Beach Smugglers

Drogo

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Feb 8, 2005
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#1
Last night I watched a documentary regarding Cornwall smugglers up to about 1835. Not what I expected at all. I have family from Cornwall and one was called Penrose. There is the story of the "Smugglers of Penrose". They put lights on the beach and lured ships in close and they got beached. Their bounty was then taken. The show last night was on about roughly the same time period in the same place but they were protesting high taxes and meeting French ships in the canal and smuggling booze, tea, spices, lace etc. back to be sold in Cornwall. They got rich by standards. Now we have mention of smugglers on the Beach and I'll wager money my relatives participated. Only problem is what would they be smuggling in (no prohibition at the time) or were they luring vessels onshore to steal the bounty. Any ideas???
 

scotto

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The Beach Strip
#2
I think we have talked about this before but it might have been in the Mod section. In a couple of Beach history books there was some speculation that before the lighthouse was built there were some people who would shine strong lights out into the lake during storms to entice ships close to shore. This was blame for a few ship wreaks but nothing ever proven, just speculation. Could of been part of the pro lighthouse group at the time as an excuse to spend government money on a new lighthouse.
As for smuggling at the Beach, not a lot is written about it in the old books, they could of been good at not getting caught or maybe it wasn't the local law that they were worried about. Canada was a country back in the 1830's, I wonder what tariffs would of been in place back then to make smuggling from the Beach worth the effort.
 
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Drogo

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#3
"from Scott" Canada was a country back in the 1830's, I wonder what tariffs would of been in place back then to make smuggling from the Beach worth the effort.

I don't think it was over tariffs. I think it was more likely to acquire goods. Back in the early years they were off on there own. Fishing mostly to live and trying to build something to live in. Food, coal (big cargo for Capt. Hall and very lucrative) lumber and most anything else would be useful.
 

David O'Reilly

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Dec 15, 2012
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#4
scotto
02-03-2015, 04:31 PM
I think we have talked about this before but it might have been in the Mod section. In a couple of Beach history books there was some speculation that before the lighthouse was built there were some people who would shine strong lights out into the lake during storms to entice ships close to shore. This was blame for a few ship wreaks but nothing ever proven, just speculation. Could of been part of the pro lighthouse group at the time as an excuse to spend government money on a new lighthouse.
As for smuggling at the, not a lot is written about it in the old books, they could of been good at not getting caught or maybe it wasn't the local law that they were worried about. Canada was a country back in the 1830's, I wonder what tariffs would of been in place back then to make smuggling from the Beach worth the effort."

Scott,

Yes, I remember you and Drogo having a discussion about smugglers on the beach, but I too don't know where it was.

This thread refers in a very vague way to smugglers on the beach, but doesn't indicate what it was that was being smuggled.

"Smugglers and innkeepers were among the early residents." ...
"Besides farmers and fishermen, laborers, smugglers and innkeepers were also permanent residents."
http://hamiltonbeachcommunity.com/f...War-fires-and-picnics-all-part-of-Beach-Strip
 

scotto

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Feb 15, 2004
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The Beach Strip
#5
"from Scott" Canada was a country back in the 1830's, I wonder what tariffs would of been in place back then to make smuggling from the Beach worth the effort.

I don't think it was over tariffs. I think it was more likely to acquire goods. Back in the early years they were off on there own. Fishing mostly to live and trying to build something to live in. Food, coal (big cargo for Capt. Hall and very lucrative) lumber and most anything else would be useful.
I checked through some old articles from the late 1800's and coal oil was one item smugglers being caught with on the Canada side, around that time the Scott Act stop Chinese people from entering the US, so something else to smuggle. Later on there are many stories of alcohol being smuggled to the US, also the US wasn't happy about new government ran beer/liquor establishments located close to the border. Trains were a favorite for smugglers as customs early on didn't check large shipments of lumber that were destined to the southern states, but ended up in New York.

(The search button seems to be working for David, pretty useless for me)
 

David O'Reilly

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Dec 15, 2012
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#6
Drogo
02-03-2015, 03:24 PM
"Last night I watched a documentary regarding Cornwall smugglers up to about 1835. Not what I expected at all. I have family from Cornwall and one was called Penrose. There is the story of the "Smugglers of Penrose". They put lights on the beach and lured ships in close and they got beached. Their bounty was then taken. The show last night was on about roughly the same time period in the same place but they were protesting high taxes and meeting French ships in the canal and smuggling booze, tea, spices, lace etc. back to be sold in Cornwall. They got rich by standards. Now we have mention of smugglers on the Beach and I'll wager money my relatives participated. Only problem is what would they be smuggling in (no prohibition at the time) or were they luring vessels onshore to steal the bounty. Any ideas???"

Drogo,

Do you think that the tolls that were being charged for ships to go through the canal were so high, that cargo was being transported over land between the lake and bay? And hence the peaple doing this were considered to be 'smugglers'?






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Drogo

Moderator
Feb 8, 2005
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#7
THE FOLLOWING QUOTE COMES FROM WARS FIRES AND PICNICS....................

"As for early Beach Strip settlement, Lewis Corey, son of a United Empire Loyalist, and John Dynes, were believed to be the first.
When they initially settled there, wrote Corey A. Kume, the area was a mass of trees, foliage and a swamp full of water lilies.
Thousands of frogs croaked a night, and they were dubbed the Canadian Band by the early in habitants.
Smugglers and innkeepers were among the early residents.
Fishing was an important occupation during the Strip's early days with numerous varieties available, and later there were orchards and market gardens. Local hunters also visited the area, as game was plentiful.
Besides farmers and fishermen, laborers, smugglers and innkeepers were also permanent residents.
By 1833 the Beach Strip boasted four small hotels, three general stores, and two saloons. Jacob Spahn built the first hotel there, while O. McAffee, who ran the canal dredge, lived on the Strip.
Another interesting resident was schooner captain Edward Zealand, who owned three boats and had a forwarding business at Port Hamilton."

First, in the above, it says "Smugglers and Innkeepers were among the early residents. A little further down it says "Besides farmers and fishermen, laboreres, smugglers and innkeepers were also permanent residents. Then "By 1833". This article seems to be telling a story from beginning to end so it appears the comments before "by 1833" would indicate the really early inhabitants. The Corey's arrived ca 1824. Apparently Lewis Corey arrived a day after John Dynes. Benjamin Charbonneau came from NB with the Coreys and he was also a fisherman.

Your response looks like you are looking after the time of trains, a description that sounds like the smuggling during American prohibition, and The Scott Act. Many changes on the Beach between pre 1833 and, for one, trains. I think we are trying to mix apples and oranges. My first query re: smuggling was the smugglers referred to above. When my grandfather lived on the Beach he made some extra coin driving truck to Lake Erie. Many Hamilton residents made alittle extra money. I don't think you can compare the two "businesses".
 

David O'Reilly

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Dec 15, 2012
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#8
Drogo
02-03-2015, 03:24 PM
"Last night I watched a documentary regarding Cornwall smugglers up to about 1835. Not what I expected at all. I have family from Cornwall and one was called Penrose. There is the story of the "Smugglers of Penrose". They put lights on the beach and lured ships in close and they got beached. Their bounty was then taken. The show last night was on about roughly the same time period in the same place but they were protesting high taxes and meeting French ships in the canal and smuggling booze, tea, spices, lace etc. back to be sold in Cornwall. They got rich by standards. Now we have mention of smugglers on the Beach and I'll wager money my relatives participated. Only problem is what would they be smuggling in (no prohibition at the time) or were they luring vessels onshore to steal the bounty. Any ideas???"

Drogo,

Here is something from 'Hamilton Harbour 1826/1901', but it isn't clear what was that was being smuggled.

1844
The season of 1844 opened with an incident of somewhat melodramatic quality. In the stygian darkness of a January night, a man was making his silent way along Burlington Beach. He was John Henry Palmer, a zealous Custom House Officer, acting on a tip, and on his arrival at the Piers, he apprehended the schooner WILLIAM JONES, engaged in the nefarious business of smuggling. He also found that a considerable amount of her cargo had already been secreted in the storehouse of Mr. Russell, the contractor on the Canal job. The Hamilton Gazette, whose reporter threw light upon this dastardly act, said:
"Much credit is due to Mr. Palmer for his bold stroke."
We doubt that the loyal and enthusiastic officer received any accolade, and certainly Mr. Russell, who held the contract would have little to fear. He would naturally be a staunch Tory, and as such, a friend of Sir Allan MacNab, M.P., who would leap to the defense of one who would, of course, have included the necessary payola in his successful bid for the work.

http://www.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca/documents/brookes/default.asp?ID=Y1844
 

David O'Reilly

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Dec 15, 2012
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#10
Drogo
02-13-2015, 11:43 PM
Good catch David. Thanks!
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The information for the 'Hamilton Harbour 1826 1901' site, is from a manuscript held in the Hamilton Public Library. So maybe it would have more information on this smuggling situation. And given that it is a hard coppy rather than on microfilm, it shouldn't be hard to find the 1844 documents.

http://www.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca/documents/Brookes/default.asp?ID=P
 
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