Hawkhurst Gang
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The Hawkhurst Gang was a criminal organization involved in smuggling along the coast of southeast England from 1735 until 1749. One of the more infamous gangs of the early 18th century, their influence extended from Dorset to as far as the Kent coast until their leaders Arthur Gray and Thomas Kingsmill were executed, in 1748 and 1749 respectively.
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[edit] Early years
Named after the village of Hawkhurst, the gang was first mentioned as the Holkhourst Genge in 1735. Based from the Oak and Ivy Inn in Hawkhurst, they often frequented the nearby Mermaid Inn in the town of Rye. Many local legends and folklore are based on the alleged network of tunnels built by the gang from the Oak and Ivy leading to Tubs Lake, the Royal Oak in the village square, the Four Throws and to the site of the present day Tudor Court Hotel (in 1822, one of the caves used by the gang was discovered in Sopers Lane, Hawkhurst in which a dozen empty liquor bottles were found).
[edit] Government resistance
In an attempt to apprehend several members of the gang, revenue officer Thomas Carswell was shot and killed while battling the smugglers at Silver Hill between Hurst Green and Robertsbridge in 1740. One of the smugglers, George Chapman, was later executed in his home in the village of Hurst Green.
Despite this incident, the gang generally operated freely in the area as, in 1744, they unloaded a considerable amount of contraband and smuggled goods from three large cutters at Pevensey from which the smuggled goods were carried inland by around 500 pack horses.
In 1747, members of the gang led a successful raid against a government customs house in Poole, Dorset which was holding over two tons of tea, thirty-nine casks of brandy and rum, and a small bag of coffee captured from the smuggler's ship, Three-Brothers, in September. Thirty members of the gang along with thirty-one horses broke into the customs house around 2 am, Oct 8. Escaping with two tons of tea (they left the brandy, rum and coffee at the customs house), the Customs Service offered a large reward for their capture.
[edit] Downfall
Several months following the raid, a member of the gang known as Diamond was captured and gaoled at Chichester. While another member called Chater offered an alibi for Diamond, he was seen talking to the customs officer at a nearby pub by an informant who told members of the gang at a nearby. Believing that Chater was informing the police, both he and the customs officer were gotten drunk and then horsewhipped by the gang.
After burying the customs officer alive, they kept Chater chained to a shed for several days before deciding to kill him. Although they had planned to shoot Chater by the gang members pulling a string connected to the trigger, they instead chose to make an example out of Charter to informants and, after stabbing him, tied large rocks to his feet and threw Chater down a 30 ft. well.
Although the gang had long been supported by the population, these two murders had turned the residents against them resulting in the capture and execution of their leader Arthur Gray in 1748. While the gang was greatly weakened by the death of Gray, the Hawkhurst Gang was kept together by Thomas Kingsmill for a time. However, following their defeat at the hands of the local Goudhurst militia, the gang's activities were effectively ended.
