From the Kentish Post or Canterbury News-Letter, November 25 to28, 1730. Kindly sent from Alec Hasenson.

Sale by Mrs Jelley of Dover, the Coffee-house &c. over-against the East India Arms in Deal.

From the Kentish Post or Canterbury News-Letter, October 24-27, 1753. Kindly sent from Alec Hasenson.

Advert: John Dixon at Deal has taken up the East India Arms in Beach street, which is now fitted up as an Inn and tavern.

From the Deal Borough Sessions Book 1773.

In an appeal from John James, Rector of the Parish of Deal against rates, refers to William Read, Innkeeper of the "East India Arms" with the stabling thereunto belonging.

From Discovering Deal (Historic Guide) by Barbara Collins; 1st edition; 1969.

The men of the Customs House service and the Excise Office had large staffs in Deal, and very active they were. A Customs sloop was attached to the Port of Deal in 1729 to accompany ships up the river to the care of tide surveyors at Gravesend. Not that this sloop proved much of a deterrent to the “runners” who brought vast quantities of tea and brandy, rum, lace and other treasures into Deal, to be collected by land smugglers and taken to London. Some success had been achieved by Customs men by 1740, and many captures made; the men were incarcerated in Dover Castle’s dungeons, from which they escaped with monotonous regularity. A total of 2,500 lbs. of tea was seized and brought into Deal’s Custom House that same year. A collector, comptroller, surveyor, landing officer, riding-officers, sitters of the boats, and other boatmen were all stationed here; thirteen tidesmen were employed, two of whom were coal-meters, set to watch all water-borne coals brought into the town, and to collect the tax thereon.

Custom-House sales were frequent. Goods confiscated, or those which had not been claimed from bondage, were offered to the general public. They included a vast mixture of items, apart from spirits. A typical auction list of 1815, offers “seven scarves, 24 pieces cambric, 155 pieces of painted paper(?), two ivory fans, one box of pearl counters, two pairs of socks, 16lbs. candles, ten jars of succades (candied fruit) and a quantity of Iron hoops.” Excise sales were held also, usually at the "East India Arms inn," which had a bonded warehouse. These would offer wines and spirits to dealers and some for private use. Such sales attracted custom from many folk near and far, as can be imagined.