DEDICATION dedicated to the Memory of It's Author Michael D W Balls (the BRAVEST OF MEN!) written whilst suffering from a terminal illness in 2005

THE BLACK BOY by Michael Dixon Whitehead Balls Illustrated by John Durham Sally descended the steps and directed her torch light through the small opening. It was indeed a spacious cellar with an earth floor and solid brick walls. On one side were three lines of shelving and at the back she could just make out stack of timbers, some of which had fallen down and some still neatly stacked for burning on a fire perhaps. As she looked into the darkness she felt a cold chill go through her.... "why had they gone to so much trouble to brick up the cellar and by who and when?..." William Horne, son of John Horne, a brick and tile kiln business owner in the small Hamlet of Horne Row, Danbury in the mid 1700's, decided to embark on a new venture and acquire "The Black Boy" Alehouse. Like so many Landlords of his day, to earn a few extra shillings, he traded in goods on the black market with help from his friend and father-in-law Matthew Rawlings, an Oyster Dredger from Mersea. For a while things go well for them, until one night Rueben Belbin happens upon their conversation and reports back to the infamous and evil Jerimiah Spalding, leader of Notorious gang of cut throat tinkers and smugglers from Tiptree Heath. SET IN ESSEX - DANBURY AND ITS SURROUNDING VILLAGES. This book is full of excitement, intrigue, romance and jealously and set in times of great risk and ultimate punishments. This book takes you from the 18th Century to the present day