Smuggling - Myth & Reality

The Centre’s latest seasonal exhibition running from 15th February to 15th June 2025 looks back to a time in the mid-18th to 19th Centuries when smuggling was widespread along the South Coast. The governments of the time repeatedly raised customs and excise tariffs on luxuries like brandy, rum, silks, tobacco and tea, to fund war and imperial expansion. For people in rural areas subsistence wages and ‘Free Trade’ promised good money, adventure and access to luxury items. The exhibition “Smuggling – Myth and Reality” explains why Dorset was ideal for smuggling, and why it wasn’t a harmless pursuit. It tells stories of the individuals and gangs involved in it and those who faced the challenging task of preventing their exploits.

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Smuggling - Myth & Reality