It was loss of life such as that of the storm of 1692 that prompted Daniel Defoe on a visit Cromer in 1724 to call it "The Devil's Throat" and it also paved the way for the new Cromer lighthouse which gave out its first light on either the 9th or 29th of September 1719. It was lit by coal, making it dangerous and unhealthy for the keeper.

During Georgian times high taxes were imposed throughout Britain, which led to   lawlessness in the form of smuggling, and Cromer was not exempt from this as a cutting from "The Norwich Mercury" dated January 1764 shows:

On Friday last a seizure was made by the Custom House officers at Cromer of a large quantity of Geneva out of a smuggling vessel which was brought on shore and lodged in a house near the sea side. But in the night of Saturday last, some person or persons broke into the house by making a breach in the wall and carried away about 26 double stoup bottles. Diligent search being made in the town, all the liquor was found in the custody of Henry Pain the elder, John Pain his son and John Rook their cousin, who were carried before H. Harbold Esq and by him committed to the Castle (at Norwich) John Pain and John Rook assisted the officers in their seizure.

As the century drew to a close the town started it's growth as a holiday resort. Bathing machines were introduced and Dr Sidney Terry had steps erected from Cliff house down to the beach. These were known as the Doctor's steps and were finally removed during WWII in case of invasion. An earlier threat of invasion this time during the Nepoleonic wars caused the formation of a militia called the Cromer Loyal Association and guns were placed at the top of the Gangway and Jetty Street. There was also the Cromer Battery Volunteers which kept their arms in the church. An engraving by J. Walker in Savins "History of Cromer" shows soldiers drilling on the Marrams (now west cliff) with Lord Suffield in command (1798). Benjamin Rusts son Robert was seized by a press-gang in 1805 and conveyed to Yarmouth, where he served aboard ship, he wasn't the first to be press-ganged though for William Howes (born in 1707 and died in 1773)  was made a prisoner by the French and placed in gaol. He fell in love with the jailer's daughter and when he returned to Britain, he brought her back   to Cromer and they were married.

In 1798 Benjamin Rust bought his shop, five cottages, a malthouse, yard and gardens for the sum of £550. Taking advantage of the increase in holiday trade, his family ran a department store in the High St opposite the church up until the late 1970's it is now a "Budgens" Supermarket.

In 1793, John Gurney came to Cromer for a holiday and it became a regular venue for the family. His sister married the Rev Robert Barclay. Many of the Gurney children went on to be influential in British society. Elizabeth, later Elizabeth Fry became a famous prison reformer and Hannah, married Thomas Fowell Buxton who worked with William Wilberforce to bring about the abolition of slavery in the UK.

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This information was compiled by Penny Ling
Any comments, suggestions or family to add email cromer@postmaster.co.uk
April 98.