Carters of Prussia Cove

Last updated

A Cornish Smuggler; by Captain Harry Carter, of Prussia Cove) 1749-1809 The autobiography of a Cornish smuggler - (Captain Harry Carter, of Prussia Cove) 1749-1809 (IA autobiocornishsm00cartiala).pdf
A Cornish Smuggler; by Captain Harry Carter, of Prussia Cove) 1749–1809

The Carters of Prussia Cove were a family of Cornish smugglers active in the late 18th century operating out of Prussia Cove, Cornwall, where they had a hideout/home in a remote cliff next to the ocean.

Contents

Much of what is known about the Carters came from Harry Carter's autobiography, The Autobiography of a Cornish Smuggler, and folklore passed down through the generations. [1]

Family history

Several Carter families are known in Cornwall from at least the middle of the 16th century. The Carter family later associated with Prussia Cove had roots in Breage and Germoe. Francis Carter married Annice (also recorded as Agnes) [2] Williams in 1736, and the couple were recorded as having ten children: [3] [4]

Smuggling

Prussia Cove, where the Carters based their smuggling ring Prussiacove.jpg
Prussia Cove, where the Carters based their smuggling ring

Through their long-running and successful smuggling, the Carters became an important part of the economy in West Cornwall, providing a source of employment and illicit goods for local people. Customs officers were "violently obstructed", and in order to successfully seize smuggled goods needed to be protected by military force. [7]

Early ventures

The Carters were initially involved in privateering during Britain's wars against America, France, Spain or the Netherlands, obtaining letters of marque for several of their ships. [8] One of the Carters' privateer ships, captained by Harry, was lost when it was seized by French authorities upon docking in St Malo for repairs. [9]

Cawsand attack

On 31 January 1788 [10] Harry Carter took a cargo to Cawsand in the Revenge to be landed to a waiting team which included his brother Charles. The ship's hatches were opened to two boats which were assumed to be part of the landing party; the boats were actually from HMS Druid . The Revenge fired on HMS Druid, killing one of her crew and injuring seven more, before being boarded. Harry was badly injured in the fight on board Revenge and only survived being captured by throwing himself overboard and pulling himself to shore using the ship's ropes. Ten of the smugglers were captured and impressed into the Navy, [11] and six were killed. [9]

A reward of £300 was offered for Harry Carter's capture, but he evaded discovery, at one point hiding in Acton Castle. [12] He later went into exile in America with the help of the Dunkins, a Penzance smuggling family, on board their ship, the George. [8]

1793 trial

In February 1793, Charles was put on trial by the Attorney General (then Sir John Scott) in the Court of Exchequer. [13] He was advised by Christopher Wallis, a lawyer from Helston who was closely aligned with many Cornish smugglers, [14] [15] and was represented by two other lawyers. The actual charges against Charles are unknown, but the Attorney General sought to recover treble the value of smuggled alcohol which was seized in a cellar belonging to him. His defence argument was that he did not own the cellars in which the smuggled goods had been found, but this was thrown out. The jury found Charles guilty and he was ordered to pay £1469 12s. [13]

As he could not pay, he was probably imprisoned. During the French Revolutionary Wars, smugglers were able to be pardoned if they served in the Royal Navy; [16] [17] Charles tried negotiate for twenty men to serve in his place, but this was strongly opposed by the Excise Commissioners who described him as "one of the most notorious Smugglers" and so not deserving of leniency. The outcome of his petition is unknown, but he is recorded as still being in a debtors' prison in May 1795 and having returned to Cornwall by September 1799. [13]

Decline

After Harry Carter's exile and later retirement, customs officers tried to fully destroy the Carter smuggling ring. Towards the end of his life, John Carter handed over to his son-in-law Will Richards. In 1801, a smuggling vessel was spotted from St Michael's Mount by customs officers and forced to flee, leaving 100 ankers of spirits to be seized at the cove. John Carter died in 1803 and the lease on Prussia Cove was put up for sale the same year. In 1825, a row of Coastguard cottages were built to look down onto the cove, so ending the possibility of any more large scale smuggling operations. [18]

Legacy

The Carters have been described as "among the most famous of all the Cornish smugglers" by the BBC and as "Cornwall's most famous 'free traders'" by The Guardian . [1] [19] Smuggling similar to that of the Carters was featured in the 1975 Poldark, with scenes being filmed in Prussia Cove. [20]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lamorna</span> Human settlement in England

Lamorna is a village, valley and cove in west Cornwall, England, UK. It is on the Penwith peninsula approximately 4 miles (6 km) south of Penzance. Lamorna became popular with the artists of the Newlyn School, including Alfred Munnings, Laura Knight and Harold Knight, and is also known for former residents Derek and Jean Tangye who farmed land and wrote "The Minack Chronicles".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dolly Pentreath</span> Last known native speaker of Cornish (1692–1777)

Dorothy Pentreath was a Cornish fishwife from Mousehole. She is one of the last known fluent speakers of the Cornish language. She is also often credited as the last known native speaker of Cornish, although sources support the existence of other younger speakers of the language who survived her.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Harris (poet)</span> Cornish poet (1820–1884)

John Harris FRHS was a Cornish poet. He became a fellow of the Royal Historical Society in April 1879 for being ″distinguished in letters″.

Breage or Breaca is a saint venerated in Cornwall and South West England. According to her late hagiography, she was an Irish nun of the 5th or 6th century who founded a church in Cornwall. The village and civil parish of Breage in Cornwall are named after her, and the local Breage Parish Church is dedicated to her. She is a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church and Catholic Church.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hundreds of Cornwall</span> Historical administrative divisions of Cornwall, England

The hundreds of Cornwall were administrative divisions or Shires (hundreds) into which Cornwall, the present day administrative county of England, in the United Kingdom, was divided between c. 925 and 1894, when they were replaced with local government districts.

Alfred Kenneth Hamilton Jenkin was a Cornish bard and historian with a particular interest in Cornish mining, publishing The Cornish Miner, now a classic, in 1927.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gunwalloe</span> Human settlement in England

Gunwalloe is a coastal civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated on the Lizard Peninsula three miles (4.8 km) south of Helston and partly contains The Loe, the largest natural freshwater lake in Cornwall. The parish population including Berepper at the 2011 census was 219. The hamlets in the parish are Chyanvounder, Berepper and Chyvarloe. To the east are the Halzephron cliffs and further east the parish church.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prussia Cove</span> Human settlement in England

Prussia Cove, formerly called King's Cove, is a small private estate on the coast of Mount's Bay and to the east of Cudden Point, west Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. Part of the area is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a Geological Conservation Review site and is in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). It consists of four small coves and several cottages and houses. The names of the coves from west to east are Piskies, Bessy's, King's and Coule's. The area is accessible by foot from the South West Coast Path The cove is known for the 18th-century ship-wrecker and smuggler John Carter, also known as the "King of Prussia".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Germoe</span> Human settlement in England

Germoe is a village and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. Germoe village, the parish's main settlement and church town, is about five miles (8 km) west of Helston and seven miles (11.3 km) east of Penzance. The A394 Penzance to Helston road runs along the southern border of the parish. Other settlements in the parish include Balwest, Boscreege and Tresowes Green.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nanjizal</span> Bay in Cornwall, UK

Nanjizal, also known as Mill Bay, is a beach and cove in the civil parish of St Levan, Cornwall, on the south-western coast of Great Britain. Situated one mile to the south-east of Land's End, Nanjizal has no direct access via road, and is usually reached via the South West Coast Path from Land's End in the north, or from Porthgwarra to the south. Nanjizal is also a noted bird watching location.

Cruel Coppinger is a semi-legendary figure in Cornish folklore. Coppinger was a real person, but various legends grew up around him, lending him near superhuman powers and a fearsome reputation. He is portrayed as huge and fearsome Dane who after being shipwrecked off Cornwall became the leader of a feared band of smugglers.

Richard Spurr (1800–1855) was a Cornish cabinet maker and lay preacher who was imprisoned for his part in leading the political movement Chartism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fishing in Cornwall</span> Economic activity

Fishing in Cornwall, England, UK, has traditionally been one of the main elements of the economy of the county. Pilchard fishing and processing was a thriving industry in Cornwall from around 1750 to around 1880, after which it went into an almost terminal decline. During the 20th century the varieties of fish taken became much more diverse and crustaceans such as crab and lobster are now significant. Much of the catch is exported to France due to the higher prices obtainable there. Though fishing has been significantly damaged by overfishing, the Southwest Handline Fishermen's Association has started to revive the fishing industry. As of 2007, stocks were improving. The Cornwall Sea Fisheries Committee is one of 12 committees responsible for managing the corresponding Sea Fisheries District. The Isles of Scilly Sea Fisheries Committee is responsible for the Scilly district.

Major General David Noel Hugh Tyacke CB OBE was a senior British Army officer. His last post was as General Officer Commanding the Singapore District. He had previously been the last commanding officer of 1st Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry (DCLI) prior to its amalgamation into the Somerset and Cornwall Light Infantry.

Edward Boscawen was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1659 and 1685.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pengersick Castle</span>

Pengersick Castle is a fortified manor house located between the villages of Germoe and Praa Sands, in the civil parish of Breage, in Cornwall, England. The tower house, which is in the parish of Breage, is a Grade I listed building. Parts of the building date from the early 16th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acton Castle</span> Cornish historic building

Acton Castle is a small castellated mansion near Perranuthnoe, Cornwall. It is a Grade II* listed building. It was built c. 1775, and according to some sources around 1790, by John Stackhouse of Pendarves, who was a distinguished botanist with an interest in seaweed and plants mentioned by Theophrastus. Stackhouse constructed the castle, with the main purpose of studying marine algae. The primary material used for the construction is granite, with the facade and the chimneys made of dressed granite. It has a grouted roof with walls topped by embattled parapets. Wings of two storeys, with tripartite windows, were added at the beginning of the 20th century during its conversion to a country hotel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mermaid of Zennor</span> Cornish folktale

The Mermaid of Zennor is a Cornish folk tale which originates in the village of Zennor. The legend tells the story of a mysterious woman who occasionally attended the parish church of Zennor; a young man followed her home one day, and neither were seen again. One Sunday, a mermaid appeared to a group of local sailors, asking that they raise their anchor to let her enter her home, and the villagers concluded that she was the same woman who had attended their church. The legend is associated with a carved bench-end in the church, which depicts a mermaid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Last speaker of the Cornish language</span>

Identifying the last native speaker of the Cornish language was a subject of academic interest in the 18th and 19th centuries, and continues to be a subject of interest today. The traditional view that Dolly Pentreath (1692–1777) was the last native speaker of the language has been challenged by records of other candidates for the last native speaker, and additionally there are records of others who had knowledge of the language at a later date, while not being native speakers.

References

  1. 1 2 "The smuggling Carters of Cornwall". BBC . Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  2. 1 2 Smelt, Maurice (11 September 2006). 101 Cornish Lives. Alison Hodge Publishers. pp. 59–61. ISBN   978-0-906720-50-9 . Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  3. 1 2 Mary Waugh (1991). Smuggling in Devon and Cornwall 1700-1850. Newbury: Countryside Books. p. 195. ISBN   1853061131.
  4. "The Carter brothers of Prussia's Cove". National Maritime Museum Cornwall . Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  5. 1 2 "The Carters of Prussia Cove". Smuggling.co.uk. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  6. Naylor, Robert & John (April 2007). From John O' Groats to Land's End. Echo Library. p. 493. ISBN   978-1-4068-3495-6 . Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  7. Paul Muskett (1997). English smuggling in the eighteenth century (PhD thesis). Open University. p. 23. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  8. 1 2 Charlotte MacKenzie (December 2016). "Merchants and smugglers in eighteenth-century Penzance: the brothers John and James Dunkin" (PDF). TROZE: The Online Journal of the National Maritime Museum Cornwall . 7 (2). Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  9. 1 2 Paul Muskett (1997). English smuggling in the eighteenth century (PhD thesis). Open University. p. 255. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  10. "The London Gazette". The London Gazette (12964): 74. 12 February 1788. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  11. Mary Waugh (1991). Smuggling in Devon and Cornwall 1700-1850. Newbury: Countryside Books. pp. 138–139. ISBN   1853061131.
  12. Nicholas Rudd-Jones; David Stewart (7 July 2011). "Historic walking trails: smugglers' routes in Cornwall". The Guardian . Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  13. 1 2 3 "1793 - Charles Carter's trial". National Maritime Museum Cornwall . Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  14. Tom Gainey (10 December 2017). "Cornwall's smuggling past - a look at six pubs at the heart of a 'golden age' of criminality". Cornwall Live. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  15. Tony Palwyn (March 2010). "Petates and fish: Cornish Fishermen Smugglers in the late Eighteenth Century" (PDF). TROZE: Online Journal of the National Maritime Museum Cornwall . 2 (1): 8. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  16. Renaud Morieux (2016). The Channel: England, France and the Construction of a Maritime Border in the Eighteenth Century. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 253. ISBN   1316489736.
  17. "IMPRESSMENT. HC Deb 15 August 1833 vol 20 cc636-94". Hansard . 15 August 1833. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  18. Mary Waugh (1991). Smuggling in Devon and Cornwall 1700-1850. Newbury: Countryside Books. pp. 141–142. ISBN   1853061131.
  19. Oliver Berry (29 March 2003). "Beachcomber". The Guardian . p. H12.
  20. "John Carter". Cornwall For Ever!. Retrieved 17 December 2021.