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Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: mw1 on Wednesday 28 August 13 19:19 BST (UK)

Title: Dixon / Poskett Smugglers
Post by: mw1 on Wednesday 28 August 13 19:19 BST (UK)
Hi

Does anyone have infomation on conviction of John Dixon and William Poskett for smuggling in Kent in 1823.   Otherwise where would the details be on record?

Very grateful for any help.   Margaret. 
Title: Re: Dixon / Poskett Smugglers
Post by: t mo on Wednesday 28 August 13 20:00 BST (UK)
hi Margaret
can,t find anything in newspaper records on FindMyPast or prison records , can you tell us more about how you found out about them smuggling please .
regards
trevor
Title: Re: Dixon / Poskett Smugglers
Post by: jorose on Wednesday 28 August 13 21:24 BST (UK)
books.google.com - there is some reference, but it seems to be from 1828.  There were a large number of men charged (special session held at the Swan Inn in Hythe)

William Poskett, John Bateman, John Dixon, David Dixon, and Richard Elridge (of the boat Mary, of Folkestone)
and
Thomas Fox, alias Page, William Cock, John Edwards, Joseph Roberts, and Thomas Hobbs (of the boat Chance, of Sandgate)

They were caught near Dymchurch Bay by the blockade force with "small casks, commonly called ankers" attached to their boats.  All eleven were sentenced to impressment into the Navy, but on their return to Fort Moncrief, a mob attacked the blockade party and managed to rescue William Cock.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/
 has several earlier mentions of John Dixon - including 1823 conviction for smuggling.  These are Kent History and Library Centre records, and the records of the 1828 session would probably be at the same location.