The name of three generations of Gullivers from Semington in Wiltshire, England during the 18th and early 19th century; Isaac Gulliver (1745-1822) was so successful as a smuggler on the south coast that he came to control its length from Lymington on The Solent in Hampshire, through Dorset to Torbay on the Devon coast and became known as "King of Smugglers". he was also referred to as "the gentle smuggler who never killed a man" and with his gang, ran 15 Luggers bringing from the Continent to Poole Bay gin, silk, lace and tea. On the 5th of October 1768 he married innkeeper's daughter Betty Beale at Sixpenny Handley parish church.
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He owned several farms including one at Eggardon Hill in Dorset where he planted large clumps of trees to act as navigation aids for his ships. [1] An extremely wealthy man, Gulliver was also able to build many grand houses, among them 'Howe Lodge', in Kinson, Bournemouth, a purpose built smuggling stronghold. When it was demolished in 1958 a number of hiding places were found within, including a secret room only accessible through a door 10 feet up a chimney. [1] It was at Howe Lodge that he allegedly covered his face in white powder and lay in an open coffin. When the customs men arrived to arrest him his wife told them he had died during the night and showed them the 'body'. When they went away, Gulliver got out of the coffin and escaped. [1]
In a report from the Custom House, Poole, to His Majesty's Commissioners of Customs in London [1788] it is mentioned that: "Gulliver was considered one of the greatest and most notorious smugglers in the west of England and particularly in the spirits and tea trades but in the year 1782 he took the benefit of his Majesty's proclamation for pardoning such offences and as we are informed dropped that branch of smuggling and afterwards confined himself chiefly to the wine trade which he carried on to a considerable extent having vaults at various places along the coast and "in remote places" . Gulliver became a respected citizen gentleman and banker. He retired to Gulliver's House, West Borough, Wimborne and died there on Friday 13th September 1822, leaving an estate of £60,000, with properties across Hampshire, Wiltshire and Somerset as well as Dorset, which would be worth many millions today. His gravestone is in the floor of Wimborne Minster.
His only son, Isaac Gulliver [1774-98] died unmarried, but his daughters married into the Fryer family whose interests and wealth ranged from the Newfoundland fisheries to banking.[2]. His descendants include; Sir Frederick Fryer; Lt Gen Sir John Fryer; the banker Edward Castleman, owner of Chettle House; Captain Thomas Hanham (responsible for the first legal cremation in England - 3/10/1882)[3] and the artist Rodney Fryer Russell[4] (who lived at Manston House, site of the first cremation[5] and whose grandparents[6] lived at Kinson House).