How a village defeated a brutal smuggling gang

A gang that once terrorised Kent and Sussex in the 1700s were eventually defeated by a village militia

A notorious gang that once terrorised Kent and Sussex in the 1700s were revealed to be "paper tigers" after they were defeated by a village militia, a historian has said.

Smuggling was rampant across the UK in the 18th Century, but one of the most fearsome groups was the Hawkhurst Gang.

Historian Joseph Dragovitch likened their brutality to those of a "South American drug cartel"; anyone who stood in their way were beaten, murdered or kidnapped and sold to jailers in France to be galley slaves, he said.

At the height of their dominance in the 1740s, they took control of areas including Hawkhurst and Goudhurst in Kent, while running protection rackets, Mr Dragovitch said.

They mainly smuggled tea, one of the commodities on which the government imposed heavy taxes, he added.

Locals soon had enough of the oppression and formed a militia, led by former soldier William Sturt.

"It wasn't a problem for the gang until the militia allied with customs service and interrupted their smuggling runs," Mr Dragovitch said.

He said at the time, the government had tried hard to wipe out smuggling gangs.

"They placed heavy bounties on smugglers operating in Kent and Sussex," he added.

He said the Goudhurst militia fought other gangs, partly to "ruffle the feathers" of the Hawkhurst Gang, who then decided to attack the village and eliminate those who resisted.

"It was not an idle threat, but the Goudhurst militia was ready," Mr Dragovitch said.

The Battle of Goudhurst took place on 21 April 1747. The gang demanded the militia to disband, but they refused, Mr Dragovitch said.

"It then became a big shootout. I like to compare it to the gunfight at the O.K. Corral, it was a legendary," he added.

"There were no injuries or deaths on the militia side, but two smugglers died, one of which was George Kingsmill, who was one of the leaders."

At the height of their dominance, the gang took control of Hawkhurst and Goudhurst

Mr Dragovitch said the defeat revealed the gang to be "paper tigers".

"The Hawkhurst Gang continued, but they became hired thugs and mercenaries rather than smugglers," he added.

The historian said the gang's downfall followed a raid at the Customs House in Poole, Dorset, in 1747.

According to West Sussex Record Office, the raid had prompted authorities to become "more determined" to wipe out the gang.

It said a customs officer, William Galley, and a shoemaker, Daniel Chater, who knew the smugglers but was not involved with the gang, were kidnapped and murdered by the gang to prevent them from testifying.

Following a major search, Mr Galley's body was found on 15 September and Mr Chater two days later.

Authorities then offered pardons or clemency to those involved in the gang to testify against them.

Two witnesses came forward, and the gang members were convicted and sentenced to death in 1749, which brought an end to one of the most feared smuggling gangs in UK history.