John Andrew

King of the Smugglers

1757 to 14 November 1835

The grandfather of Martin Farndale’s wife Elizabeth Taylor, no doubt in league with the seventeenth century Farndales. When the local folk whispered Andrew’s Cow has calved, everyone knew that the goods had arrived. The wealthy John Andrew later became master of the Cleveland Hunt.

John Andrew sleeping in his parlour

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John Andrew, the son of James Andrew (1726 to 1797) and Jean Kemloe (1721 to 1814) was born in or about 1757 in Foudoun, Kincardineshire, Scotland.

James Andrew b 1608
James Andrew = 1639 to 1699 Baptised at Perth on 1 June 1639 Married Barbera at Kinneff and Catterline, Kincardine on 8 June 1665	Barbera Officer				Andrew Caird 1652 to 1705 Married Issobell Crowe, b 1645
James Andrew = 1674 to 1735 Born and died at Fordoun, Arbuthnott, Kincardineshire	Margaret Cuming			Robert Napier = b 1671	Margaret Caird 1676 to 1769
David Andrew = 1694 to 1750 Born and died at Fordoun, Arbuthnott, Kincardineshire and also lived at Abbey, Paisley	Elizabeth Love and later married Ann Mitchell b 1689, with whom he had children		John Kemloe = 1699 to 1768	Janet Napier 1697 to 1765
	Janet Andrew (b 1723), Alexander Andrew (b 1727), Arthur Andrew (b 1729), David Andrew (b 1731), Helen Andrew (b 1733), Isobel Andrew (b 1736), Christian Andrew (b 1739), John Andrew (b1739)	James Andrew = 1726 to 1797 Born at Fordoun, Arbuthnott, Kincardineshire and died at Benholm, Kincardineshire A Merchant living at Edingight Grange	Jean Kemloe 1721 to 1814 Born at Johnshaven, Benholm, Kincardineshire	David Kemloe b 1723
	Joseph Andrew 1750 to 24 November 1797 Buried in Lancashire Married Jane MacNaughton	John Andrew 1757 to 1835 Married Ann Harrison (1756 to 1827)	James Andrew b 1759 Married Ann Sanderson	Mary Andrew b 1760 Married William Ross

John Andrew’s Scottish family were wealthy.

From The Cleveland Hounds, by A E Pease, 1887

Born in Scotland, of an old and respectable Scotch family bearing the name of the patron saint of that country, he came in early life to Cleveland and settled there. As far as I can gather, the family were natives of Kincardine, and lived at Bridge of Leppie, near Bervie, on the coast. There is little to be discovered of their history, but the following entry, unearthed out of an old pocketbook for the year 1790, of John Andrew, is interesting

Directions /or My Father : To Mr. Jas. Andrew, att Bridge of Leppie by Bervie, N. Britain. for my brother Joseph : To Mr. Joseph Andrew, Surgeon's Mate of His Majesty's Frigate the Rose, att Spithead or Elsewhere. for my brother in Law Wm. Boss : To Mr. Wm. Ross, att Cheapelfeild, Vintner, Montrose, N. Britain.'

Immediately following these notes is the following prescription, which may prove useful to some agriculturist: 6d. worth of Best Castile Soap, 1/4 lb., 1/4 lb. of Gunpowder, 2d worth of Spirits Turpentine, A Quart of Ale, for the Red water.'

He seems to have kept up his connection with his old home, for in this year we find an item in ' A State of J. Andrews Affairs, May 12th,' 'A House att Beme in Scotland cost 100l.'

John Andrew was born in 1761 ; he had not settled many years at Saltburn before he married Ann Harrison, Saltburn was then but a fishing hamlet and colony of smugglers on the seashore, and not the large and fashionable watering-place it has since developed into. On the top of the cliffs, with a wooded ravine running inland, stood then, and still stands, the home of the Andrew family, a farmhouse known as the White House. Up this secluded ravine many a string of pack-horses wended their way with the contraband goods, which found a ready market at Guisbrough, Stokesley, and in all the country-side, this illicit trade being encouraged both by the gentry and clergy, as well as by the farmers. At the head of this smuggling fraternity was Mr. King, a brewer at Kirkleatham, and Mr. John Andrew, and many a good cargo was run ashore at Saltburn and stored in the White House, and in the clay holes of Hob Hill, in the ravine beyond the house. The most celebrated craft in the trade was the 'Morgan Rattler,' an extraordinary fast cutter, which eluded for years the coastguard, and was a terror to the Preventive men. You may now see in the last stall of the stables at the White House a large flagstone, which, when removed, discloses the entrance to a spacious cellar. In this stall John Andrew had always a celebrated mare who would kick like mad when any but her master approached that stall. Upstairs in the house is a room which had a secret hiding-place, where, in case of a search, the men might hide or lie in ambuscade. Later on we shall see how John Andrew's trade interfered with one or two seasons' sport in Cleveland.

In the beck at the bottom of the ravine were otters, that provided sport during the summer months, with a few couples of the old hounds. Badgers were also plentiful in the woods, especially at Kilton, and hunting them with an old hound or two helped to put away the weary months that elapse between the last day of one season and the first day of the next.

During the Napoleonic wars John Andrew, like many others of his fellow-countrymen, considered it his duty to place himself in readiness to serve his country. We find the following commissions which he held, signed by the Duke of Leeds : —

1. October 24, 1801, to be Ensign in the corps of Cleveland Volunteer Infantry, Thomas Napper, Esq., being Captain of that company.

2. June 29, 1807, to be Lieutenant in the corps of Cleveland Volunteer Infantry.

3. September 24, 1808, to be Lieutenant in the 3rd Regiment of local Militia of North Riding.

4. May 16, 1809, to be Captain in the same regiment.

On March 27, 1813, he entered his son, John Andrew, junior, as an ensign in the same Militia regiment.

In 1778, John Andrew achieved the degree of Master Mason of Kilwinnie Lodge, Montrose.

Sometime before 1780, John Andrew moved to Yorkshire.

The Smuggler

By 1780, John Andrew became the landlord of the Ship Inn, in the village of Old Saltburn when he married the niece of Will Harrison, the Ship Inn’s landlord. When John Andrew arrived in Saltburn, the Ship was not the only pub in the small hamlet. Other pubs included the Seagull and the Nimrod. Until 1881, the pub also doubled up as a mortuary for the village, and later the expanded town. The bodies of those who had drowned and washed up on the beach were stored in the pub pending a post-mortem.

The Victorian town of Saltburn by the Sea did not yet exist, and Old Saltburn was a small fishing village.

John Andrew married Anne Harrison (1756 to 1827) on 26 July 1780 at Skelton. Both John and Anne were of Skelton Parish by that time. The witnesses to the marriage were John Searle and Thomas King.

Their daughter Mary Andrew (1781 to 1835) was born soon afterwards and baptised at Skelton on 13 May 1781.

Their daughter Jane Andrew (1783 to 1861) was born on 7 November 1783.

By 1785. John Andrew, with his family wealth, and his landlordship of Old Saltburn’s Inn, became a respected member of the community.

The White House above the Ship Inn (October 2021, RMF) The Old Saltburn coastline (October 2021, RMF)

He entered into a partnership with a local brewer and co-ordinated the local smuggling trade from the Ship Inn and the White House.

There was an underground passage between the White House and the Ship Inn with its entrance below the stable of a horse that kicked out at anyone it did not know. This secret passage is said to have led from halfway up Huntcliff to the Ship Inn, and then continued through to the White House on top of the cliff.

His grand daughter later christened him 'King of the Smugglers' and he came close to being arrested on a number of occasions.

The saying Andrew’s cow has calved was part of the Saltburn smugglers’ code. When this code word was spread, it meant that a smugglers’ boat was offshore and ready to be unloaded. The community would then assist in unloading the illegal contraband, which would be transported to safe hiding places using pack horses. John Andrew’s tactics included hiding some of the goods in a chamber under one of his stable stalls. He placed a vicious mare in that stall, ensuring that anyone attempting to find his stash would be met with a swift kick.

He managed to combine being one of the area’s most prolific criminals with a position in the branch of the local militia (the Cleveland Volunteers) which was occasionally called upon to help the customs officers in their pursuit of the smugglers.

John Farndale later wrote: Some years ago Old Saltburn imported lime, lime stones, and coal, and also exported oak timber, prop wood, corf rods, alum and corn. It had a coal yard and lime kilns, and there was a large alum house near Cat Nab. My grandfather, who was a Kiltonian, employed many men at this alum house, and many a merry tale I have heard him tell of smugglers and their daring adventures and hair breadth escapes. The lime kilns and coal yard were kept by old Mr William Cooper, whose sloop, “The Two Brothers”, was continually employed in the coasting trade. Behind the alum house, Thomas Hutchinson, Esq., late of Brotton House, made an easy carriage road from Saltburn to that place, which road will always be a lasting monument to his memory.

In former days, there were frequently seen lying before Old Saltburn three luggers at a time, all laden with contraband goods, and the song of the crews used to be:- “If we should to the Scottish coast hie, We’ll make Captain Ogleby, the king’s cutter, fly”.

The government, however, being determined to put a stop to this nefarious traffic, a party of coast guards, with their cullasses, swords, spy glasses, and dark lanterns, were sent to the Blue House, at Old Saltburn. This came like a thunderbolt upon the astonished Saltburnians. They made, however, two more efforts to continue the trade – one proved successful, the other not.

The last lugger but one bound to Saltburn was chased by the King’s cutter, and running aground at Marske, she was taken by the coast guard, and all the crew were made prisoners, and put into the lock up. While the coast guard were busy enjoying their prize, all the prisoners escaped except one, who was found in Hazlegrip, and whom the King’s officers sadly cut up. Lord Dundas, of Marske Hall, threatened to bring them to justice if the man died.

The last luggar that appeared on the coast was successful in delivering her cargo. Two of the crew, fierce lion-looking fellows, landed, and they succeeded in capturing two of the coast guard, whom they marched to the other wide of Cat Neb, where they stood guard over them till the vessel got delivered. While these jolly smugglers had the two men in custody, they sent to the lugger for a keg of real Geneva, and at the point of the sword they compelled the poor fellows to drink of that which was not the King’s portion. After releasing their prisoners, and then telling them to go home, the smugglers returned to their vessel, setting sail, they left the beach with light hearts and a fair breeze.

Since the merry days alluded to the glory of Old Saltburn has departed – its smuggling days have passed away – its gin vaults have disappeared – and the gay roysterers who were wont to make Cat Neb and the adjacent rocks resound with laughter, now rest in peace beneath the green hillocks in the retired grave yards of Brotton and Skelton.

… Of late years many buildings of Old Saltburn have fallen beneath the ruthless hand of Time, and all that remain now are two or three humble looking cottages, with a respectable inn, possessing good accommodation, the fair hostess being a grand daughter of the well known and worthy huntsman, Mr John Andrews, sen.,, one of the most ardent admirers of the sports of the field in that fox hunting locality. In old Mrs Johnson’s days this inn was noted for furnishing visitors with what were termed “fat rascals” and tea, a delicious kind of cake stuffed with currants, and which the present obliging hostess, Mrs Temple, who is an adept ion the culinary art, can make so as to satisfy the most fastidious palate.

Respectability

Their daughter, Elizabeth Andrew (1786 to 1855) was born at Skelton on 8 January 1786.

Their daughter Ann Andrew (1788 to 1835) was born at Skelton on 19 April 1788.

Their daughter Margaret Andrew (1791 to 1868) was born at Saltburn in 1791.

Their son, John Andrew (1794 to 1855) (Farmer and Smuggler) was born in Skelton in or about 1794.

Their son, James Andrew (1796 to 1875)(farmer) was born in Skelton on 9 August 1796.

A Land Tax Assessment for the Township of Brotton shows that his landlord was paying tax: An Assessment made in pursuance of Parliament passed in the 38th Year of His Majesty’s Reign, for granting Aid to his Majesty by Land Tax to be raised in Great Britain, for the Service of the Year 1798 … Proprietor John Wharton Esq … Occupiers … John Andrew … £20 7s 3d.

Their daughter, Charlotte Andrew (1799 to 1803) was born in Saltburn in or about 1799.

Their daughter Harriet Andrew was born in Saltburn in about 1801.

John’s daughter, Ann Andrew married James Taylor of Stockton, at Skelton in 1807.

John’s granddaughter, Elizabeth Taylor (1811 to about 1835), was born in 1811. Elizabeth Taylor would marry Martin Farndale at Skelton in 1842, seven years after John Andrew’s death. Martin and Elizabeth Farndale are the website author’s second great grandfather, and so John Andrew is his fourth great grandfather.

	John Andrew = 1757 to 1835	Anne Harrison 1756 to 1827
Mary Andrew (b 1780, married Thomas White), Jane Andrew (1783 to 1861, married William Lawson), Elizabeth Andrew (1786 to 1855, married Thomas King		Ann Andrew 1788 to 1835 =	James Taylor 1781 to 1870	Margaret Andrew (1791 to 1868, married William Sayer), John Andrew (1794 to 1855, married Mary Pressick), James Andrew (1796 to 1875, married Jane Irvine Wilson), Harriet Andrew (1801 to 1874, married John Grundon)
		Elizabeth Taylor 1811 to 1894 =	Martin Farndale 1818 to 1862	Richard Taylor (b 1817), William Taylor (b1822), James Taylor (b 1824), Anthony Taylor, b 1827)
William Farndale 16 December 1842 to 9 June 1854 Died aged 11 Holly Haugh, Skelton	Martin Farndale 19 September 1845 to 17 January 1928 Married Catherine Lindsay Tidkinhow, Skelton, Brotton, Kilton, Tranmire, Tancred Grange, Boosbeck	John Farndale 26 June 1848 to 10 May 1914 Married Elizabeth Featherstone Railway Signalman and platform porter Loftus, Skelton, Liverton, Moorsholm	Matthew Farndale 25 June 1850 to 27 February 1927 Married Mary Liverseed Craggs Hall Farm, Skelton, Stockton, Brotton
	The Tidkinhow Line	The Loftus 2 Line	The Craggs Line

On 5 June 1817, at a meeting in the Angel Inn, Loftus John Andrew was elected as the first Master of the newly formed Roxby and Cleveland Hounds.

From The Cleveland Hounds, by A E Pease, 1887: At the Angel Inn at Loftus, on a summer's afternoon, we may picture John Andrew Snr, Isaac Scarth, Henry Clarke, Henry Vansittart Esq, Thomas Chaloner Esq and the other signatories to the rules then drawn up, sitting with their tumblers of punch, making a treaty. The Hounds were taken to Saltburn, then but a fishing hamlet on the sea-shore, where, for more than fifty years, the management was in the hands of the Andrew family. They hunted foxes in the winter and, with a few of the old Hounds, otters in the summer. A few years after this the Roxby was dropped from the name of the pack, and they became the 'Cleveland'.

John Andrew hunted with the Cleveland Hounds until his death in 1835, assisted by his son, John Andrew Junior, who took over the hunt when his father died.

The wrecking of the Esk

The 350 to Whitby Waler, the Esk, was returning home after a whaling expedition north of Shetland, during which four whales had been caught. In 1816 the same ship had survived being trapped in ice on a voyage to Greenland. Her Captain Dunbar passed Hartlepool as a gale started to drive her towards the shore. The morning of 6 September 1826 was marked by strong winds, mist and crashing surf. The Esk’s sails were soon shredded and she became grounded at the low water mark off Marske on Sea. The crew fired guns and burnt a distress light, but at dawn, she went to pieces. Within seventeen hours she was a total wreck and her riggings, timbers and cargo came ashore along miles of coastland. Only three members of the twenty seven strong crew survived. A memorial service was later held at St Mary’s Church, Whitby and 3,000 folk attended and took a collection for the bereaved families.

Later life

Ann Harrison, John’s wife died on 22 March 1827 and was buried at Brotton.

The recently made widower, John Andrew married Margaret Carter, a spinster in South Shields on 2 October 1827.

It has long been believed that, after a lifetime of dodging the Excise men, John Andrew, Senior, was eventually caught in 1827 at Hornsea while off-loading an illicit cargo. Alan Ward of Saltburn is a direct descendant of Andrew and pointed out that John would have been 70 by this time and it was likely that it was, in fact, his son, also called John (1794 to 1855) who was caught in this act of Smuggling.

The evidence seems to confirm this. A letter from the Customs House, London, dated 20 January 1825, asked the Customs Collector to enquire into the ability of two men to meet the bail amount of £95 for John Andrew. Another letter asked the Collector to take the necessary measures for the release of John Andrew, "Junior" from York Castle. The Cleveland Family History journal by John Warwick Andrew, b 1925, of Oxford, did the original research.

An article in the Northern Echo, dated 28 November 1935, gave the following account of John Andrew Junior. John Andrew, Junior, had the bad luck to be caught running a cargo ashore at Hornsea and was fined an enormous sum of £100.000, I believe about 1827, and, of course, unable to pay a fraction of the fine, was imprisoned in York castle. After two years of durance there, Henry Vansittart, of Kirkleatham, who had carried on the hounds during John's absence, was able to secure his release through the influence of his relative Lord Bexley, who was in the Government. In those days the discipline for debt was not strict, and Tom Parrington told me that John Andrew carried on his smuggling by correspondence through agents all the time he was a prisoner. From his release until his father died in 1835, he seemed to have been reduced to poverty, for he lived in a small cottage at Boosbeck and only had a grey pony, 15 hands high on which he hunted hounds twice a week. The pony was "as hard as iron" but had a temper and would always run away with his Master and was not particular as to the direction in which he bolted. It was not uncommon to see the gallant grey tearing across country in quite another direction to that which the hounds were running. The pony never got a summer rest for then his owner yoked him to a cart and he carted stones, seaweed, or anything else at a job which earned John a few shillings. After his father's death, Andrews was Master of the hounds, and his circumstances improved a little as the hunt paid him a small salary. John Andrew, Junior, died in 1855 and was also buried in Skelton Church yard.

Some speculate that John Andrew Senior’s hoard may still be hidden somewhere in Saltburn.

John Andrew Senior died in Saltburn on 14 November 1835. He is buried at All Saints Old Churchyard, Skelton, in the south corner of the churchyard.

He left six children, Thomas Pressick, Ann, James, George and Mary.

His eldest son Tom took his place as Master of the Cleveland Hunt and remained so until 1870.

How does John Andrew relate to the modern Farndale family?

John Andrew’s granddaughter, Elizabeth Taylor (1811 to about 1835), was born in 1811. Elizabeth Taylor married Martin Farndale at Skelton in 1842, seven years after John Andrew’s death. Martin and Elizabeth Farndale are the website author’s great x3 grandfather, and so John Andrew is his fourth great grandfather.

Those who trace their ancestry through the Kilton 1 Line are likely to be closely related to John Andrew the smuggler, and many well be directly descended from him.

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or

Go Straight to the Smugglers of Old Saltburn

A book about John Andrew called Watch the Wall my Darling, 2009, has been written by Richard Swale.

The webpage of John Andrew includes research notes, a chronology and reference to sources.