North Kent Smuggling Gang.

[Lutonman]

Well done for researching this interesting story

[grandarog]

Bit more info now available.

No.     Name   Age         Committed              Sentence    Transported      Ship

75   Stephen Gummer   25   Jan 9 1822   Death but reprieved          7 years
76   John Gill   45   Jan 26 1822   Death but reprieved     Died before trans.             
77   Charles White   25   Feb 2 1822   Death but reprieved          7 years
78   Joseph Clements   23   Mar 4 1822   Death but reprieved  7 years
101   James Taylor    28   Sep 4 1821   Death but reprieved      Life  ARAB
102   James Rolfe   23   Sep 26 1821   Death but reprieved          7 years
103   John Ramsay    27   Oct 9 1821   Death but reprieved                   
            alias Baffington alias Babington                                          Life ARAB
104   Thomas Hey Webster   32   Oct 9 1821   Discharged by proclamation
105   Edward Rolfe   20   Nov 23 1821   DEATH                           DEATH
106   Thomas Woollett    Nov1821   Death but reprieved              Life ARAB
107   Francis Carden   31   Nov 30 1821    Death but reprieved        7 years
108   Thomas Stokes   51   Dec 6 1821   Death but reprieved        7 years
109   John Wilsden   45   Dec 10 1821   DEATH                          DEATH
110   Daniel Fagg    48   Dec 22 1821   DEATH                          DEATH
111   Thomas Mount   24   Jan 11 1822    Death but reprieved      Life ARAB
112   Joseph Gilbert   19   Jan 21 1822   Death but reprieved         7 Years
113   Henry Smith   28   Jan 21 1822   Death but reprieved        7 Years
114   Daniel Baker   26   Jan 26 1822   Death but reprieved      Life ARAB
115   John Meredith   28   Jan 26 1822    DEATH                           DEATH           
120   John Hagle Alias Fagg.27Feb 15 1822 Death but reprieved        7  Years





Details for the ship Arab I (1) (1822)
Ship Name:   Arab I (1)   
Rig Type:   S.
Built:   Greenock
Build Year:   1820
Size (tons):   403
 
Voyage Details
Master:   Robert R. Brown
Surgeon:   Charles Carter
Sailed:   13 July 1822
From:   England
Arrived:   6 November 1822
Port:   VDL
Route:   Direct
Days Travel:   116
Convicts Landed:   153 males & 0 female convicts

[grandarog]

As we all know Smuggling was rife along the North Kent Coast .Most of which was carried out by the North Kent Gang. These 4 men were Executed by Hanging at the Gallows on Penenden Heath ,Maidstone on the 4^th April 1822.They had been convicted for “Assembling with firearms ,and assisting with landing un-customed goods.”
They were Daniel Fagg 1774-1822 . John Meredith 1796-1822. Edward Rolfe 1802-1822. And John Wilsden1775-1822. Some researchers at Rainham History Group and David Wood of Upchurch credit the incident occurred at Burntwick Island, Stangate Creek , at Upchurch. Stating 3 men were hanged and 15 Transported.
No doubt much contraband was landed there by the North Kent Gang but not in this case. Local legend has a tunnel from the Creek to the Crown Pub at Upchurch, dug to fetch the goods inland and store for distribution. Due to the nature of the land very doubtful one ever existed.
However after a bit of digging around the net I have established, they  werein fact  arrested and tried on the 22nd March 1822 following the Marsh Bay (now St Mildred’s Bay) Westgate, Margate ,incident on the night of  2nd Sept 1821. That night a Royal Navy Lieutenant and 2 Blockade Men were injured in a battle with the Smuggling Gang
They were sentenced to death and 15 others were sentenced to transportation to Tasmania for between 7 and 15 years. After the execution the 4 bodies were cut down and given to their relatives. The relatives had brought a wagon with them on which the bodies were carried to Canterbury. Later to be buried in un-consecrated ground of St Mildred’s Churchyard, Canterbury on the 7th April 1822 .
When I found the burials were at St Mildred’s I now wonder if “Marsh Bay” was renamed “St Mildred’s Bay” as a result of the Skirmish between Smugglers and The Blockade force that occurred there 199 years ago.

Credit for much to .https://www.margatelocalhistory.co.uk/DocRead/Jarvis%20Pictures/Taylor.pdf