Smuggling dates back as far as the 13th Century in England, so it’s no wonder there’s plenty to learn about its long and sometimes controversial history. Here, we’ll be testing your knowledge of the smuggling trade, alongside sharing some of the most exciting facts about this time.
History of smuggling quiz
From the top reasons why smuggling became popular to the most common hiding places, find out whether your smuggling history knowledge is in ship-shape with our fun quiz below…
Learn more about the history of smuggling
How did you score in our quiz? Even if you’re already a smuggling history whizz, let’s go through the questions and dig a little deeper into the history of smuggling in England…
What does the term ‘smuggling’ mean?
Smuggling is the illegal act of transporting goods or people secretly and unlawfully to evade taxes, duties or laws prohibiting the import of certain items. This term originates from the Old English ‘smeogan’, meaning “to creep”.
Why did people start smuggling goods?
The main reason people began smuggling was to avoid high taxes on imported goods. By smuggling contraband, they could avoid paying customs duties and taxes, which made everything much cheaper for buyers.
The golden age of smuggling was also triggered by political, social and economic unrest.
When were the St. Clements Caves rediscovered?
Even though the caves are likely to be thousands, if not millions, of years old, they didn’t have a specific purpose and weren’t well-known. That is, until the St. Clements Caves were rediscovered in the 1820s by a grocer who was cutting out an arbour from the sandstone.
What was the role of Tubmen?
Smuggling Tubmen would navigate the seas, sometimes in treacherous conditions, to smuggle goods and people across borders. Without their sailing expertise, smuggling operations wouldn’t have gotten very far. Many came from families of fishermen, sailors, or traders, giving them experience of seafaring from early in their lives.
What was the name of one of the most infamous smuggling groups?
The Hawkhurst Gang was one of the most infamous smuggling groups of the 18th Century, based in Kent. They were best known for their unusual disguises, used to instil fear in the public so that they wouldn’t be caught.
They also operated under a code of silence known as the “Hawkhurst Oath”, which kept its members from going to the authorities and risking their smuggling operations. This way, everybody stayed loyal.
During World War II, how were the St Clements Caves used?
Local people living near the St Clements Caves could use them as air raid shelters during World War II. Around 900 people are known to have sheltered in the caves when the sirens sounded.
Why did smuggling start to decline?
The smuggling era ended gradually as taxes were reduced, law enforcement improved, and punishments for smugglers who were caught became more severe.
Which items were commonly smuggled in England in the 1800s?
Items like tea, brandy, wine, tobacco and jewellery were in high demand and often transported from overseas. So when import taxes increased, smugglers began bringing these in illegally.
Where did smugglers hide their contraband?
Smugglers would hide their contraband in various places, but the coast was used most often. Coastal caves, barrels in the sea, tunnels and coastal buildings were amongst some of the regular hiding spots.
How did smugglers typically transport smuggled items?
To sneak illegal goods through port inspections, smugglers would need to be creative with how they hid their contraband items. So, many would conceal them within everyday items like tubs or secret compartments in regular containers of legally imported goods.
It wasn’t until much later in the smuggling era that inspectors became aware of how smugglers were managing to hide their contraband, which was how they got away with it for so long.
When smugglers were caught, what would the typical punishment be?
Big fines and labour would be used to punish smugglers who had been caught. But for more notorious smugglers? If proof were found of their smuggling operations, they could face the death penalty. This was used as a warning to others that it could be an extremely dangerous path to follow.
We hope you’ve enjoyed digging into the history of smuggling. Want to immerse yourself in the world of smuggling? Book tickets to Smuggler’s Adventure today – perfect for a family day out or a school trip.