I have been reading with great interest a newspaper article which was published in the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette, 23 March 1839, about the case of NORTHCOTE v. SECCOMBE regarding a breach of promise of marriage. The parties involved lived in Lifton, and places mentioned include Ashwater, Broadwoodwidger, Tavistock, and Plymouth. (I am tracking down ROCKEYs who lived in Ashwater, Broadwoodwidger, Tavistock, and Plymouth, hence my interest in the article.) There is one phrase used that I don't quite understand the significance of, namely "he said he was expecting to go off in the Excise, and he would marry me and take me away" and "young Seccombe said he did not care for his father, but he could get into the excise and then marry me." Am I correct in assuming that this has something to do with Customs and Excise, i.e. tax collection? In an American context, a young man of the 1830s stating that he wanted to become a tax man strikes me as quite odd, although I do understand that the implication was that it was an opportunity to make money so that he could provide for the young woman. But why specifically "excise"? I probably am completely missing the significance of "excise" in an English context. Can anyone help me understand? David Langenberg Newark, Delaware, USA
An excise or excise tax (sometimes called a duty of excise special tax) is an inland tax on the sale, or production for sale, of specific goods etc. We have it in Canada and the US. Edna - Ottawa -----Original Message----- From: David L. Langenberg Sent: Friday, January 31, 2014 10:58 AM To: devon@rootsweb.com Subject: [DEV] NORTHCOTE - SECCOMBE - Excise - (ROCKEY) I have been reading with great interest a newspaper article which was published in the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette, 23 March 1839, about the case of NORTHCOTE v. SECCOMBE regarding a breach of promise of marriage. The parties involved lived in Lifton, and places mentioned include Ashwater, Broadwoodwidger, Tavistock, and Plymouth. (I am tracking down ROCKEYs who lived in Ashwater, Broadwoodwidger, Tavistock, and Plymouth, hence my interest in the article.) There is one phrase used that I don't quite understand the significance of, namely "he said he was expecting to go off in the Excise, and he would marry me and take me away" and "young Seccombe said he did not care for his father, but he could get into the excise and then marry me." Am I correct in assuming that this has something to do with Customs and Excise, i.e. tax collection? In an American context, a young man of the 1830s stating that he wanted to become a tax man strikes me as quite odd, although I do unders! tand that the implication was that it was an opportunity to make money so that he could provide for the young woman. But why specifically "excise"? I probably am completely missing the significance of "excise" in an English context. Can anyone help me understand? David Langenberg Newark, Delaware, USA
In this case I think you will find he was planning to become what later was known as the Coastguards. See http://www.genguide.co.uk/source/coastguards-and-customs-amp-excise-officers -england-wales-scotland-ireland-occupations/145/ Regards, Deborah OBrien Devon OPC Co-ordinator DFHS Member 11261 http://genuki.cs.ncl.ac.uk/DEV/OPCproject.html Online Parish Clerk for Meavy, Newton Ferrers, Roborough by Torrington, Sheepstor, Walkhampton http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~dob7/index.html Researching SQUANCE, LILLICRAP, SURTEES, DANKESTER & YATES -----Original Message----- From: devon-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:devon-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of David L. Langenberg Sent: 31 January 2014 15:59 To: devon@rootsweb.com Subject: [DEV] NORTHCOTE - SECCOMBE - Excise - (ROCKEY) I have been reading with great interest a newspaper article which was published in the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette, 23 March 1839, about the case of NORTHCOTE v. SECCOMBE regarding a breach of promise of marriage. The parties involved lived in Lifton, and places mentioned include Ashwater, Broadwoodwidger, Tavistock, and Plymouth. (I am tracking down ROCKEYs who lived in Ashwater, Broadwoodwidger, Tavistock, and Plymouth, hence my interest in the article.) There is one phrase used that I don't quite understand the significance of, namely "he said he was expecting to go off in the Excise, and he would marry me and take me away" and "young Seccombe said he did not care for his father, but he could get into the excise and then marry me." Am I correct in assuming that this has something to do with Customs and Excise, i.e. tax collection? In an American context, a young man of the 1830s stating that he wanted to become a tax man strikes me as quite odd, although I do unders! tand that the implication was that it was an opportunity to make money so that he could provide for the young woman. But why specifically "excise"? I probably am completely missing the significance of "excise" in an English context. Can anyone help me understand? David Langenberg Newark, Delaware, USA ------------------------------------------ The DEVON-L mailing list is co-sponsored by GENUKI/Devon ( http://genuki.cs.ncl.ac.uk/DEV/ ) and the Devon FHS (http://www.devonfhs.org.uk/ ) List archive for Devon can be found at http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/index/DEVON/ ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to DEVON-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message