Publications
Jevington Jigg, by Rosalind Hodge, published September 2011 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 19 no. 7, article, pp.346-347) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15860] & The Keep [LIB/508848] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.
Preview:Earlier this year I received an enquiry about the famous smuggler 'Jevington Jigg' from an author wanting to verify facts for use in a new book on Sussex walks. Enclosed was a long article from a book about smuggling and I soon realised that what had been published about 'Jigg' was a combination of supposition and pure fiction with character's names, properties and the dates not matching what documentary evidence exists.
'Jigg' was a mysterious 18th century character about which them is scant documentary evidence. Them has been a great amount of poetic licence and romanticism attached to many stories written about him, which is hardly surprising given the nature of smuggling and it all makes for a 'good tale'. There is no doubt he existed and was involved in smuggling along a stretch of the coast around Beachy Head, Birling Gap and Crowlink. So, reading the article made me curious about the real 'Jevington Jigg' usually referred to as James PETTIT (or PETTETT).
'Jigg' was a mysterious 18th century character about which them is scant documentary evidence. Them has been a great amount of poetic licence and romanticism attached to many stories written about him, which is hardly surprising given the nature of smuggling and it all makes for a 'good tale'. There is no doubt he existed and was involved in smuggling along a stretch of the coast around Beachy Head, Birling Gap and Crowlink. So, reading the article made me curious about the real 'Jevington Jigg' usually referred to as James PETTIT (or PETTETT).