Writ regarding the seizure of several items of contraband (12 July 1808)
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Early Measures

Various measures were employed by the authorities to combat smuggling. Originally concern was with the contraband itself rather than the offenders. In 1680 revenue cutters were launched to patrol the coast and excise men employed to board ships and search for contraband.

HASMG: 2004.46.246

Covehurst Cottage (c.1825), Lithograph after George Rowe
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To complement this, in 1698, along with an act against Owling, a landguard of Riding Officers were employed to patrol the shores and record suspicious incidents. With the increase in incidences, in 1809 the Preventative Waterguard was established. These men, based in watchouses, patrolled the coast at night in revenue cruisers. Easily bribed with tubs, there was little confrontation between the smugglers and the Waterguard.

TP1327

Captain Charles Lamb anonymous engraving c. 1786
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Lover’s Seat

Captain Charles Lamb was one such member of the preventative forces and Elizabeth Boys his lover. Lamb was not in fact a Captain, but a Lieutenant in charge of the revenue cutter, The Stag, based in Rye. His father, James, was a freeman of the Borough and numerous times Mayor of Hastings. Elizabeth was the daughter of Samuel Boys the wealthy owner of a large estate including the family home in Hawkhurst, The Elfords. However, despite the seemingly ideal match between the two, when Elizabeth Boys fell for Lamb, her father forbade his only daughter from seeing him.

HASMG: 2005.28

The Lover’s Seat (c.1825), Lithograph after George Rowe
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Moving to Fairlight in 1785 Elizabeth found that she could escape down the cliffs to a secluded spot where she and her lover could meet, the spot known today as Lovers Seat. On January 14th Charles and Elizabeth met at Lovers Seat, boarded the Stag and sailed along the coast to Hastings, later travelling to London to wed at St Clement Danes Church in the Strand, in the presence of Lamb’s sister Susan and a family friend. Elizabeth’s father was so enraged at his daughter’s disobedience that he disinherited her and was never reconciled with her. In 1879, having left the revenue service Lamb died when washed overboard in his pleasure yacht. A large landslide unfortunately destroyed the seat in 1979 and the site is now too dangerous to visit.

HASMG: 901.3.32

Martello Tower (1820) W. B. Cooke
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The Coast Blockade

In 1816 the control of the Revenue cutters passed to the Admiralty and in 1817 the Royal Navy Coast Blockade for the Prevention of Smuggling was established, extending its jurisdiction later that year to cover the coast from Sheerness to Seaford. Under the control of Captain William McCulloch RN (1782-1828) The Coast Blockade, unlike the preventative men of the previous centuries, took their orders directly from the Admiralty rather than the customs house.

HASMG: 981.27.26

Preventative Man’s Hut, near Hastings no: 18 (c. 1835) etching by Richard Henry Nibbs
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The Blockade was formed of discharged naval men fresh from war. Captain Mingaye had command of the western division of the Blockade and was stationed aboard the Frigate HMS Hyperion, based at Newhaven. Appointed to inspect certain areas of the coast were the Divisional Lieutenants, and stationed at various watchouses (spaced at four mile intervals along the coast) and aided by retired or disabled seamen, were the District Lieutenants. The coastguard took over many of these Blockade stations after 1831.

HASMG: 941.1

Poster issued by the customhouse, London, 6th November
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These Blockade stations could be and were regularly the sites for clashes between smugglers and Blockade men. One such affray near Bexhill, documented in the Hastings Museum Archive Collection, saw a seaman of the Blockade, John Elliot, attacked by a party of smugglers at his tower, knocked down and deprived of his arms. In a poster issued by the customhouse, held at Hastings Museum, a fifty-pound reward was offered for the capture of the main offenders.

HASMG: 2004.46.255

Coastguard Station at White Rock with Union Jack flying (c.1820) Anon
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The Coastguard

In 1821 the Coastguard were established and held jurisdiction over all areas not patrolled by the Coast Blockade. However, in spring 1831 the Coastguard took over from the Blockade and in 1832-3 faced a number of violent skirmishes with smugglers culminating in a particularly violent incident at Pevensey. In 1840, with the reform of the customs system and the lowering of many import duties beach run smuggling declined and was superseded by larger port based operations.

TP 417
HASMG: 958.28

The Old Coastguard Station, Ecclesbourne (1862) H. E. Shorter
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Further Reading

The entire collection can be viewed via Access to Archives. From the search page: under Location of Archives select 'Hastings Museum and Art Gallery' and click Search.