Do I have a Smuggler in the family?

I remember watching old films with smugglers heaving goodies up the rocks on darkened beaches, hiding their loot in caves or scrambling through underground passages to elude authorities. Little did I know that my ancestors may have been involved in these activities. To be honest, I will probably never know if they were, but the fact that my great, great grandmother, Ellen Tanner, was born in 1840 at Pitts Deep, Hampshire a notorious smuggling area definitely opens up the possibility of a smuggler in the family.
It was on trying to locate where Pitt's Deep was that I stumbled onto the areas smuggling history, as shown here:

Safe landings on this coast are few and far between, but there was one at Pitt's Deep: a winding creek that cuts through the mud-flats. Here a jetty, Pitt's Deep Hard, provided a berth for even quite large ships. The deepest part of the trench cut by the brook flowing into the sea at this point was used for sinking tubs when danger loomed - and won the nickname Brandy Hole. Pylewell Home farm nearby was also used as a storage place by smugglers, and Tanner's Lane in the same area was a popular route inland. (1)

The fact that there is a Tanner's Lane also indicates the family have been associated with this area for a long time. Ellen's grandfather, William Tanner, owned a boat in this area in the early 1800's which led to his untimely death at the age of 33. Ellen's father, also William, was only 8 years old at the time. An Inquest was held into his death and a report appeared in The Hampshire Chronicle on 9 September 1816 as follows:

The 1851 England Census, shows William Tanner's occupation as a fisherman and the four children listed all born at Pitt's Deep. Ironically the 1841 Census shows them residing next to the Pitt's Deep Preventive Station (the name given to the Coast Guard Station at the time).

Whether any of the Tanner's were smugglers or not is unknown, but given the long association the family had with this well known smuggling region it provides a good talking point! It has also increased my curiosity to see the area later in the year.

(1) http://www.smuggling.co.uk/gazetteer_s_12.html, accessed 28 April 2018.