Warren Lisle facts for kids

Warren Lisle (born around 1695, died July 1788) was an English official who worked to stop smugglers. He was the mayor of Lyme Regis three times: in 1751, 1754, and 1763. Later in his life, he became a Member of Parliament (MP) for Weymouth and Melcombe Regis.

Warren Lisle's Early Life and Career

Warren Lisle followed in his father's footsteps. His father, also named Warren Lisle, worked for the customs office in Weymouth, Dorset. This job involved checking goods coming into the country to make sure taxes were paid.

The Lisle family was connected to important local families, like the Tuckers. These connections helped Warren Lisle in his career.

Fighting Smugglers at Sea

In 1721, Warren Lisle started working in the same customs job his father had. Around 1737, he began actively fighting smugglers in the English Channel. He used two ships from Hengistbury Head to catch them.

By 1740, the main customs office made Lisle the Surveyor of Sloops for the south coast. This meant he was in charge of the small, fast ships used to patrol the coast.

In 1747, Lisle became the commander of a revenue cutter called the Cholmondeley. This was an 80-ton ship that he also owned. A revenue cutter is a ship used by customs officials to catch smugglers. In July of that year, he successfully captured two other sloops near Bigbury-on-Sea in Devon. These ships were carrying illegal goods like tea, brandy, rum, and tobacco.

Controlling Coastal Waters

For almost 40 years, Lisle was in charge of the ships that patrolled the coast. His area stretched from Portsmouth in the east all the way to Land's End in the west.

During the Seven Years' War in 1761, Lisle and his ship, the Cholmondeley, captured a French privateer called Triumphant. This happened west of Portland Bill. A privateer was a private ship allowed by a government to attack enemy ships during wartime.

In 1763, the Royal Navy bought Lisle's ship, the Cholmondeley. It was refitted and became HMS Cholmondely. Even after this, Lisle reported in 1764 that smuggling was still a big problem.

Leaving Customs and Becoming an MP

In 1773, Lisle left his customs job in Weymouth, and his son William took over. Warren Lisle finally retired from the customs service in 1779. After retiring, he wrote reports to Lord Shelburne, who was a government minister.

On September 7, 1780, Warren Lisle was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Weymouth and Melcombe Regis. He was reportedly 85 years old at the time. He served as an MP for a short period, stepping down on November 21. This allowed his relative, Gabriel Steward, to take the seat after finishing his term as mayor.

Warren Lisle passed away in July 1788 in Upwey, Dorset, at the age of 93.

Warren Lisle's Family Life

Warren Lisle married twice. His second wife was Ruth Clapcott, who inherited money and property. They had several children together:

• Radigan, who married Edward Tucker.
• Anne (died 1774), who married Augustus Floyer. She was known for her love of music and was a friend of James Harris.
• William Clapcott Lisle (born 1748, died before 1790). He married Hester Cholmondeley in 1773. Hester was the sister of George Cholmondeley, 4th Earl of Cholmondeley. William and Hester were the parents of Marcia Arbuthnot. When Hester died in 1828, she left a large sum of money for her grandchildren.

Ruth Lisle's will from 1790 also mentions daughters from Warren Lisle's first marriage. These included Penelope Nicholls, Patty Stoford (also called Patty Stevens), and Betsey Tueksbury. A son named Davie was in Barbados at the time. One of Warren Lisle's daughters, Penelope Lisle, married John Nicoll. He was a customs official in Newport, Rhode Island, and later left Newport in 1779.