John Whitfeld the Smuggler
and the Lewes Club
John Kay
14 November 2011
John Whitfeld the smuggler
• Resident in Cliffe, 1720s-1740s
• Resident at Corsica Hall, Wellingham, Ringmer, 1747-1755
• Forced to flee abroad 1756
In different documents John’s surname appears either as Whitfeld or Whitfield.
However, he always signs as ‘John Whitfeld’, so I have used that form here.
John Whitfeld: origins
Nephew of William & Elizabeth Pellatt, of The Friars, Lewes
Drawn 1784 by James Lambert
Source: Elizabeth Pellatt’s 1747 will
John Whitfeld: early life in Cliffe
17 Feb 1719/20 marriage at All Saints Church, Lewes
John Whitfeld of that parish
Jane Guepin of St John-sub-Castro
Jane, daughter of Isaac Guepin, clockmaker, and his wife Jane, was born 2
Jun 1700 and baptised at St Michael’s, Lewes, on 12 Jun 1700.
The marriage was followed by a series of 7 baptisms at Cliffe of children of
John & Jane Whitfeld, between Jun 1721 & Jul 1730.
Jane Whitfeld, “the wife of Mr John Whitfield of St Thomas in the Cliff” was
buried at All Saints on 23 Jul 1736.
Source: Parish registers of All Saints & St Michael’s, Lewes and of Cliffe
No other Whitfeld marriage or burial entries at Cliffe, 1715-1763
John Whitfeld the merchant
• A merchant trading from Cliffe wharf in the 1720s
• He exported wheat to Dublin
• He imported wainscot, pipe staves & coarse linen from Holland
• He supplied deals and lead from London to build Stanmer House
Source: Colin Brent, ‘Georgian Lewes’
John Whitfeld the political fixer
• In 1722 & 1727 the Pelham Whigs controlled
Lewes under the Duke of Newcastle,
but by 1734 Thomas Pelham & Turk
Pelham represented an unpopular
government. They were opposed by
a coalition of the Tory Thomas Sergison
and the dissenter Nathaniel Garland.
• 1734 election: John Whitfeld, though
he lived in Cliffe, was employed as the
coalition’s chief fixer, together with Rev
Charles Dixon, Rector of St John-sub-Castro.
• Both sides used every trick and lever they could.
John Whitfeld the political fixer
• The constables of Lewes played the key role of determining who was
entitled to vote in the Borough election.
• The steward of whichever Lord of Lewes was in office for the year chose
the jurors, who nominated the constables.
• In 1733 the Duke of Norfolk, whose turn it was, gave his steward a free
hand, into which John Whitfeld slipped 50 guineas. The Whig candidate
Thomas Pelham then outbid him, so a Whig jury elected Whig
constables.
Source: Colin Brent, ‘Georgian Lewes’
John Whitfeld the political fixer
• The hard grind then began, with William Hay of Glyndebourne & lawyer
Michell for the Whigs and Whitfeld & Dixon for the coalition, using all
their direct and indirect influence to swing the electors their way.
• Policy mattered. We know from Hay’s letters to Newcastle that John
Whitfeld emphasised the evils of the new excise taxes on
wine and tobacco introduced by the Whigs.
• Both sides used their influence as patrons, employers,
landlords and customers. Whitfeld, for example, pressed
a Lewes shipwright who built ships for him for support,
and hired a former exciseman (with a vote) as his clerk.
• Both sides gave notice to quit to voteless widows, paupers
or unreliable electors, to stuff their houses with voters they trusted.
Source: William Hay’s letters to the Duke of Newcastle published in ‘Tory & Whig’
John Whitfeld the political fixer
•
•
•
•
The 1733-4 Election Campaign
Quotes from letters
Hay to Newcastle
9 August 1733
“I trouble Your Grace with a list of the Freeholders in the Cliff, who I waited
on late on Tuesday evening, and early Yesterday Morning. I did not find
them as well disposed as I could wish, but much better than I expected, and
than Mitchel told me I should.
For Whitfeld has been trumpeting the Excise into their Ears, which has made
a deep impression on some of them.”
Source: William Hay’s letters to the Duke of Newcastle published in ‘Tory & Whig’
John Whitfeld the political fixer
•
•
•
•
The 1733-4 Election Campaign
Quotes from letters
Hay to Newcastle
9 August 1733
“I had no sooner left them Yesterday, but Whitfeld came into the Street and
exclaimed against the Excise; and assured the People I should scarce get one
vote in Cliff or Ringmer:
But he told Mitchel he wondered I did not call on him, for he was determined
not to vote for Mr Fuller.
I believe he is acting a double Part; and only talks in order to be brought over;
and Sir W. Gage designs to set Ayres and Harrison on him to sound him out.”
Source: William Hay’s letters to the Duke of Newcastle published in ‘Tory & Whig’
John Whitfeld the political fixer
•
•
•
•
The 1733-4 Election Campaign
Quotes from letters
Hay to Newcastle
24 September 1733
“Mr Kidder tells me he has talked with Whitfeld, who gives himself the Airs
of a great Patriot and Politician: but Your Grace is however obliged to him for
declaring a pretty good Opinion of You; he says You set out in the World with
good Principles, and have acted upon them till this last Affair: he says that he
and all considerable Merchants have great Obligations to those Gentlemen,
that relieved them against a Scheme which would have proved their Ruin:
and that they ought to express their Gratitude to them: and he would shew
that he had some Interest at Lewes; and he thought Mr Garland a proper
Person to represent it, because he understood Trade.”
Source: William Hay’s letters to the Duke of Newcastle published in ‘Tory & Whig’
John Whitfeld the political fixer
•
•
•
•
The 1733-4 Election Campaign
Quotes from letters
Hay to Newcastle
12 November 1733
“We had a large company this Evening at the White Hart, and had some
Fireworks and beer given to the Populace .”
“Lawrence I have tempted with Mr Trevor’s Liveries, but can get no
satisfactory answer.”
“Smith the Butcher has promised Mr Pelham of Stanmer to be right, though
he sometimes drinks with the other Party”.
“Adds the Butcher is in suspense between Mr Pelham’s Custom one way and
Mr Medley’s the other.”
“Richardson has promised Mr Springett; he had been seduced the other way
by Whitfeld, if I had not writ to Mr Springett to send for him to Plumpton.”
John Whitfeld the political fixer
•
•
•
•
The 1733-4 Election Campaign
Quotes from letters
Hay to Newcastle
15 November 1733
After complaining about the ineffective campaigning of the two Mr Pelhams:
“Had there been any Agent on Your Grace’s part half so vigilant and active as
Whitfeld, in getting the people together, and in bringing them to the
Candidates, affairs would have worn another face at this time.”
Source: William Hay’s letters to the Duke of Newcastle published in ‘Tory & Whig’
John Whitfeld the political fixer
•
•
•
•
The 1733-4 Election Campaign
Quotes from letters
Hay to Newcastle
27 December 1733
“As to the Women, [few] are like to do us any prejudice, by having let their
House already, or intending to do so. Su Tourle tis said will take in Dixon.
Eliz Rabson has already let hers to Whitfeld.
He pretends he has hired Widow Jones’s but she disputes the bargain and
came to Mr Pelham to complain of his Threats.
He has hired a hole in Widow Baker’s and put St. Eagers brother into it. But I
see so many Friends amongst the Women, that I think we shall have a great
Advantage against them.”
Source: William Hay’s letters to the Duke of Newcastle published in ‘Tory & Whig’
John Whitfeld the political fixer
• In 1734 the Whigs just carried the day – 84 & 83 votes for the two
Pelham Whigs, 75 for dissenter Garland & 70 for the Tory Sergison.
• To achieve this Newcastle himself arrived and toured the borough.
Crucially the Whig constables allowed 24 disputable Pelham voters, but
rejected 24 disputable coalition voters.
Source: Colin Brent, ‘Georgian Lewes’
John Whitfeld the political fixer
• After 1734 both Newcastle and Sergison began buying up, and building,
new houses in Lewes, to increase their influence.
• Both expanded their patronage of town voters. To counter Tory junketing
at The Star, and a nearby coffee house, Newcastle opened his own,
Whig, coffee house and assembly room.
In 1739 Sergison rebuilt The Star.
• Newcastle, based at the White Hart recruited
two key lieutenants:
William Kempe – to manage his houses.
John Whitfeld – to build up a “club” of 50
“inferior voters”, drawn in by strong drink and
a shilling or two.
Source: Colin Brent, ‘Georgian Lewes’
John Whitfeld the political fixer
• In 1738 Turk Pelham died of drink. Newcastle’s planning paid off, and
his nominee was elected unopposed.
• In Dec 1740 Newcastle’s society allies forced him to disown Whitfeld.
However, Whitfeld’s “club” stayed loyal to him, so Newcastle had to
reinstate him for the 1741 election, with a handsome “advance payment”.
Sir William Gage marched the “club” members to the hustings, and
Newcastle himself watched them poll. His candidates got 156 & 154 votes,
against Sergison’s 113. Whitfeld’s “club” tipped the balance.
•
In 1742 one of Newcastle’s Lewes MPs joined the ministry, but was
unopposed at the consequent by-election.
•
In the 1743 by-election Whitfeld was strong enough to veto one of
Newcastle’s candidates (the dissenter Garland, now an ally).
•
In 1747 Newcastle agreed with Sergison that they should each nominate
one MP for Lewes. Whitfeld’s role became redundant.
Source: Colin Brent, ‘Georgian Lewes’
John Whitfeld the ironmaster
By the mid-18th century the Wealden iron industry was well past its peak, and
most Lewes ironmongers used imported iron.
However, military guns were still made in the Weald, under government
contract.
• John Whitfeld of Lewes, merchant, purchased Howbourne Forge, Buxted,
in 1746.
Source: ESRO/SAS/E/15-20 & 49-51
• The letter book of Wealden ironmaster John Fuller shows him dealing with
John Whitfeld in 1752, and also shows him making new forge tackle “for
both your Forges”.
Source: The Fuller Letters, edited by D.Crosley & R.Saville, Sussex Record Society vol.76, p.270 (1991)
• In 1754 John Whitfeld (the Ringmer churchwarden) asked a young Ringmer
curate to enquire in his letters home about the local price of pig iron.
Source: ESRO/AMS/6126; Ringmer History Newsletter no.67
John Whitfeld the wreck master
There were frequent wrecks on England’s southern coast, and John Whitfeld
was heavily involved in the recovery and recycling of their cargos.
When the ‘Nympha Americana’ was wrecked at Crowlink in Dec 1747 the
insurance adjustors paid over £300 to Whitfeld for disbursements he had
made to the salvors of the cargo.
Source: Joan Astell ‘The Spoils of Providence’ , published by J.A. Astell & C. Rose (1971) and The Spanish Prize, published by the
Seaford Museum of Local History (1972)
Some deal boards he sold to the Glynde estate in 1754 had been recovered
from a wreck, and Whitfeld himself, in explaining his tardy response to a
letter in Jan 1755, explains that he has been busy attending to four
unfortunate ships wrecked at Seaford.
Source: ESRO/GLY/862
John Whitfeld the wreck master
John Whitfeld the country gentleman
• In 1744 John Whitfeld of Lewes, gent, purchased the capital messuage
called Greenwoods, with its barns, stable and pigeon house, in
Wellingham, Ringmer.
• This large property had previously belonged to Thomas Norton, gent;
William Newton, gent; Thomas Medley; James Lopdell; Henry & James
Plumer; Edward Claggett; & John Page.
• In 1662 it had 10 hearths, the second largest house in Ringmer.
• John Whitfeld mortgaged Greenwoods to John Plumer for £620 in 1747
& for £900 in 1751.
Source: Manor of Ringmer Court Books
John Whitfeld the country gentleman
Corsica Hall
Assessed for 32 lights in the 1771 Wellingham window tax, by far the highest number in the parish
Source: http://www.austenfamily.org/Corsica_Hall.html; name first recorded 1771 land tax
John Whitfeld the country gentleman
Corsica Hall, Wellingham
Assessed for 32 lights in the 1771 Wellingham window tax, by far the highest number in the parish
Source: http://www.austenfamily.org/Corsica_Hall.html; name first recorded 1771 land tax
John Whitfeld the country gentleman
Corsica Hall, Wellingham
Assessed for 32 lights in the 1771 Wellingham window tax, by far the highest number in the parish
Source: http://www.austenfamily.org/Corsica_Hall.html; name first recorded 1771 land tax
John Whitfeld the Ringmer churchwarden
• About 2-3 years after buying Greenwoods in 1744, John Whitfield and his
family came to live in Wellingham, Ringmer.
• John Whitfield & his wife Mary had children baptised at Ringmer in
1747, 1750, 1751 & 1754.
• John Whitfield was chosen churchwarden of Ringmer 1748-1755. The
vicar of Ringmer, 1748-1754, was the Rev Charles Dixon.
Source: Ringmer parish registers
John Whitfeld: property sales in 1755/6
• In late 1755/early 1756 John Whitfeld suddenly sold all his property;
Greenwoods and its associated land in Ringmer
The manor of Howborne and land in Buxted
Three warehouses in the Cliffe
Source: ESRO/SAS/E/18B
• In May 1756 John Plumer claimed Greenwoods as mortgagee, but in Oct
1756 its sale was confirmed to John Bridger of Coombe, esq.
Source: Manor of Ringmer Court Books
John Whitfeld the smuggler
Evidence [1]: Contemporary’s accounts
William Wisdom of Glynde, recollections written c.1832 as an old man
• He remembered Corsica Hall, Ringmer, and described its location in
Wellingham;
• His father told him it was built by a Mr Whitfeld, who got his money
smuggling Corsica wine;
• That old John Gibbs, a pauper brought home to Glynde while Wisdom was
overseer, told him that for many years he had driven the team that carried
the wine to London; [John Gibbs, poor, buried at Glynde 24 Mar 1787]
• The wine was taken up somewhere about Barcombe Mills;
• That Mr Whitfeld was at last informed against and obliged to go to Holland,
where he had died long since; and
• That Mr Harben the banker afterwards purchased the house, took it down,
and put it up again at Seaford.
Source: ESRO/Par.347/1/1
John Whitfeld the smuggler
Evidence [2]: Contemporary tales
Rev Thomas Walker Horsfield, ‘History of Sussex’ (1835) re Corsica Hall, Seaford
“The Lodge .... was formerly a plain brick mansion, and called Corsica Hall.
It was built by Thomas Harben, esq. It took the name of Corsica Hall in
consequence of its having been built with materials of an old mansion bearing
that name, which was situate in the parish of Ringmer.
The original Corsica Hall was built by an old gentleman of the name of Whitfeld,
who, happening to be well versed both in the theory and practice of the
contraband trade, continued to amass a considerable fortune by smuggling into
the country Corsica wine. With a portion of the proceeds of his trade, he built the
house at Ringmer, and commemorated his achievements and profits, by naming
it after the country whose wine he so much prized. Information, however, at
length reached government; he fled to the low countries and died.”
John Whitfeld the smuggler
Evidence [3]: Whitfeld’s tithes paid in Brandy
• In Rev Charles Dixon’s Ringmer tithe book for 1752-3 he records that
John Whitfeld owed £5 9s 0d in tithes for the year.
• Of this sum, £4 4s 8d was defrayed by 10 gallons of brandy, at 7s 9d per
gallon, and “43 bottles”.
Source: ESRO/Ringmer Tithe Books
Rudyard Kipling
A Smuggler’s Song
“If you wake at midnight, and hear a horse's feet,
Don't go drawing back the blind, or looking in the street.
Them that ask no questions isn't told a lie.
Watch the wall, my darling, while the Gentlemen go by!
Five and twenty ponies,
Trotting through the dark Brandy for the Parson,
'Baccy for the Clerk.”
John Whitfeld the smuggler
Evidence [4]: The Bridger sale condition
A 1769 agreement by which John Bridger (who had purchased Whitfeld’s
Wellingham house in 1755) sells Greenwoods and its land for £2,400
(including £1,000 still owed to John Plumer on mortgage) contains an
unusual covenant:
The purchaser is indemnified:
“from and against all forfeitures made or committed by Mr
John Whitfeld and all claims or demands whatsoever of or by
the King or Crown of Great Britain”
Source: ESRO/SH/714
John Whitfeld the smuggler
Evidence [5] : Whitfeld’s flight abroad
• A long 1754-6 correspondence between John Whitfeld and the Glynde
estate steward. Whitfeld had sold a cargo of deals landed at Newhaven
to the vicar of Glynde, acting for the Bishop of Durham’s Glynde estate,
and carried them by barge to Glynde.
• Whitfeld valued the deals at £183, but the Glynde steward maintained
they were worth less than the £150 he had paid. They had been
recovered from a wrecked ship.
• It ends with a 21 Jan 1756 letter from Whitfeld who says that he is
obliged to leave the country, but that he has paid all his own debts, and
wishes to have the £33 owed to him.
Source: ESRO/GLY/862
John Whitfeld the smuggler
Evidence [5] : Whitfeld’s flight abroad
• Letter to the Bishop’s steward; an example of John Whitfeld’s literary
style:
"... nor indeed anything but my reputation could provoke me to risque the
displeasure of my Lord Bishop, whom I almost adore, but as I am clear no
thought of an imposition has been intended but that the deals always were
and now are worth the money charged, so I do insist on our due and we
are convinced you will justifie us herein.”
Source: ESRO/GLY/862
John Whitfeld the smuggler
Evidence [5] : Whitfeld’s flight abroad
• Extract from Whitfeld’s final letter, addressed to the Bishop himself:
“...but under the circumstances I am, obliged to leave my country, your
Lordship will I hope excuse me, for as I have paid every demand on me, so
it is reasonable I should receive what is due to me, which I submit to your
Lordships consideration and have left a receit with the bearer Mr Small
Gardener, and am with the utmost respect and humility,
your most obedient humble servant,
John Whitfeld"
Source: ESRO/GLY/862
Cliffe smugglers have a long history