was known as Pisford, I have to admit, that made me smile. So, we find ourselves on a Thursday night around 7 o'clock in October 1782.
    "Richard Thurland, a shepherd, on his return home from Scaldwell, in this county, to Kempstone, Woodend, Bedfordshire was stopped by two footpads between Pisford and Boughton, near the pond of the Earl of Strafford. One of whom held him by the shoulders whilst the other robbed him of a canvas purse containing seven shillings, being all he had. He begged them to return him a shilling to bear his charges, having a long way to go, which they refused."


    On a Saturday evening in February 1784 one chap had a lucky escape and another not quite so lucky.
    "Thomas Ward, baker of Brixworth, in this county, was returning from our market. He was stopped between Kingsthorpe and Boughton by a footpad who made him dismount. He demanded his money and threatened to blow his brains out if he refused. He then searched his pockets, but finding no money except a few halfpence he let him pass without any further molestation.
    The same evening Mr Jonathan Waples, butcher of Pisford was stopped near the same place and robbed of about fourteen shillings in silver. The robber was a tall man, dressed in a blue great coat and boots."


    Fairs were pretty dangerous sometimes, Boughton Fair was no exception.

Boughton Green looking towards the ruins of St John's church.

    Held on a triangular piece of ground within sight St. John's church, it was a magnet for robbers. George "Captain

Slash" Catherall was a famous name in Northampton when he was hanged in 1826 for robbing stall holders at Boughton, I doubt he was mourned by many, but more of him later. On a warm summers night in June 1784, a couple were just leaving Boughton Fair....
    "Mr Clark, hatter of this town was returning with his wife in a one horse chaise from Boughton Fair. He was stopped near Boughton by two footpads who robbed him of a few shillings, but not content with their booty one of them attempted to get into the chaise to search Mr Clark, upon which he jumped out on the other side and made the best of his way to Boughton. They then demanded Mrs Clark's money, which she was proceeding to deliver, but luckily a person coming in sight, they decamped in great haste.
    The same night a man who had been selling cutlery goods at the fair was stopped by the same fellows. But making some resistance one of them struck him several times on the head and face with his pistol, after which they robbed him of about six guineas and got clear."
    I bet Mr Clark was in trouble again that night!

Scotland Wood , sadly quite depleted.

    Meanwhile back on the Harborough Road, at a place called Scotland Wood, which is around where the A508 crosses the A14, on a warm Thursday evening in August 1784 a vehicle is approaching...
    "A post chaise, in which were three Gentlemen was stopped near Scotland Wood, between Maidwell and Kelmarsh by two footpads. But the Gentlemen who were each armed with a pistol declared they would not be robbed and threatened to fire upon them if they persisted in their attempt. They thought it proper to make off."

    To round off a particularly bad year for robberies in October 1784 the North Mail from London was held up by two miscreants armed with pistols at the turnpike road, Boughton and Brampton crossroads.   Mail bags from several towns and cities were found scattered around as far as Bozeat, although ransacked the robbers failed to find several bank bills.
    Three days later one of the men was apprehended in London and the other was being hunted, the captured man was a butcher from Spitalfields market.

    This next story is of probably the luckiest victim of them all, it was on a cold January night, about 8 o'clock in 1785...
    "Mr John Munden of Brixworth was returning home from this town, he was fired at from a gate near a place called Coal Tracks, between Kingsthorpe and Boughton by a fellow on horseback. A ball passed through the breast of his coat, providentially without doing him any damage, though his coat was buttoned across the breast and the ball entered between the button holes. Mr Munden's horse started at the report and flash of the pistol and was very near throwing his rider, but luckily he recovered his seat, rode off at full speed and escaped being robbed."

    Sometimes the baddies were caught and they could expect little mercy, just a couple of months after John Munden's lucky escape highwayman John Roberts luck ran out.
    "7th March 1785: On Saturday last John Roberts was executed in Boughton Lane, about 3 miles from this town, near the spot where he robbed the mail. He confessed the crime for which he suffered and acknowledged the justice of his sentence. At the place of execution he admonished the numerous spectators to take warning by his untimely fate and particularly desired them not to reflect on his brother, who was charged with being his accomplice, declaring that he was entirely innocent. After hanging for the usual time his body was cut down and put into a coffin in order to be interred."
    Nothing like a good hanging on a Saturday afternoon!


    On the 12th October 1799 another robber was caught at Boughton, sadly I don't know his fate.
    "On Wednesday was committed to the gaol of this county by the Rev Edward Bayley one William Wright of Kingsthorpe, labourer. Charged on the oath of Richard Warner, of Boughton, with having in company with three other persons not yet taken, violently assaulted the said Richard Warner in the evening of the 21st of September last on the highway in the parish of Boughton aforesaid. And with felonously stealing from the said Richard Warner two wooden bottles containing 13 quarts of ale, of the value of eleven pence, the property of Thomas Faulkener, of Boughton, husbandsman."


    It's June 1800 and back on that lonely stretch of lane between Sibbertoft and Clipston we last visited in 1781, we hear footsteps...

The Bulls Head, Clipston

    "Philip Boswell, brick maker of Daventry was travelling from Husbands Bosworth, in Leicestershire, to Kelmarsh, in this county. He was attacked about eleven o'clock at night between Sibbertoft and Clipston, by two men who demanded his watch and money. But upon Boswell saying he had none they threw him on the ground and searched his pockets, but finding neither money nor watch they untied his garters. With one of which they tied his legs and with the other his left arm to his left thigh. After which they threw him into the brook, where he would have sufficated if his right arm had not been at liberty. With which and the assistance of his teeth, after remaining in the water for ten minutes, he found means to untie the garters and extricate himself.

    The two men were dressed in smock-frocks with sticks in their hands, one man was six feet high, the other about five feet eight inches. Another man about five feet eight inches high was also with them, dressed in a dark great coat, but he did not give any assistance to the others in their assault upon Mr Boswell, but kept at a distance."


    The year is now 1801 and nearly time to return to the present era where we don't find highway robbery in the classic sense, now instead of hearing "stand and deliver!" it's more like "unleaded or diesel?", at least we don't get clubbed over the head, it just feels like we have sometimes! Anyway, appearing in court in February 1801 are two ne'er-do-wells....
    "William Jones, otherwise Johns and John Taylor, charged on a violent suspicion of having on Tuesday evening the 21st of October last, on the King's highway, in the parish of Maidwell assaulted and beat John Richardson of Brixworth, inn holder.
     Robbed him of a red morrocan pocket book, containing two five guinea Harborough banknotes, a ten pound Harborough banknote, a five pound Stoney Stratford banknote, a one pound Bank of England note and between nine and ten pounds in gold."
    They were both found guilty and hanged at Northampton on the 7th March 1801.


    It would be remiss of me not to mention the most famous highwayman of North Northamptonshire, George Catherall was an ex-soldier and boxer from Bolton in Lancashire, a tall athletic villain with a mashed up back due to many military floggings.

    He and a small band of trouble makers had been in town for a while committing several robberies, he soon got a name for himself, this name was Captain Slash.
    The crimes that were his downfall were committed as the Boughton Fair was closing, Catherall and a gang member called Hugh Robinson robbed a James Henley of eleven half crowns, one crown, one waistcoat, a neckerchief, a corkscrew and some half pence and Catherall alone robbed a James Hannell of one pound in silver. Arrested and tried for assault and robbery at Northampton, the two were found guilty and sentenced to death, later Robinson's sentence was commuted to life.
    The execution was performed in front of a huge crowd on the 21st July 1826, before the fatal moment Catherall kicked his boots into the crowd, allegedly in defiance of his mother who said he would die with his boots on. He convulsed for about two minutes before life was deemed extinct, afterwards several females approached the corpse to rub their wens and warts on his hand as heeling folklore directed,  he was buried on the north side of St. Giles church yard the same day.

The North side of St. Giles church, Northampton.

    In more modern times the supernatural aspect of long dead felons has become ingrained in the folkloric narrative, Captain Slash Catherall is no exception. His ghost is said to haunt St. John's ruins, personally, I've been there many times both day and night and I've seen nothing unfortunately, but who knows...give it a try!

The ruins of St. John's church, Boughton.