Cornwall Smugglers
 Excise / Revenue Men and Coast Guard
From the 17th & 18th Centuries

King or Queens Men 

Of Cornish Extraction But Born Elsewhere

Yet another page which has come about following a letter this time from Susan Down. Susan sent details of an ancestor whose parents were born in Cornwall. He eventually joined the Coastguard and served elsewhere. If you have family members who having been born of Cornish parents went on to join either the Customs, Excise, Coastguard or Preventative service and you would like to add to the list then please send me the information by clicking  Here.

Dear George:

I have an ancestor who was a coastguard. 

He was Benjamin Avery, born in Cork , Ireland in 1822 but of Cornish parents.  He was married in 1848 to Jane Rogers from Rame, Cornwall , his occupation was Mariner.  He is listed in the 1861 census at Leysdown , Kent , age 40.  His parents were Thomas and Ann Avery both of Maker, Cornwall .  He had returned to Maker, Cornwall by 1871.   I have not been able to find any other information about Thomas and Ann except their gravestone in the Maker Parish Churchyard.  As Benjamin and two of his brothers were born in Ireland and the other in Dorset , I think that perhaps his father, Thomas may possibly have been a coastguard also.  Thomas’s uncle, Richard Avery is listed as being a coastguard in 1785.   There is perhaps a long association of the Avery family with the coastguard service and royal navy.

  The information about the coastguard service is much appreciated.

Best regards,

Susan Down