‘Captain’ George Ransley
The Napoleonic Wars of 1803-1815 was a time of hostility between France and England. As well as increasing the size of the army and navy, the British government responded by strengthening existing defences and building new ones along the south coast. Taxes were increased to fund the war effort. Many British men and women were left in desperate misery due to high taxes, skyrocketing food prices, unemployment caused by wartime trade restrictions, and the increased use of labour-saving machinery. Economic struggles forced many men to sign up for the army. Many turned to the lucrative trade of smuggling.
Aldington was the stronghold of The Aldington Gang, a band of smugglers roaming the Romney Marshes and shores of Kent. The local inn, The Walnut Tree Inn was their headquarters and drop for their contraband. They were probably the last major smuggling gang that existed in Kent and they were known as The Blues from the colour of the clothing that they wore or from blue flares used for signalling.
The core of the gang comprised some twenty or so close associates who were deployed as fighting parties to protect those carrying tubs of contraband goods from the boats across the beaches and into the marshes. They were armed with firearms and long ash staves or ‘batts’ and they received twenty shillings each a night for their dangerous work. The rest of the gang, upwards of eighty locals, received about seven shillings a night to carry the tubs from the beach to carts waiting inshore.
The first record of the gang is in November 1820 when the gang was part of a combined operation totalling some 250 – 300 men landing spirits, tobacco and salt from a French galley on the coast between Sandgate Castle and the Shorncliffe Battery.
In February 1821 a group of Blockade Men came across 200 smugglers at Camber Sands. The gang managed to unload their goods but were chased by the blockade force across the marsh to Brookland. Five men died and more than twenty were wounded in the ensuing ‘Battle of Brookland’. During the battle, Cephas Quested had approached a midshipman, mistaking him for a member of the gang, and handed him a musket telling him to ‘blow an officer’s brains out’. The midshipman took the musket, turned it on Quested and arrested him. Quested was hanged on 4 July 1821, having refused to betray his colleagues by turning King’s Evidence.
Soon after, George Ransley appears as the gang’s leader. At this time, the gang’s headquarters were at the Walnut Tree Inn (which continues to serve the local bitter to Aldington’s inhabitants today). Other favourite haunts were Ransley’s Bourne Tap, the Oak at Bonnington and The Palm Tree at Wigmore. Smuggled goods were secreted away in numerous storehouses, including the former Augustinian priory in Bilsington and the Tudor-built Ransley farm at High Halden.
In 1785, George Ransley was born at Ruckinge and started work as a ploughman then a carter. The story goes that he found a stash of spirits hidden by the smugglers and with the proceeds of the sale bought his house The Bourne Tap, from where he frequently sold spirits that he had landed.
George ‘Captain Batts’ Ransley took over the gang of smugglers after the Battle of Brookland, and employed a doctor, with an allowance paid to a man’s family if he was ill, a policy that avoided the capture of injured men by the revenue forces and helped to ensure loyalty. The gang became stronger and landed goods along the coast from Rye to Deal. In July 1826 they were caught on the beach at Dover and a Midshipman, Richard Morgan, was killed. In October 1826 Ransley was arrested at Aldington by the Bow Street Runners on suspicion of murder, but as it took place in the dark, the death sentence was converted to transportation to Van Dieman’s Land along with his brother-in-law Samuel Bailey and fellow gang members Thomas Gillham and James Hogben.
Ransley was sent to work on a farm in Tasmania where his knowledge of farming was a great benefit to him. Two years later his wife Elizabeth followed with their ten children – the youngest child died on the journey. He was assigned to his wife in 1833. He was finally granted a pardon in 1838 and farmed 500 acres at River Plenty, Hobart. He died in 1856 and is buried at Plenty, New Norfolk, along with his wife.
George and Elizabeth’s youngest surviving daughter, Hannah, married George Halyer Rayner, son of William Rayner. William Rayner was a convict sent to Norfolk Island. The Rayner family variously grew grain, milled flour, and ran general stores in the Derwent Valley and Hobart, Tasmania for more than a century. One hundred and twenty-two years later I married one of George Ransley’s 3rd great grand-daughters.
References
https://lynnesfamilies.wordpress.com/aldington-smugglers/smuggling-the-aldington-gang/
17 Comments
Mark
Thanks for sharing, very local history to us on the Marsh
Shelley
George Ransley was my ggg grandfather. My father’s grandmother was Louisa Ransley.
Andy Smith
Then we are related too, George Ransleys Wife Elizabeth Bailey was my 4th Great Grand Aunt.
Belinda Ransley
Hi we have been doing family research for past few years, my husbands great grandmother was Clara Ransley, grandaughter of George Ransley. Here story to has been horrific and haunting much the same. I have emailed to follow you. Love to see what else you unfold as we both journey this family tree obsession. Belinda and Tom Ransley
Nick Ransley
we should compare trees, I have over 2000 on mine
Kelis Mort
I am related to George Ransley is my ggg grandmothers uncle
Robyn Ransley
George is my 4th grandfather.
Gaye Farmer
Hi Robyn Ransley…….George Ransley senior is my g.g.g.grandfather, I organised the plaque for them in St. Johns Church at Plenty Tasmania where they are both buried. Many Ransleys donated to the cost.
Sue Fenton
I’ve visited that many times. Henrietta was his wife?
Patrick and Carole Killgallon
My wife is George Ransley’s 1st cousin 5 x removed and we are visiting Plenty today as part of 10 week tour of Australia. We also visited Aldington, Kent last year and ate in The Walnut Tree with her parents, dad being Albert George Ransley. Thank you for the information provided
Mrs Susan Phillips
Robert Samuel and John Bailey were my 3 x Great Uncles (my 3 x G.Grandfathers brothers on my maternal side) George Ransley was their brother in law. Fascinated to know about this and plan to visit the Walnut Tree.
Andy Smith
Hi Susan, Robert Bailey was my 4th great-grandfather, with Samuel Bailey as his brother and George Ransley their brother in law too. Small world and crazy times in history.
Garry
My great great great great great grandfather. Visited the Walnut Inn while on a holiday from Australia in 2013 and signed the relatives’ book.
Tony Bessell
Hi Jack! According to my records, George Halyer Rayner (1824-1910) was the grandson of William Rayner (1767-1850), & his son, George Jones Rayner (1794-1840) was the father of George Halyer. Happy to be shown any new information.
Cousin Jack
Hi Tony. Thanks for that. That concurs with what I have in my wife’s ancestry.
Trish Williams
George is my 4x great grandfather – I follow the line through his son George then Albert and Albert again. His Daughter Thelma Married a Williams. Most of my family is still Derwent Valley – I really enjoyed reading your write up on this – thankyou
Nick Ransley
Hi, Have been researching Ransley’s for years. My family tree covers UK, NZ and Australia. Always happy to compare info. Also I have a Facebook group for Ronsley’s all over the world. it’s called Ransley family tree.