The Dexter Affair

T 1/439/160:

Sir
The Commissioners having this day received a Return from Mr Lutwidge Surveyor General of the Customs to the Order given in pursuance of the Directions of the Lord Commissioners of his Majesty's Treasury signified by Mr Whately's Letter of the 12th of last Month to enquire into the Facts contained in a Memorial of Mr Dexter representing the ill usage of himself and his Friends had received in the Isle of Man. I am directed to transmit you copies of Mr Lutwidges's Report and of the Affidavits therein referred to for the information of the Lord Commissioners of his Majesty's Treasury.
I am with great Respect &c J Freemantle
Custom House London 30th July 1765
[To] Charles Lowndes Esq

T 1/439/156:

Mrs Margaret Quirke of Castletown Spinster personally appeared before me and being sworn on the holy Evangelists voluntarily made Oath and said that the Wife of one Dexter who lived at the Creggans which belongs to Mr Quayle Comptroller of this Isle applied to this Deponent for her Lodgings to lye in at. That according she the said Mrs Dexter came to this Deponents Lodgings about a Fortnights or three Weeks after, to wit on the first of March last about seven of the Clock in the Morning and appeared to be labouring under great Pains and was brought to bed in the Afternoon. That the Deponent verily believes the said Mr Quayle or any of his Family did not oblige her to remove from his said house but that she had intended to come to the Deponents Lodgings which she had previously engaged and provided as aforesaid. And can depose and with Certainty say that both the said Mr Quayle and his Wife as soon as they knew of her removal and Situation desired the Deponent to send to them for any Necessary she the said Mrs Dexter should stand in need of and that she should be supplied and requested the Deponent to acquaint her thereof. And this Deponent saith that the said Mrs Dexter had Fuel, Wines and all manner of the Necessarys and Provisions for the space of three Months daily sent her by Mr Quayle and his family as she had occasion and this Deponent often was the person that brought them and never was refused. And the Deponent saith that the said Mrs Dexter had but two or three Shillings when she came to the Deponents Lodgings and she and her Children had starved for want had she not received the charitable relief and support from the said Mr Quayle and family who supplied her with every Necessary as the said Mrs Dexter was a Stranger deserted by her Husband and left Moneyless and Friendless. And the Deponent hath seen a letter from the said Dexter expressing great thanks to the said Mr Quayle for the great favours he had done for his said Wife. And this Deponent hath heard the said Mrs Dexter declare that she could not bear to stay and lye in at the said house which her said Husband and one Wright his Brother in law farmed from the said Mr Quayle for that the said Dexter and Wright had quarrelled and the said Wright and his wife would have seen her starve for want which she was then convinced of from his behaviour to her during her Distress aforesaid. And this Deponent never heard of any abuse Injury or evil treatment offered or given to the said Dexter or his said Wife in this Isle upon account of any Information or other cause whatsoever.
Margarett Quirke
Taken and Sworn at Castle Rushen this Thirteenth day of July 1765 Before me John Wood

T 1/439/158:

Mrs Mary Cain of Castletown midwife personally appeared before me and being sworn on the Holy Evangelists voluntarily made Oath and saith. That she was called upon to deliver the Wife of one Dexter about the first day of March at Lodgings she had provided for that purpose - That she never heard or understood that Mr Quayle Comptroller of this Isle or any other at his Instance ever obliged the said Dexter's Wife to remove from the said Mr Quayle's House where she had resided with her husband before his absconding but can with Certainty Declare that she this Deponent having the same Evening informed Mrs Quayle Wife of the said Mr Quayle of the distressed Circumstances of the said Dexter's Wife. He the said Mr Quayle desired the Deponent to acquaint his family if the said Dexter's Wife should stand in need of any necessary and that she should not want any thing in his power. She the said Wife of the said Dexter was accordingly supplyed with all necessarys proper for a person in her condition and with Fuel, Wine, Spices, Drugs, Poultry, Lamb, Rabbits and all other Provisions from the house of the said Mr Quayle. That she the said Deponent often heard the said Mrs Dexter acknowledge & declares and the Deponent believes it to be true that she and her Children should have perished had it not been for the charitable relief She and her said Children had received from the said Mr Quayle and Family, for this Deponent observed she had not above two or three shillings when she was left by her husband and brought to bed as aforesaid.And this Deponent never heard of any Injury Abuse or ill treatment offered to the said Dexter or his said Wife in this Isle upon account of any Information or other cause whatsoever.
Mary Cain
Taken and Sworn at Castle Rushen this Thirteenth day of July 1765 Before me John Wood

---

All is made clear by the Petition of John Dexter

T 1/446/182

Petition of John Dexter late of Isle of Man (noted as Read 10 May 1764)

The humble petition of John Dexter late of Isle of Man desires some Employment for his services there.

To the Right Honorable the Lords Commissioners of his Majesty's Treasury
Humbly Sheweth unto your Lordships, that your petitioner was Lately an Inhabitant in the Isle of Man and Rented a Farm there of the Comptroller of the said Island

That your petitioner knowing there was a great Trade Carry'd on in the said Isle by a Smuggling of goods to and from the said Island, And your petitioner having had Information given him of a Large Quantity of Tea being Intended as soon as they Could Escape the Vigilence of his Majesty's Men of War and Cutters to be Landed in Derby Haven or port Ls Morry your petitioner Wrote two Letters, one to Ireland to a Near Relation of Your petitioner employ'd in his Majesty's Customs, who resided at Dublin, and the Other to Mr Burrow, Collector of the Customs at White Havan Describing the Vessels where the Tea was, The Pilot's Name on board And that their Arrival Was Expected about the Beggining of February last; but by Accident both your Petitioner's Letters Miscarried, and fell into the hands of the Smugglers, of which the Comptroller gave your Petitioner Information, and told your petitioner they wou'd Certainly Murder your petitioner if your petitioner Went Abroad.

That your petitioner Received A Letter on the 13th of February last, from Morris Jones Esqr That his Majesty's Cutter Lurcher Captain Matthews was returned to Douglas; On boad[sic] of which your petitioner got, by Setting out in the Middle of the Night of the 15th of February and Landed at White Havan the 29th of March last being all the Above time on board the said Cutter.

That your petitioner being Obliged to leave his place of Residence on the above Account and Leaving his Wife and Family behind him, And his Affairs Wholly Unsettled, and not Daring to Return for that Reason ; Your petitioner is Totally Unemploy'd; And as your petitioner was Rendered so by Endeavour to do his Country Service, and your petitioner was Deprived of any one friend that Could be of any Service to him for the following Reason, On the 20th Day of February Last Capt Matthewes saled to Romsby Bay, Mr Jones At the Desire of Capt Matthews, Ask'd for a pass for your Petitioner, in Order that your petitioner might take A Passage for England the first Opportunity, this was ask'd of one Bridgon the Capt of Douglas, He in an Infarmus? Manner, Call'd Mr Jones a Villian and Scondrill and Told him he was Informer, Afterwards Nocked him down and struck him When down Severall times, Afterwards Broke Open his door, Entered his Dwelling House and Dragg'd him to Dismall Prison with two of his Servant Maids, which Continued there for more than two hours, Which Treatment of Mr Jones prevented anyone to assist your petitioner.

And as your petitioner Can be Recommended by Several Gentlemen and Others; as to his Sobriety and Conduct.
Your Petitioner most humbly prays your Lordships wou'd be so Compassionate, as to Consider his Case, and to give him some Employ in his Majesty's Customs, or in What other Station your Lordships shall think your petitioner is fitt for, And your petitioner as in Duty Bound will ever pray.

Notes

The name Dexter is almost unknown in the Insular records around this period except for two entries in the Malew Register

Baptisms 5 Nov 1775 : Edward & Dominic twin sons of John Dexter and Anne Kelly - baptized privately some time ago and nd [not dated]
Burial 6 May 1765 : William S. of John Dexter [from smallpox]

The Quayle household is that of John Quayle of Bridge House and at that period Clerk of the Rolls. He owned the Creggans just outside of Castletown which he leased out to tenants.

The Captain of Douglas was Paul Bridson.

His full account as told to Mr Burrow may be found elsewhere