The smugglers

by Duncan Fraser

The SCOTS used to have a reputation overseas for being the one nation in the world who were compulsive smugglers. They retained this reputation for hundreds of years, until early in the eighteenth century their smuggling escalated and on of the most fantastic bonanzas of all time hit the east coast of Scotland. For about twenty years, the authorities fought a losing battle while the contraband came flooding in from every corner of the known world.....

152 pages, Hardcover

First published October 12, 1971

Reviews

[Gavin Tavendale]

So this is a biased review. Being from Montrose originally and having an interest in smuggling I was always going to enjoy this. In fact I read it within 48hours which is unheard of for me.
Most of it takes place between 1700-1750 around the time of the union and the Jacobite risings.
We learn about the smuggling but also the legal landings too of the exotic goods coming into Montrose including tobacco, brandy, wine, prunes, timber, linseed, flax, etc.
We meet the customs officers and learn of their toils with the smugglers, the break-ins to the warehouse, the burning of boats and the encounters with the Jacobites.
It is told in an easily accessible manner and not just an exhaustive list of facts.
If you have an interest in Montrose history or the going’s on of smuggling then it’s for you.
I was hopeful to find mention of whisky being smuggled but no such luck. It would seem we Scots kept that to ourselves in those days.

I came to this book in search of more smuggling tales from having just read Arran Water by Gregor Adamson and The Illicit Distilling of Scotch Whisky by Charles MacLean which detail whisky smuggling on Arran and in the Cabrach respectively.
Next I plan to venture into the first work I have purchased by renowned author of smuggling Frances Wilkins: The Smuggling Story of Two Firths (1993) which details the ongoings of smuggling down the east coast from Montrose to Dunbar.