The Isle of Wight, with its rugged coastline and proximity to mainland Europe, has a long and colourful history of smuggling, especially during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Its hidden coves, secret tunnels, and remote beaches made it an ideal location for smugglers and wreckers to receive and pass on illicit merchandise, avoiding the watchful gaze of the customs officers. Join crime historian Angela Buckley for a fascinating glimpse into these covert operations hidden in the shadows of the Island’s past.

Angela’s talk will explore how, at a time when heavy taxes on goods such as alcohol, tea, and tobacco drove illegal trade, smuggling became a way of life for many Islanders from fishermen to local innkeepers. It will reveal how entire communities were often complicit, with many turning a blind eye or even aiding in the concealment of contraband, which left a lasting legacy on the Isle of Wight.