18th Century

• What were the common crimes at this time?

  Smuggling and highway robbery
• What is smuggling?


  Secretly importing good to avoid paying custom duties/taxes
• Why was smuggling seen as reasonable by many?

  As it avoided the unfair taxation
• Why were plenty of people willing to finance smuggling?

  As the profit margins were high
• Why was smuggling an easy crime?

  As there were not enough custom officials to patrol the thousands of miles of British coastlines
• What country was particularly good for smuggling?

  Wales
• Why was Wales a god place for smuggling?

  As it had extensive coasts
• What was Brandy Cove?

  A place in Wales used for smuggling by William Arthur and his gang
• What are some examples of caves used for smuggling in Wales?

  Ogof Whisky
• What were the different roles in smuggling?

  • Investor
  • Spotsman
  • Lander
  • Tubsmen
  • Batsmen
• Who was the investor in smuggling?

  A wealthy individual who financed the operation
• Who was the spotsman in smuggling?

  Bought the ship of goods to the right section of the coast
• Who was the lander in smuggling?

  They arranged tub-boats to pick up cargo from the ship
• Who were the tubsmen in smuggling?

  Did all the heavy manual lifting and carrying
• Who were the batsmen in smuggling?

  Hired thugs who protected the tubsmen
• Why was smuggling hard to police?

  • Custom officers feared the smuggling gangs
  • British coastlines were hard to patrol
  • So many people bought smuggled goods as they were cheaper
• What is highway robbery?

  The act of stealing from travelers on a road.
• What advancement caused highway robbery?

  Better transport links and roads
• Why was highway robbery an opportunist crime?

  • Improved roads meant more travellers
  • Banking was poor so people carried cash with them
  • Roads were unpoliced
• What were the two types of highway robber?

  Footpads and highwaymen
• What were footpads?


  Highway robbers who attacked their victims on foot and targeted pedestrian travellers
• What were highwaymen?


  Highway robbers who rode horses and were able to attack stage coaches and travelers on horseback, who had a glamorous image
• Who is the most remembered highway robber of the 18th century?

  Dick Turpin
• How was Dick Turpin viewed?

  As glamorous and performed daring deeds
• When and why was Dick Turpin hanged?

  In 1739 for horse stealing
• Why did highway robbery decline?

  As London was growing, open spaces were covered by building making it more difficult to ambush coaches. Also, London was becoming better policed and banking had improved.