Cowes Customs Records

A Customs presence at Cowes apparently dates from 1575 although a permanent Custom House does not appear to have been established until about 1695.

I have found very little written about the early days of Customs at Cowes, although I have now located books containing national Customs Staffing since 1675, I am in the process of transcribing the Cowes part, which will appear here in due course. There is an early note, apparently written by Thomas Thorold, the Customs Surveyor at Cowes in 1747, giving a background to Customs at Cowes in the Island Record Office, which I reproduce below:

“Before 1680 one Joseph Dawson was collector & kept his office in the house late at West Cowes the left handside going to the Castle between St Christopher stable and the house of Matthew White & Thomas Parkman fishermen who in the last mentioned year was succeeded by the Collector at Portsmouth, whose name was John Pocock, he kept the office in the fore-Lore Room to the East. In the House where Rich Thorold Surveyor lives (being at the right hand side of the lane or street to the Chapel) for which forty shillings was charged per quarter in accommodation for the same. Afterwards Thomas Cole Collector at Southampton was appointed to the Collector at Cowes, Lived there in the house where William Stephens do. The Custom House room was the chamber at the South East thereof under which was the storeroom or warehouse. Until about the year 1695 he removed and kept office at East Cowes. & in the year 1711 resigned his Collection to his son in law John Dale who in 1723 sold the same for £500 to Newlands Reynolds of Newport – he in 1738 was Dismissed for Mal-practices whose Suretys were indulged & nominated John Reed in his stead for which passes 8 or 9 hundred Guineas”

Being a Government Department, much was recorded in letters books, either from Collector (the Head of Customs at the Port) to the Board of Customs or vice versa. Those from Collector to Board exist from 1749 (with two exceptions, those from 1753 - 1759 and 1774 - 1779, which were reported missing in 1907, when early volumes were first removed from Cowes.) and those from Board to Collector from 1800. They are now held, with the exception of those from 1908 to 1925, are now held in the National Archives. Those from 1908 to 1925 are held at the Isle of Wight Records Office. Those subsequent to 1925 have not been released.

I am carrying out partial transcription (most books are 250 or 500 pages long) of the Collector to Board Letter Books, 1749 to 1810 are now complete, and have been added to the site, with PDF versions. I've tried to ensure all the links work, if not please let me know.

The next period to be partial transcribed is 1892 to 1925 (mainly because it is easier for me to get to the Isle of Wight Records Office than the National Archives at Kew!). I will then hopefully continue with 1810 to 1892. I have very minimal extracts from books from 1810 - 1840, if you wish to read see these please contact me.

Extracts 1749 - 1810