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Joss Snelling eventually attained celebrity status and became known as "The Famous Broadstairs' Smuggler", he even met with the future Queen, Princess Victoria (aged 10), during her stay at Pierremont Hall in Broadstairs during 1829. By all accounts, she was intrigued by his tales of smuggling. Pictured right - a view across Joss Bay, looking in the direction of Stone Bay, with North Foreland Lighthouse visible in the distance. There is no information regarding Joss Snelling's smuggling activities at this Bay apart from it being known that it was one of his favoured landing sites.

Rumour has it that Joss Bay was named after Joss Snelling, although it is almost certain that his name came from that of the Bay, documentation shows that the Bay's name was already in existence for at least ninety years prior to his birth.
One story suggests that he was named from the Bay as, at that time, it could be seen from the family-home in Lanthorne Road.
Sources indicate that Joss Gap (as it was then known) derived from the local family-name of Josse, a farming family who owned land fronting onto this section of coast.

Joss retired from smuggling at the age of 89, he died peacefully at Broadstairs in October 1837, aged 96, one of the district's oldest residents.
One story states that he is interred in St. Peter's churchyard, however there is no mention of him in the Burial Records for that year which spans two, legible, pages.

There are several rumours connecting Joss Snelling with Dumpton Gap but there is no archive documentation to support them. However, his son and grandson, George and Jim, did have smuggling connections with this area and one such notable incident is well recorded:

September 16th 1817, George and Jim Snelling had a narrow escape when they landed contraband at Dumpton Gap. A Revenue Patrol had been waiting to ambush them but unfortunately for the patrol, they had chosen to hide near an unstable section of cliff which collapsed and apparently all 7* were killed (other accounts state 9), all that survived of the patrol were their horses.

Smuggling in General

Many smugglers were charismatic, 'Robin Hood' type characters but it must be emphasised that most wouldn't think twice about inflicting serious harm or even death onto those who threatened their livelihood. Those suspected of being a traitor would either "disappear" or be found dead with the back of their skull split open (the hallmark of a smugglers' killing and apparently the origin of the modern term "splitter" denoting an informer).

During the 18th century, in the St. Peter's/Kingsgate area there were large gangs of smugglers, at times amounting to as many as several hundred men, the authorities were greatly out numbered and troops would have to be drafted in to assist. Many a time these soldiers came off the worst for wear in a confrontation.
Smuggling was a booming business and involved men from all walks of life, money was scarce so the opportunity of earning the equivalent of several weeks' wages from a single night's work was very appealing.
Many residents of Broadstairs, St. Peter's and the surrounding areas were engaged in the trade, if not actively they would offer their cellars as hiding places for contraband. Some reports even suggest that the dead became unwilling participants - large underground burial vaults were also apparently used as places of concealment.

The following hostelries, in the St.Peter's/Kingsgate area, were frequented by smugglers and served as "employment centres" for those seeking work in the trade:

Pictured below, left - the track leading up from the beach to the cliff-top some distance behind the Captain Digby public house, this fissure is believed to be the result of an earth tremor.
The arrow marks the entrance, now sealed, to a tunnel which forked into two and ended in the opposite cliff-face looking out onto Kingsgate Bay.
This track is rumoured to have a haunting associated with it, allegedly that of an old man who has been seen at night making his way down to the beach. He has been described as wearing 18th century clothing, hunched forward with a lantern in one hand and a walking-staff in the other.
Pictured below, centre - a close-up of the sealed entrance.
Pictured below, right - as seen from Kingsgate Bay, a view of these two tunnels, the second is now obscured by a rock fall. There is a high probability that these were used as lookout positions.

Near to the beach entrance of this track, in 1814, a group of smugglers were ambushed by Revenue Men. There is no further information, the event is captured in a drawing by a Riding Officer who is thought to have been present at the time.

Pictured right - a tunnel used for smuggling, now sealed, once led down from the Captain Digby Public House into this cave below at Kingsgate Bay. Pictured far right - inside this cave, looking up in the direction of the sealed tunnel.

Pictured right - a view across Kingsgate Bay, the Captain Digby visible on the cliff-top.

Other Points of Interest

In 1803 a bloody confrontation with the authorities cost six smugglers their lives at Stone Bay (also known as Stone Gap).

Botany Bay was once linked by a tunnel, used for smuggling, which ran all the way to a cave at the side of Elmwood Avenue (the road between the golf course and the lighthouse).

Owlers:
another name for smugglers, said to either originate from the owl hoot used as a signal at night time or because they, like owls, were active at night.

Freetraders:
another name for smugglers.

Riding Officer:
an equivalent of today's Customs' Officer, his duty was to patrol long stretches of coastline, on horseback and usually alone, looking for smuggling activity.

Botany Bay (Thanet):
believed to be so-named as one of the penalties for smuggling was transportation to Botany Bay in Australia.

Kingsgate:
so-named - in 1683, on a sea voyage, King Charles II was caught in a storm and was landed at what is today Kingsgate. On his way to higher ground he passed through a 'Gate', to celebrate his safe landing the King ordered the gate to be renamed the "King's Gate".

Gate:
either an old term denoting a gap in the cliffs or referring to a stone archway and wooden gate(s) built in such a gap.

Palm Bay:
appearing as Palmers Bay on a map dated c1856. Probably relating to a local family-name of Palmer which originated from a name denoting a pilgrim returning from the Holy Land with a palm branch as evidence of their visit.

Broadstairs:
originally known as Bradstowe which is of Anglo-Saxon origin and means "Broad Place". The name evolved into Broadstairs as a result of the broad "Chapel Stairs" which once led up from the beach to St. Mary's Chapel.

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