Whilst smuggling and wrecking were common occurrences in Cornwall, particularly in the eighteenth Century, it is worth putting them into a local context. Most locals did not consider them to be crimes - at least they were no less criminal than present day citizens paying cash for goods and services, to avoid paying VAT and no more criminal than pocketing a £1 coin found on the pavement.

Smuggling did not mean importing illegal drugs. It simply meant avoiding paying the taxman the ‘excessive’ revenues associated with goods such as tobacco, brandy, rum, tea, handkerchiefs, playing cards etc. (Coxe, 1984, A book about Smuggling in the West Country 1700 - 1850. Tabb House:Padstow p.12).

Wrecking,  Unlike the Jamaica Inn story, 'wrecking' did not appear to involve luring ships in to reef strewn coves. The following comment is made by the editor of a manuscript written by John Bray describing his experience of wrecks between 1759 and 1830:

"From the point of local history, the manuscript is and must for ever remain unique. For while references to Cornish wrecking may be pieced together from many sources there is no other account of the subject in existence written by a contemporary in the light of practical experience. The period with which the manuscript deals was one in which wrecking was at its height, and the writer has made no attempt to whitewash the actions of those who took part in it. That despite this, there is never so much as a hint of ships being lured to their fate proves incontestably how false such stories are. On the other hand, the manuscript does make it abundantly clear that while the spoils of wrecking were regarded as an hereditary right by the people, the latter were willing to risk their own lives in the attempt to save those chance strangers whom fate cast up on their shores." (Jenkins, 1975, An Account of Wrecks 1759-1830 by John Bray. page 41)

Wrecking meant salvaging goods from and dismantling wrecks: wood, food and clothing were collected as well as drink and money etc. With respect to ship-breaking, Jenkin’s comments "Armed with hatchets, ‘dags’ and saws, and in parties hundreds strong, they (wreckers) would not infrequently cut a large trading vessel to pieces in one tide." To the great majority of the locals wrecking was nothing more than gathering the fruits of the sea. Though, it is true that an ancient law which might have led to murders associated with wrecking is described by Jenkin’s and Vivian in the latter’s Tales of the Cornish Wreckers. Apparently a long obsolete Act of Parliament, prepared by the Plantagenet kings, stated that: "A ship was not derelict if on board her was found alive ‘man, woman, child, dog, or cat’". As Vivian commented "most of the traditionary stories of murdering of ship-wrecked people must have arisen in consequence of this very Act, whose provisions could hardly have been better calculated to turn the avaricious wrecker into a brutal, cold-hearted killer." (p38)

In fact, the story Bessie told her grandson clearly fits the ‘gathering’ concept and has similarities to the "apocryphal story of a Cornish clergyman who, on having his service disturbed by news of a wreck in the vicinity, begged the congregation to remain seated until he had removed his cassock - ‘so that we can all start fair’." (Vivian p.7)

Punishments for smuggling and wrecking varied:

"In 1736 you could be hanged for wounding, or even hindering, a customs officer; and later this was extended to include shooting at a Naval Officer or Revenue patrol." (Coxe, 1984 p.29)

Smugglers could be transported; alternatively, they could ‘choose’ to join the navy; interestingly, if a smuggler could persuade two other individuals to volunteer for the army/navy they, themselves, would be pardoned.

Bray, writing of a wreck towards the end of the eighteenth century, commented that as soon as the wreck was over:

"a pecking old officer in Stratton sarched many houses and if he could find a small matter he would get them fined - some six, some £7 each. If this had not been prevented by a good gentleman in this county, many people would have been horted (i.e. hurt in their pockets) if not ruined. One James Heale of Bude would go on board the ship (though) he was denyed. Just after she was drove on shore he did so, the tide coming in very fast. (He) remained some time, at last he came out of the cabbin, made fast a rope to the fore part of the ship, held fast by the rope and so came down.... Mr Hutchings and I took hold of him and we tuck out of his pockets all kinds of small articles such as cabbin locks which he had rep’t off and a vast number of articles belonging to the ship, the particulars (of which) I have forgot. As soon as Parson Dayman got wind of this business, he granted a warrant and put Heal under casatey (custody), and sent for me to testify what goods he had stole from the ship. I sent to Mr.Dayman (that) I would not appear against him to be the causer of hanging a man, not for all of the world. If Mr.Dayman intended any fine for my non-attendance, I must pay it. Then the prisoner was quitted never to do such a bould trick any more. If Hutchings and I had sworn against him he would have been hanged without any benefit of clergy." (Jenkin, 1975, p.29)

From a study of indexes of Cornish Executions (Truro Record Office) and criminal records (Cornish Studies Library, Redruth) there is no evidence of any Ball or Osborne (known surnames of Bessie’s uncles) being imprisoned or executed. It is, of course, possible that a hanging sentence was passed, but later commuted by an agreement to join the navy (prisons were definitely used as a source of pressed men in the Napoleonic wars).

It is unlikely, therefore, that two of Bessie’s uncles were hung but it is highly possible that some of her relatives were involved in wrecking. Only one known uncle, Samuel Ball, died whilst very young (1829 - cause of death unknown). If the uncle/uncles were Osbornes’ the underlying problem is the lack of christening records; of the two known ‘uncles’ - William ‘died suddenly’ (a sense of humour by a vicar??) in 1857 but James was certainly alive in 1871.

Interestingly, one relation did join the Royal Navy - Robert Ball - Bessie’s father’s cousin. After being invalided out of the navy, Robert emigrated to Ontario Canada in 1830, remarried Mary Ann Atkinson of Cornwall in Ontario and was subsequently granted 100 acres of land because he was an ex British sailor. There is no evidence from Roberts descendants, however, that he joined the Navy to avoid a nastier fate.

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