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THE SETTLER HANDBOOK by MD Nash
THE SETTLER PARTIES

HYMAN'S PARTY

No. 30 on the Colonial Department list, led by Charles Hyman, a labourer of Short Street, Westbury, Wiltshire. This was a joint-stock party made up of labouring men and their families from an area that was hard hit by unemployment and excited by the prospects of emigration. Hyman described to the Colonial Department the basis on which his party was formed: 'The eleven men are persons of an irreproachable character, each having some small property and being unwilling to be in actual servitude have unanimously chosen me their Representative - if we are allowed to proceed to the Cape tho', I will not boast of any superior Degree of Wisdom to some of the others (who are my Elders) yet going in this Brotherly way I make no doubt by our joint exertions we shall be able to surmount those difficulties which will naturally be in the way'.

Hyman assured the authorities that he had no selfish motive in assuming the direction of the party, other than 'to become settled on a piece of land I can call my own and Every Person going under my direction will enjoy everything equal with myself.' The parish authorities vouched for his good character, but there is no evidence that they contributed directly to his party's expenses.

Of the names on Hyman's first list, only Hyman himself, his wife and John Wheeler appeared in the final sailing list. Hyman's party, and that of Samuel James, absorbed the remainder of several other local parties that had formed and then disintegrated. Debnam, King, Neat and Weakly who joined Hyman's party were originally listed as members of a group led by Joseph Purnell of Frome in the neighbouring county of Somerset; Daniel Farley was first enrolled with a group from Beckington under the direction of Peter Pinnock.

Deposits were paid for 11 men who sailed from Portsmouth in HM Store Ship Weymouth on 7 January 1820, arriving in Table Bay on 26 April. Benjamin Trollip obtained employment in Cape Town, where he remained. A son of Daniel Farley was born and died at sea. The Weymouth reached Algoa Bay on 15 May, and the party was located on the right bank of the Lynedoch River, naming its location Standerwick. The three Wiltshire joint-stock parties under Hyman, Ford and James were exceptional among the settlers in remaining virtually intact under their original leaders for the first three years of the settlement; Hyman ascribed this to their 'having encouraged and cultivated a spirit of unamity (sic) amongst each other'.

LIST OF HYMAN'S PARTY

ADAMS, Edward 21. Mason.
DEBNAM, Isaac 38. Weaver. w Mary 39. c Eliza 17, John 16, Ann 13, Isaac 11.
FARLEY, Daniel 28. Labourer and naval pensioner. w Elizabeth 29. c William 5, Sarah 3, Joseph 2,
James (born and died at sea).
HYMAN, Charles 21. Labourer. w Elizabeth 26.
HYMAN, John William 16 (brother of Charles Hyman).
KING, John 23. Labourer and naval pensioner. w Eleanor 24. c John 2, Sarah 1.
NEAT, William 22. Labourer. w Susan 23. c Jane.
TROLLIP, Hester 18 (daughter of Joseph Trollip).
TROLLIP, John 22. Labourer. w Elizabeth 20.
TROLLIP, Joseph 38. Labourer. w Susan 39. c Benjamin 16, Rhoda 13, Jacob 11, Joseph 9, Mary Ann 7.
TROLLIP, Stephen 19. Labourer. w Mary 20.
TROLLIP, William 24. Labourer. w Patience 22. c Alfred 1.
WEAKLY, Joseph 27. Gardener. w Emma 26. c Mary 5, Joseph 3, John 1.

Main sources for party list
Return of settlers under the direction of Charles Hyman (Cape Archives CO 6138/1,87); Muster-roll and Log of HM Store Ship Weymouth (Public Record Office, London); Special Commissioner William Hayward's notes (Cape Archives CO 8542).