Revenue men raiding a gang's hide-out.

Revenue men raiding a gang's hide-out. © National Maritime Museum, London

Repro ID: PY7378

Description: A band of smugglers is captured in this rather melodramatic painting by an unknown artist. The illegal trade in smuggled goods such as tea and French brandy deprived the government of customs revenue and threatened to put legal tradesmen out of business. The suppression of smuggling fell to the officials of the Customs and Excise services (then separate branches). They were commonly known as revenue men or preventive men.

Creator: Unknown

Date: Unknown