William Else

[tess2109]

Hi there,

Can anybody help please.....a William Else more know as Dover Bill the Smuggler. He was born in Bethersden Kent and was in a Battle of 1780.  Have the newspaper clippings where there is a picture of him on the Kings Head Pub in Boughton Malherbe (just outside Maidstone).  I believe that he is the brother to a lady by the name of Mary Else(b Bought Malherbe) who married a man by the of John Sedgwick(in Boughton Malherbe).  I also have his brother Richard Sedgwick who married a lady by the name of Jane Else(possible sisters?) who was also born in(Boughton Malherbe).  Can anybody find any information relating to the famous Dover Bill(William Else) or either Mary Else born 1735 Boughton Malherbe kent.  The name Else is finding hard any ideas or any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks
Dawn

[grandarog]

Hi Dawn  ,
                 Heres a couple of snippets you may already have,bt no never mind.


Source:-  http://www.paranormaldatabase.com
Headless Coachman
Location: Grafty Green (Kent) - Road past King's Head public house and old rectory
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A driver lost control of his coach and crashed into a large tree near the old rectory, killing all the passengers. The coachman lost his head in the accident. Legends say the scene repeats itself, though now it tends to be heard and not seen. A twist to this tale is that the ghost of 'Dover Bill', a local smuggler who turned King's Evidence, was said to have appeared and caused the accident in the first place.

Source:- http://www.timetravel-britain.com
Maidstone is now the county town of Kent -- a large district centre with many former villages forming its suburbs. One of these is Grafty Green where The King's Head was frequented by an infamous fellow known as Dover Bill. Local tradition tells that Bill and his fellow smugglers were surprised by the Revenue while drinking in the pub, and events escalated to a full-scale running battle. Eventually all of the gang except Bill were captured, leaving Bill as an outcast amongst his friends and neighbours. The captured members of the gang were hung at Penenden Heath,

           Good Luck ,Rog .