Cephas Quested

1788 – 1821

Cephas Quested was leader of the Aldington Gang of smugglers. He was captured at the ‘Battle of Brookland’, tried at the Old Bailey and sentenced to hang.

Cephas Quested was born to Samuel Quested and Elizabeth (née Millen), the second of thirteen children. He was baptised at St. Margaret’s in Canterbury on 28 December 1788.

Cephas married Martha Gardiner on 12 May 1809 in Dover. Cephas’ brother, James, married Martha’s sister, Harriet, the following year.

Cephas’ and Martha’s first child, Martha, was born six months after their marriage. In all they had nine children. The second, James, seventh, Cephas and eighth, Elizabeth, died as infants.

Cephas was a labourer and, like many at that time, sought to increase his income by joining the smugglers.

In Shore’s “The Smugglers” locals are reported to have said of Quested:

“Quested was a rough-like, drinking sort of a chap. Many’s the time I’ve seen him come home drunk at six o’clock in the morning.”

and

“I remember Cephas Quested quite well : he was a great, strong, blustering chap—rather a * rough ‘un,’ as we call it. He was never at any place of worship, unless it was for a christening; and then it took a lot of trouble to get him there. I’ve seen him lying about drunk, many a time; but he wasn’t bad company when he was in drink, he didn’t get quarrelling, like some on ‘em”.

Another side of his character is reported by a neighbour in reference to the period between his conviction and execution:

“His wife went up to see him every week : I heard all that was said, when she came home, and got talking about him. He was given the chance of breaking up the gang at the trial—indeed he was offered his pardon if he’d only split on them, but he wouldn’t. * No,’ said he, ‘ I’ve done wrong, and I’m ready to suffer for it, but I won’t bring harm on to others.”

And in the letter he is said to have written to his wife in his last hours:

“Dear Loving Wife,

I am sorry to inform you that the report came down on Saturday night, and I was ordered for execution on Wednesday. I sent for Mr. Hughes on Sunday, and he and the Sheriff came in the afternoon, and, Dear Wife, they told me that it was best for you not to come up.

Dear Loving Wife, I am sorry that I cannot make you amends for the kindness you have done for me, and I hope that God will be a Father and a Husband to you and your children for ever and, dear wife, I hope that we shall meet in the next world, and there we shall be happy.And, Dear Loving Wife, I hope you will not fret, or as little as you can help.

And Father and Mother,

I send my kind love to you, and to all my kind

Brothers and Sisters: and, dear Brothers, I hope this will be a warning to you, and all others about there.

Dear Father and Mother and Brothers and Sisters, I hope that you will not frown on my dear loving children.

Dear wife, I am happy in mind, thank God for it, and I hope you will keep up your spirits as well as you can.

“Farewell, my dear friends, I must away.
Death calls me hence, I can no longer stay :
Farewell, my truest comfort here below,
Christ bids me welcome to his heavenly joy.
Farewell, adieu! my grief.
To every trouble death is a kind relief.
Farewell, my fading joys, I go to prove
The endless pleasures of the Saints above.
Farewell, my pains, begone my rousing fears.
In heaven are neither grief nor tears.
All earthly happiness I now resign ;
Vain world, farewell! but welcome joys divine.

So no more from your unfortunate husband,

Cephas Quested.”

Cephas Quested was executed on 4^th July 1821.

Following the intervention of the local magistrate his wife brought his body back to Aldington where he was buried on 8^th July.

Martha married William Mears on 1^st December 1823.