CO48/53
National Archives, Kew,
Transcribed by volunteers from the ZA-IB and ZA-EC Rootsweb mailing
lists from digital photographs taken by Sue Mackay at the National Archives.
The original correspondence is filed in order of receipt. Here it has been
placed in alphabetical order according to the surname of the writer, with letters
by the same writer in chronological order, for ease of reading. Original
spelling has been maintained.
Letters were either addressed to Lord BATHURST,
Secretary of State for the Colonies, (starting My Lord), or to his deputy Henry
GOULBURN (starting Sir). Reference numbers, where given, refer to printed page
numbers stamped on the letters and will enable visitors to the National
Archives to locate the letter more easily. If a page number is not given then
the date of the letter will give a good idea of its whereabouts in the file.
ALL the 1819 correspondence was transcribed (see
CO48/41 through CO48/46) whether or not the writers emigrated
to the
MANLEY,
Edward
56
No. 3 South
Row
New Road
May 11th
1820
Sir
Having
made arrangements to emigrate to the Cape of Good Hope with Major General
CAMPBELL at my own expence I should wish to be informed whether I may purchase
(at prime cost) agricultural implements at the colony as mentioned in a
circular letter from your office last year, His Majesty’s Government having
withheld at present any further encouragement, or as going out at my own
expence will make any difference in purchasing the articles in question.
I am Sir
Your obed’t serv’t
Edw. MANLEY
MILLS,
Daniel
4
20 January
1820
Sir,
From
the delay which has taken place in the embarkation of my Party for the
I have the honour to be Sir
Your most ob’t hble serv’t
Daniel MILLS
26
At Messrs.
HARRISON
12
19 February
1820
Sir,
It is
with extreme regret I am under the necessity of troubling you again which has
been occasioned by the delay in sailing. There is 3 of my people in the last
list who have got into employment & have declined going, for which I have
got 3 others in the same situation therefore there will be no alteration in the
deposit or anything but changing their names. I hope you will have the goodness
to excuse this trouble as can assure you it was not in my power to prevent it
I have the honour to be Sir
Your most ob’t hble serv’t
Daniel MILLS
NAVY BOARD
re CALTON’s Party (Filed under
1821 in CO48/56)
Navy Office
17 January
1820
Sir,
It
appearing by a letter from Lieutenant MUDGE RN dated
on board the Albury
Transport at Liverpool the 15th instant that the names of the
Emigrants for the
We are Sir your very humble servants
R SIPPING
J THOMSON
[illegible signature]
NEWCOMBE, Robert
122
Jan’y
2 1820
My Lord,
Having
not the opportunity of writing an answer to the letter received from Mr. GOULBURN
before our vessell with baggage arrived here, which
was this morning after a long detainment owing to the waters &c at Exeter
& Torhaven? have to inform your Lordship that Mr.
J. PARKIN did recommend me to take another person in
the room of C. CANTABURY, now ill, but on the arivall of the vessell with our
party of settlers, now alongside the Weymouth, him says unless you give me 5£ I
will not write to his Lordship recommending it to be done as I cannot do after
advancing so much for the party. I have been at L.M. CHEESMAN concerning it and him
said I had better state the whole of the business to your Lordship as then it
will show how I am situated in the party as going with Mr.J.
PARKIN. When I first consented in going with Mr. PARKIN as settler and others with me I did not know his
circumstances but since is otherwise to expectation so therefore I humbly beg
to lay this before your Lordship, the statement of whom I have paid deposit
into Mr. PARKIN’s hand which sum has been paid to
your order. The man Chr. HARWOOD in room of C. CANTABURY is a native of
Myself £10
Wm.LEATHERN £10
C. CANTABURY £10
J. MAYHO £10
SPRAGUE £5 Mr.PARKIN advanced
the other £5 to make compleat
HARRIGOOD £10
£55
paid by R. NEWCOMBE
These are persons that paid in Mr. PARKINs
hand for themselves
Mr. DOBSON £10
CLOG £10
LEACH £10
CROSS £10 this £10 him has
refunded to Mr. CROSS as him is not going
£40
Now Mr.PARKIN as conductor
advanced as follows
For himself & family £15
Do. his brother £10
SPRAGUE £5
£30
Refunded to Mr.CROSS £10
£40
This is a compleat shedule of the advanced deposits by the individuals of our
party and should humbly beg your lordship to secure the above sum to me on our arivall at the
Robert NEWCOMBE
Be pleased to direct on board the
[Note from GOULBURN]
State to Mr. PARKIN
the nature of the representation made & enquire
if he agrees with the correctness of it
124
Jan’y
5 1820
My Lord,
Having
on Sunday last writing answer to a letter received by me from Mr. GOULBURN and
not receiving an answer but have allowed it to from the fault of Mr. PARKIN not sending the letter which him has directed to Ld
C SUMMERSET at the Cape of Good Hope as him were desired so to do by L.R. CHEESEMAN, agent at
Portsmouth. Having this day seen Mr. CHEESEMAN on
board the
[Transcriber’s note: there now follows a copy of the
letter written above]
You
will be pleased to pardon me for sending again so quick but as seeing Mr. CHEESEMAN on board expecting this man whom I have taken in
the room of CANTABURY him advised to write [amently?] the same pirticulars as
this man is now on board and cannot have any vituals
till your lordship answer, as Mr. CHEESEMAN did not
know that Mr. PARKIN had sent to your office the
letter directed to Ld.C.SUMMERSET on Sunday evening
last and has him has refused now on board to send it should humbly beg your
lordship to favour me with an answer to this as understanding we are going to
sea in a few days in great trouble & anxiety of mind concerning it. Now on
board the
From your lordships humble servant
Robt. NEWCOMBE
NIND & COTTERRILL
re William WAIT
128
Jany
20 1820
Messrs NIND & COTTERRILL have the
honour of informing Mr. GOULBURN that the partnership disputes between Mr. LAFOSSE and Mr. WAIT have been settled by Mr. WAIT’s assigning to trustees the whole of his property
except for his household furniture linen & cloathes
& his interest in the grant of land at the Cape of Good Hope, and the Injunction
out of Court of Chancery has therefore been abandoned.
At
the same time Messrs NIND & COTTERILL
submit to Mr. GOULBURN their client’s claim under the assignment to the money
deposited by Mr. WAIT or at least so much of it as was deposited for persons
who have not actually proceeded to the
[pencilled note at foot: for
letter vide WAIT’s correspondence]
PARKER,
Richard (brother of William) Filed under A-L in CO48/52
166
[To Sir Nicholas COLTHURST
MP]
Waterview
Passage West
Feb 18th
1820
My dear Sir Nicholas.
In
the absence of my brother who is now aboard ship at Cove waiting the first fair
wind to sail for the Cape of Good Hope, I beg to request you will do me the
kindness by ascertaining whether Government intend to encourage emigration next
September to
Forgive the haste I write in and believe me most
sincerely
Your faithful friend
Rich’d
PARKER
PARKER,
William
147
Passage
West,
3 Jany 1820
Sir,
I
have had the honour to receive your letter of the 29th ult and
agreeably thereto take leave to return the letter to Lord Charles SOMERSET.
As
soon as the East Indian arrives in
It
will be necessary to substitute a few names in the room of some persons who
have declined proceeding from circumstances that have occurred since the lists
were returned.
I have the honour to be Sir
Your most obedient humble servant
Wm. PARKER
159
Ship East Indian
Cove of
22 January
1820
Sir,
With
reference to my letter of the 3rd inst to which I have not as yet
been favoured with an answer I take leave to inform you that the extreme
severity of the weather prevented a few of the settlers joining this ship here
until yesterday and that from deaths, marriages and various other circumstances
that have occurred among the individuals who were to proceed with me to the
Cape of Good Hope I was obliged to make a few more alterations in the list of
settlers.
I
have now the honour to transmit you three fair copies of the number actually on
board who have been mustered by Lieut. WOLRIDGE RN
Agent of Transports and who transmits to Lieut. LEWIS the Resident Agent here a
fair copy of the same.
On a
consultation with Rear Admiral Sir Josiah ROWLEY and Lt. LEWIS it has been
deemed most expedient to prevent delay and expense that the East Indian should proceed to sea
although I have not received a dispatch for General Lord Charles Henry
SOMERSET, but which I take leave to submit may be sent by the first ship to His
Excellency.
I
have to crave your reference to my letter of the 25th ult wherein
the cause of the number of able bodied men being seventy six instead of seventy
five is fully explained.
I have the honour to be Sir with much respect
Your most obedient humble servant
Wm. PARKER
161
Ship East Indian
23 Jan 1820
Mr.
Wm. PARKER presents his compliments to Mr. GOULBURN ,
takes leave to send him three copies of the Rules which with the very kind
assistance of Mr. WILBERFORCE and several other distinguished and benevolent
characters he has framed for the management of the settlers proceeding under
his direction to the
The
wind has unfortunately come round to the southward and it almost blows a
hurricane. Mr. PARKER does not intend sleeping on shore, that no further
alteration should take place in the list of his settlers after requests that
Mr. GOULBURN will have the kindness to forward the enclosed to Lord ENNISMORE and Mr. MACAULEY.
PARKIN, John
145
On board the
Jan 2 1820
My Lord,
I have to inform your Lordship of altering my shudel [schedule] that Benjamin LEECH he may take out his
son Richard LEECH aged 12 years hold. I reckmend
him to your Lordship.
I beg to rimen your
Lordships verry humble sirvent
John PARKIN
Conductor No.20 to the
PRINGLE,
Thomas
149
January 8, 1820
Sir,
I beg leave to inform you that the party
of settlers proceeding under my direction to the Cape of Good Hope have
now all arrived in
Previous to their departure from
With a view to fill the vacancy that now remains for one
man, I have advertised yesterday, but we do not consider it of any importance,
unless required by the Colonial Office. I enclose a list of the individuals
withdrawn and of those added in their place, and hope that you will be pleased
to allow of this alteration, especially as we now losing rather more capital
and fewer persons.
Mr. BARROW of the Admiralty has informed me that you have
been so good as promise me a letter of recommendation
to the Governor. For this most important
favour I beg to present my most grateful and respectful acknowledgements.
As a slight testimony of my sense of the obliging attentions
you have bestowed on my concerns, I beg leave to request your acceptance of the
little volume with (sic) accompanies this letter, & I remain with the
highest respect Sir,
Your
obliged & Obdt. Servt,
Thos. PRINGLE
Names of the persons withdrawn from Thos. PRINGLE’s
Party of Settlers proceeding to the
William
PRINGLE, agriculturist }
Alex.
NOBLE, joiner }
Walter
TURNBULL, Blacksmith } = 5 men
Andrew
SCOTT, ploughman }
William
RITCHIE, Ploughman }
Isabel SLORACH, wife of Alex. NOBLE = 1 woman.
Margaret NOBLE
}
Mary NOBLE } children of Alex. NOBLE = 4 children
Isabel NOBLE }
Christian NOBLE
}
Total 10
persons
Names of
the persons engaged into the party in place of those withdrawn
:-
Thomas DAVIDSON,
agriculturist, aged 22 }
James ECKORN (sic), ploughman, aged 20 } = 4 men
Alexander MORTIMER,
ploughman, aged 23 }
James SOUNESS, ploughman, aged 19 }
Of the four
men last mentioned the two former are natives of Roxburghshire, the two latter
servants of Mr. SYDSERFF are from
[Note from GOULBURN]
Alter his list accordingly – thank him for his book
and say I will send him the instruction to Ld.Charles
in a few days
10 Jan
152
January 13, 1820
Sir,
I had the honour to receive your note of 10th
instant the day before yesterday, and would have more promptly obeyed your
directions in returning the letter to the Governor had I not experienced some
difficulty in getting it out of a trunk which my friends had left at the Wharf
on their arrival. I now inclose it along
with the full and final list of my party, which are now perfectly completed by
the accession of Wm. ELLIOT and
As the list of alterations sent in a few days ago will be
superseded if this is accepted of I have to prevent all mistakes inclosed first
a list of the whole names withdrawn and those received in their room, and
secondly a complete return of the whole names &c of the party as they will
stand upon these alterations being made.
I have the
honour to be with the highest respect Sir
Your much
obliged and obdt. servt.
Tho
PRINGLE
Names
withdrawn from Tho. PRINGLE’s party
of settlers.
William
PRINGLE, agriculturist
Alex.
NOBLE, joiner
Walter
TURNBULL, blacksmith,
Andrew
SCOTT, ploughman
Wm. RITCHIE,
ploughman = 5
men
Mary
PRINGLE
Isabel SLORACH, wife of Alex. NOBLE = 2 women
Margaret,
Mary, Isabel & Christian NOBLE = 4 children
Total 11 persons
Names of
persons taken into the party in the room of those withdrawn :-
Alex.
MORTIMER, ploughman, aged 23
James SOUNESS, ploughman, aged 19
James ECKORN (sic), ploughman, aged 20
William
ELLIOT, agriculturist, aged 27
Ezra RIDGARD, saddler, aged 29. =
5 men
Elizabeth RIDGARD, wife of
Andrew RIDGARD
Marianne RIDGARD, children of E. RIDGARD,
aged 2 and 1 year = 2 children
Total 8
persons
Enclosure
in letter of 13th Janry 1820
Return of
Settlers proceeding to the
No.48
Total No.of men (besides TP) 12
Total No.of women 6
Total No.of children under 14 years of age 6
Total No.of the whole party 24
£150
Table showing Names of Men,
Ages, Trade, Women, Ages, Male children,
Ages, Female Children, Ages. [The amount
of deposit money has been inserted in the last column; the figure is inserted
below in square brackets]
Robert
PRINGLE, 61, Agriculturist, Mrs. R. PRINGLE, 45, R. D. PRINGLE, 10, C.H.PRINGLE, 7, Beatrice PRINGLE, 3½ [10]
John PRINGLE ,29, Agriculturist. [10[
Charles SYDSERFF, 22, Agriculturist. [10]
George RENNIE, 23, Agriculturist, Mrs RENNIE (his mother), 44, C RENNIE,
11.[20]
John RENNIE,
22, Agriculturist, Eliz. RENNIE (his
sister), 15 [20]
Peter RENNIE, 20, Agriculturist. [10]
Alex. MORTIMER, 23, Ploughman. [10]
James SOUNESS, 19 Ploughman. [10]
James ECKORN (sic) 20, Ploughman. [10]
Wm. ELLIOT, 27, Agriculturist. [10]
Ezra RIDGARD, 29, Saddler, Eliz. RIDGARD (his wife), 24, And. RIDGARD, 2, Marianne RIDGARD, 1.
[20]
Th. PRINGLE, 30, Mrs. Tho. PRINGLE, 32, .Janet BROWN, 35 [20]
£150
177
Deptford, On board the Brilliant Transport
February 1 1820
Sir,
I beg to mention that I embarked
here yesterday with my party, and we are appointed to sail on Thursday first. May
I therefore take the liberty to solicit the obliging letter of introduction to
Lord Charles SOMERSET which you were so kind as
promised me – if it is not already inclosed in the personal letter which you so
politely returned to me with the alterations in my party stated in it.
I take the opportunity to mention also, that my friends in leaving
Your much
obliged & obdt. Sevt.
Tho. PRINGLE
ROBERTSON,
George re J GRANT (see correspondence of J. GRANT in
CO48/52)
255
The petition of the undersigned inhabitants of East Ross
to the Rt Hon’ble Lord
BATHURST one of His Majesty’s Principal Secretaries of State
Humbly sheweth
That
the case of your petitioners is one of unexampled hardship to which they beg
with respectful earnestness your Lordships most serious consideration.
In the month
of September last Captain GRANT of the 78th Regiment by public
advertisement at the church doors and by hand bills invited as many persons of
good character as were inclined to emigrate with him
to the
We
are in the most destitute situation, having disposed of all our property, and
having been obliged to subsist since November on the little money we made by
the sale of our property. Should your Lordship not be good enough to induce
Government to afford relief we cannot fail to become a burden on the parishes
in which we reside. May it please your Lordship therefore to take our case into
your most gracious consideration and grant us what relief to you seems meet.
George ROBERTSON
John McINTOSH
John ROSS
William FORBES
John BROUSTER
Donald ROSS
William CAMERON
Collin McDONALD
John ROSS
Alex DINGWALL
George TAYLOR
John POLSON
SCOTT, John
et al
The humble petition of John SCOTT, James CRAWFORD,
Charles SLEE and William KIDSON,
emigrants to the
Humbly sheweth
That your petitioners having paid to Mr. WILLSON ten pounds as Government deposit and five pounds
fifteen shillings for Stores & Commission each feel themselves much
inconvenienced by the arrangement of the ship that they consider their lives in
danger during the passage – in consequence of the partition placed in the
middle of the ship preventing that free current of air which is so highly
necessary where 250 persons are placed in a space not exceeding 15 yards by 9
yards. Your petitioners further pray that their situation will be taken early
into consideration and your petitioners will ever pray
John SCOTT
James CRAWFORD
Charles SLEE
William KIDSON
[Note from GOULBURN: Refer to the Navy Board for their
consideration. 8 Jany.]
SEPHTON, Hezekiah
On board the
Deptford
3 Jan 1820
Sir,
Being
informed by Capt. YOUNG that the defaulters in my party who had engaged to emigrate to the Colony of the
In
regard to the medicine chest for the use of my party I should wish to be
informed if the Surgeon Mr. CAMPBELL is to retain the same (altho
he does not belong to our party but intends to settle with Mr. BAILY’s party on our arrival at the Cape) or whether it is
to be for the use of my party on our being located in the Colony.
I am Sir your obed’t serv’t
Hez’h SEPHTON
Robert HARVEY 32 Labourer Mary 24 instead of Wm.PUTNAM
Richard PICKSTOCK 45 Taylor
Francis 35 instead of Jas. ANSTEAD
Wm. GRAVETT 16
Thomas KING 39 Carpenter Sarah 39 instead of MALKIN
Thomas 14
William 6
John AMES 44 Sayar
[surveyor] Sarah 27 instead of Edw. BULPIT
Sarah 2
Georg GRAVETT 18 Labour instead of JARROTT
William PENNEY 30 Bricklayer Roashannah
30 instead of Jas. ROSS
Thomas NORTON 38 Smith Eatey
[sic] 38 instead of John BOWTELL
Philip DIXON 30 Smith Elizabeth 27 instead of Jas.
MAGUIRE
Phebe 1
[Note from GOULBURN: Admit the substitutions and
acquaint him that the Gov. has been directed to make such an allowance to Mr.
SHAW as may be adequate to his decent maintenance.]
319
Deptford
Jan 20 1820
Sir,
I
hope you will excuse me being so trubelsom but the
cause is that i trubel you
at this time, Joseph GOODS is dead previous to our imbarkation
and in consequence of that his family cannot proceed with me to the Colony of
the Cape of Good Hope and to inable me to return
their deposit wich they stand in great need of i wish to replase them by two
others who willing to go with me.
Your obed’t servant
Hez’h SEPHTON
George CLARK 36 Husbandman Elizabeth 31 instead of
Jos. GOODS Sener
Childer George 8
Thomas ISTED 36 Husbandman
Susan 29 instead of Jos. GOODS Juner
Sarah 4
Thomas 2
332
Feb’y
14th 1820
Sir,
In
answer to your letter respecting Mr. GOODS deposit money paid into the hands of
His Majesty’s Government appears from my books to be twenty seven pounds ten
shillings which exactly corresponds with the family intered
in the same. Also with the schedule returned to you. The mistake appears to be
this, a man the name of James ANSTEAD who intended to
go in the party borrowed of Mr. G five pounds which was paid at the time the
last deposit was paid by GOODS & Mr. G received the receipt for the whole
which was twenty two pounds ten shillings. This I have explained to ANSTEAD when he said he had a memorandum to prove he paid
it himself & this is the sum I am willing to return to Mrs G & told ANSTEAD the same a long time ago if he would produce such
memorandum and in order to prove I have no intention to withold
from Mrs.G [how might?] have remitted to you five
pounds – hoping you will cause ANSTEAD to bring to
you the meorandum he says he has in his possession
before you [give] Mrs.G any more money than was
returned and if it appears to you Mrs.G has paid any
more than has been returned you will of course give her the money remitted but
if on the contrary I trust you will the first opportunity remit the sum to me
at the Cape & you will oblige
Your humble servant
Hezekiah SEPHTON
Rec’d the sum of £5 in question
M. GOODES
[Note from GOULBURN: To what does this refer?]
SMITH, John
of WILLSON’s Party
324
Le Bell
Feby
5th 1820
Sir,
The
man of the name of Charles BOWSHER that was going out
with me has wilfully left me without any cause and I have lernt
by a letter I receivd in the Downs he has or means to
go and apply to your office for a passage in the Brilliant and say he lost his
passage by mistaking the time the ship was said to sail and I have got another
man in his stead of the name of Mathew MENS..[name unfortunately obscured in binding] which name (with
your primission) shall be inserted in the list and
Charles BOWSHER erased from the same as he has forfited all by runing away from
the ship.
Honored Sir I have the honor to be
Your Honor’s most obed’t and
humble servant
John SMITH
[Note from GOULBURN: Take care this man has not got a
passage]
SMITH, P re
Mrs GOODE
321
26th
January 1820
Dear Sir,
In
compliance with your directions I went this morning to see the poor woman whose
case was imperfectly related to you in the letter addressed to you by Mrs. R.
GRAY.
As
you had also desired me to proceed to Deptford upon business relative to the
I was
informed by SEPHTON, the leader of the party of
Wesleyans who are on board that ship, that the name of the woman after whom I
enquired must be GOODE; that her husband had belonged to his party but that he
had been prevented by illness from coming on board the ship; but he had seen
him five weeks ago in good health. A man named TALBOT, a friend of GOODEs, who was present, told me that he had died of a
liver complaint. It was true that GOODE had paid SEPHTON
35£ as deposit money and 2£ 7s the share of the settlers’ subscription among
themselves to purchase tools &c. The former sum SEPHTON
meant to return to the widow; but without harbouring any suspicion of his
integrity I suggested that the money should immediately be lodged at this
office, conceiving that to be the best means of satisfying you that Mrs. GOODEs claim would be attended to without delay.
With
respect to the small sum, SEPHTON stated that
according to the regulations adopted by his fellow settlers it had become
forfeited to the Society, but I urged him to endeavour if possible to obtain
the consent of the people to return that money also, which he promised to do.
The
baggage and bedding of the poor family had already been returned to them by
Captain YOUNG’s order.
I
then went to see Mrs. GOODE, & Captain YOUNG, who had business in town, was
good enough to accompany me. She seemed to be a very decent woman and told me
her case very shortly. Her husband having left his occupation and being burthened with a large family, had
fretted very much at not receiving orders to embark so soon as he had expected.
He felt sick and took to his bed. An apothecary who
was sent for from the Borough, after seeing the poor man, told Mrs. GOODE that
he was dying of a broken heart.
I
should observe that the period which elapsed between GOODE’s
leaving his occupation and the order of embarkation ( the ) [left blank] did not exceed four or five
weeks.
Mrs.
GOODE further mentioned that in order to support her dying husband and her
family she had gradually sold their bedding, that the expences of his funeral
amounting to 6 guineas remained unpaid and that she had only a few shillings in
her possession.
I
enquired whether in her embarrassing situation she would not be glad to proceed
with her family to the
I
proposed that she should at least not repel the opportunity of providing for
some of her boys by allowing them to proceed to the
Captain
YOUNG had the humanity to offer to provide for one of her sons in the Navy, but
she was again overpowered by her feelings.
I
then begged her to think these matters over; gave her a pound to provide for
her immediate wants and left her with the assurance that her husband’s deposit
money would be returned to her tomorrow or the day following.
I have the honour to be, dear Sir
Your most faithful humble servant
P. SMITH
SOUTHEY, George
298
Near
Jan 1st
1820
Sir,
I am
sorry to be under the necessity of again troubling you, but Wm. HITCHCOCK and
family, Thomas HITCHCOCK aged 16, William HALLETT and
family and Thomas REGEN aged 16 not being come on
board I beg leave to take in lieu of them
John BIGGS 42 Mason
William BIGGS 13 his son
John BIGGS Jun 19 Mason
Eliza THOMAS 18
Thomas SAWYER 21 Husbandman
Geo. RUSSELL 20 Husbandman
James BERRY 14
I am Sir your most obedient servant
Geo. SOUTHEY
STANLEY,
John
300
Star Inn
1 January
1820
Sir,
Applying
to Lieut. CHURCH on the subject of beds for persons going to the
As
soldiers in transports are always found beds, I fully expected they would be
found for my party, and as a matter of course came unprepared with them. My
wife and self are provided but the settlers will want 20 beds & suitable
blankets – as they are even on board quite destitute for themselves and
children – the weather being severe they and their children feel the effects of
it, and as it is not in my power to find them, having been at great expense for
many months without being able to get a profit by my business, my capital is
reduced at least one third since my offer to Government was made to proceed to
the Cape. Requesting you will be good enough to grant the beds immediately
I am most respectfully Sir
Your obed’t humble servant
John STANLEY
[Note from GOULBURN]
I forget what the arrangement was with respect to beds
[Answer from clerk, probably Richard PENN]
As most of the settlers were prepared to take beds
with them only a limited supply was directed to be placed on board the
transports
Order 8 Jan’y
307
January 4th
1820
Sir,
I was
honoured with your note of the 31st ult for which am obliged. The
purport of the present is to hand you original duplicate and triplicate returns
of settlers proceeding under my direction to the
As I
before requested, the beds & blanquets required
are very much wanted. You will readily admit that when the weather is as severe
as to make the thermometer rest 14 degrees below the freezing point that it
cannot be very comfortable for men, women and little children from 1 month to 6
years old to take up their abode every night on bare boards on board the John, now lying in the River Mersey. As
to my finding them it is entirely out of the question. For want of them I have
been obliged to take ASHBROOK’s family ashore, as for
want of proper bedding clothes and the proper necessaries one of his children
is dying of a fever and two others of the measles. They are now ashore at my
expense for lodging, medicines and the [means?] of food, what I certainly was
totally unprepared for. I have no children of my own, yet it would appear I am
liable to the maintenance of fifteen both in England and elsewhere, to which my
funds are totally inadequate, for as I before observed what with the total
absence of business and the support of my family for 6 months, since my offer
in July my property is reduced full one third. I beg to be excused for being
this candid and remain most respectfully, Sir
Your obedient humble servant
John STANLEY
NB The letter to Lord Charles SOMERSET is on board the
John but shall be sent by tomorrow
night’s post.
[Note from GOULBURN]
Order a supply of blankets & bedding
[clerk] ordered 5th
January
Return of Settlers proceeding to the Cape of Good Hope
under the direction of John STANLEY, merchant of
|
Names of
the Settlers |
Age |
Profession
or Trade |
Names of
the Women |
Age |
Male
Children |
Age |
Female
Children |
Age |
|
John STANLEY |
37 |
Merchant |
Sarah |
27 |
|
|
|
|
|
George ASHBROOK |
27 |
Labourer |
Catherine |
24 |
George |
2 |
Mary/Eliza |
6/4 |
|
Solomon SHEPHERD |
25 |
Labourer |
Ann |
25 |
Solomon |
2 |
a girl* |
|
|
James COWIE |
28 |
Labourer |
|
28 |
|
|
Elizabeth/Jane |
4/1½ |
|
John BROGDEN |
22 |
Labourer |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas BOWKER |
25 |
Labourer |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hugh MELLON |
21 |
Labourer |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
James CALVERLEY |
35 |
Labourer |
Jane |
28 |
William/James |
13/5 |
Eliza |
2 |
|
Abraham WILD |
30 |
Labourer |
Ann |
29 |
Richard/Abraham/Henry |
9/6/1 |
Betty/Maria |
8/3 |
|
William PENDLEBURY |
24 |
Labourer |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas CALVERLEY |
18 |
Labourer |
|
|
|
|
|
|
* a girl born since the
return, six weeks old
Amount of money remitted to Wm. HILL Esq £122:10:0
John STANLEY
315
January 9th
1820
Sir,
When
I had last the honour of writing you I promised to return you the letter (in my
possession) to Lord Charles SOMERSET, but as Lieut. CHURCH advised me not to do
so, as he every day expected to go to sea, I did not return it which I now
regret, and as we certainly shall sail on Tuesday I am still in the same
situation.
In
consequence of one of the family’s being unwell as before advised it was
removed from on board the John to Liverpool and since one of the children had
died of the putrid fever and 2 others are still ill of the measles. It has
therefore been deemed expedient not to allow them to proceed to the
The
provisions of the ship John are
excellent, the men cannot be better and as for Lieut. CHURCH he is everything I
can wish for as to civility, ability and every other quality to make us
comfortable and happy in our voyage to the Cape, which cannot fail to command
the respect and support of every individual on board – and gratitude to the
Government for its unlimited kindness and attention.
Sir, your obedient humble servant
John STANLEY
[enclosed]
I George ASHBROOK having
been engaged to proceed with my family to the
Prior to setting off from Manchester he told me he
could [bear?] us travelling expenses of any kind and that he could advance or
pay for nothing untill we arrived in Algoa Bay, but
in a voluntary way he has repeatedly advanced money to me in Liverpool, for
which I had no claim whatever, and that in the presence of the first mate Mr.
BARRINGTON of the ship John I as well
as my wife repeatedly expressed that Mr. STANLEY has behaved to me and my
family like a father, like a Lord, and as a satisfactory memorandum for his
government I take the first opportunity of giving this document dated at
Liverpool this sixth day of January 1820
George ASHBROOK
Signed in the presence of us
G. COLLINS
Rich’d
BOWKER
Received from Mr. John STANLEY in
Bed Quilt Value £0 18
0
Curtains 2 6
Money for releasing box at the barriers
2 0
Money for lodging on shore 3 0
Money for [?] 1 0
Money for medicines 2 6
Money for relanding family 2 6
Money to bury child 5 0
Total
£1 16 6
Jan’y 7th
1820
Georhe ASHBROOK
Witness Edw.BOWKER
326
Funchall
February 7th
1820
Sir,
I beg
leave to inform you the John arrived
here on the 2nd and the Stentor yesterday after a stormy and tedious passage during
which Lt. CHURCH and the officers of the ship John have paid every attention to our health and comfort, indeed
Lt. CHURCH is a man in ten thousand. His kindness and watchful attention to
every person on board is beyond all praise & he has behaved like a father
to us all, which if continued during the voyage must infallibly make our long
voyage to the
The
Government has laid us under everlasting obligations in fitting out the ships
in so superior a manner – every necessary provision is made that can be
expected at sea and the people have ample provisions, grog &c that ever
their hearts can wish for and a very great proportion are infinitely better
provided for on board ship than they could possibly expect in their late home
of old England.
As
regards myself and party I return my sincere thanks, as the individuals going
out with me will have an opportunity of doing well if they conduct themselves
with moderation and propriety.
Staying
here a few days cannot fail to be productive of great good,
at all events it has proved so to Mrs. STANLEY & myself who have never
before been more at sea than across the Mersey at
Your obedient humble servant
John STANLEY
STAPLES,
John Senior
372
Nov 23 1820
Sir,
The
undersigned begs leave to request you will have the goodness to favor him with
the conditions on which Government directs grants to be issued for land at the
I beg to subscribe myself Sir
Yr ob’t humble servant
John STAPLES
SYNNOT, Walter
311
Ballymoyer
Lodge
5th
Jany 1820
Sir,
The
length of time which has elapsed since the receipt of your instructions
directing me to expect an order from the Commissioners of the Navy Board
induces me to suppose some mistake must have occasioned the delay. I consider
it my duty to inform you that no official notice has been made to me and that
the settlers under my care are extremely dissatisfied and difficult to be kept
together, that a very heavy expense attends holding them in constant readiness
such a length of time and I can assure you is extremely prejudicial to the
welfare of my undertaking. Most of the stores absolutely necessary must be
obtained at the place of embarkation and to be hurried off without them would
expose [us] to the greatest hardships. I have received private letters from
I have the honor to be Sir
Your most obedient servant
Walter SYNNOT
320
23rd
January 1820
Sir,
I am
instructed by Mr. LEWIS, Agent of Transports Cork, to make returns of the party
under my charge now embarked on board the Fanny.
A few changes have unavoidably taken place since my first returns had been
filled. I have left one copy with Mr. LEWIS and it is my intention to present
another to His Excellency the Governor at the
I beg
leave to express the gratitude of my party for the very comfortable
accommodation that has been afforded them since their embarkation and I am
convinced they will at all times support that order
and regularity enjoined in our instructions.
I have the honour to be Sir
Your most obedient and very humble servant
Walter SYNNOT
SYNNOT, Marcus (brother of Walter SYNNOT)
366
Ballymoyer
Lodge
Sep 27 1820
Sir,
I
think it a duty I owe my brother Capt. SYNNOT, who saild on the 12 Feb from
Your humble serv’t
Marcus SYNNOT
[enclosed]
Copy of Capt. SYNNOT’s
letter
Clanwilliam,
9th June 1820
I deferred
writing to you until I had seen the grant of land allotted to me; it is
situated under a vast chain of mountains as wild and rugged as nature could
form them, in a narrow valley, of which a very small part can be cultivated;
that granted to me is a tongue of land formed by the junction of John Dryscols River with the Elephant River, the greater part of
it is an arid mountain composed of rock and sand, covered or rather intersected
with shrubs, which is the universal characteristic of the country between this
and Saldahna Bay. There is a proportion of level
ground which can be cultivated and water conducted to, without which everything
is burned up in summer. The hills are consequently of no use for agricultural
purposes. I do not think this plot of level ground contains more than one
hundred acres, and a very small proportion of that is good quality, but on this
spot which is a mere garden everything may be produced. Rice, sugar, vines,
oranges, corn of all kinds, fruits both European and tropical. The hills are of
no other use than to feed cattle. The roads in every direction are deep sand
for fifty miles from this it is impossible for the farmer to send anything to Capetown the distance is 6 or 7 days journey with a waggon and the roads wretched. In short there is neither a
means of improvement nor a prospect of advantage. Indeed there is nothing to
recommend this country but the climate. We set out from Saldahna
in 12 waggons on the 26th May and arrived
all in good health at Clan William on the 9th June. The weather
proved favorable beyond our expectations for this is the rainy season. If I had
been aware of the circumstances of this place I never would have come here, as
there is no space for improvement, everything is confined by these rugged mountains
and the habitations are thinly scattered over the wildest country in the world
and it can never be more thickly inhabited; every spring of water has an
habitation, these are to be met with at about an interval of 4 or 5 hours
journey from each other. We are erecting huts on the ground and as soon as they
are completed I shall sow wheat, plant potatoes &c, but I cannot reconcile
myself to make this place my residence. It falls infinitely short of my expectations, it is not of sufficient extent to support my
party without purchasing most of the necessaries of life. I am informed the
English settlers at
Walter SYNNOT
TAIT, William
403
South
Lambeth
March 30th
1820
Sir,
I
have the honor to enclose a certificate from the Landrost of George of the
location of the settlers sent out to my brother to the Cape of Good Hope and I
will be much obliged if you will have the goodness to direct the deposit of £190
to be repaid to me.
I have the honor to be Sir
Your most obedient & very humble servant
Wm. TAIT
[enclosed]
405/406
To all whom it may concern, these are to certify that
Mr. Peter TAIT, who is a Resident in this District,
has lately received from Scotland settlers to the amount of twenty six,
including men, women and children who are at present residing at his estate
called Klein Fonteyn
13th Oct 1819
[illegible signature]
Land’t
of
Dr. TAIT presents his compliments to Mr. SMITH and begs to
enclose him a letter from his brother at the
Grahamstown
Oct
18th 1819
Sir,
In reply to
your letter of the 16th Sept which has followed me to this place I
have to say that upon your transmitting to me a certificate from the Landrost
of your District of the number of persons located upon your farm I will
communicate the same to the Secretary of State’s Office in order that the money
deposited by your brother may be released.
I am Sir your very humble servant
C. BIRD
PS perhaps you may meet me at
In
the postscript to my brother’s letter he says “Col. BIRD said (at George Town)
that the enclosed certificate was perfectly sufficient and it was not necessary
for him to write on the subject” Under these circumstances it appears it was
not the intention of the Government at the Cape to draw for the deposit of £190
and therefore if Mr. GOULBURN still thinks it better that the money should be
paid at the Cape Dr. TAIT will be much obliged if he
will again instruct Col. BIRD to draw for it as it appears probable that his
brother may have some difficulty in obtaining it after having expressed to Col.
BIRD that it might be paid to his brother Dr. T. in this country.
Dr. TAIT will thank Mr.
SMITH to return the enclosed.
[note from GOULBURN]
Acquaint Dr. TAIT that under
these circs he has no objection to paying him the £190 upon his assurance for
the repayment in the event of its ultimately proving
to have been paid to his brother in the Colony & if he will call on Friday
will pay it
19 April
408
[Transcriber’s note: this letter from Peter TAIT is crossed, with very faint scrawl, and therefore extremely
difficult to read]
Klein Fontein
2nd
Nov? 1819
My dear Brother,
I
send enclosed a certificate from the new Landrost of George Town and here you
will find a duplicate enclosed. The excuse of not sending it sooner by Colonel BIRDs letter will [be] the best
apology I can offer. Upon receipt of yours advising me of the people coming out
I instantly applied to Colonel BIRD to give me a free passage, people and traps,
which would have been granted had the ??? not been in existence (which is now closed)
I had saved a good deal of cash but the government vessels were all loaded with
stores for the Frontier to supply the
Army.
I shall give you Colonel BIRD’s letter (true copy): Grahamstown 18th Oct
1819, Sir, In reply to your letter of the 16th Sept which has
followed me to this place I have to say that upon your transmitting to me a
certificate from the Landrost of your District of the number of persons located
upon your farm I will communicate the same in proper form to the Secretary of
State’s Office in order that the money deposited there by your brother may be
released. I am Sir your very humble servant
(Signed) C. BIRD
PS perhaps you may meet me at
My dear Brother,
As
you will see by the above that I am not losing sight of what I have a
probability of saving. Colonel BIRD and those letters came to
Colonel BIRD is a most sterling man and upon every
occasion has behaved in a friendly manner ??
I have got a letter from my friend HARRINGTON on this
subject wherein he says “right or wrong”
I must submit as Government will support their own servants and
HARRINGTON is one wrong and when you see him tell him so as Colonel BIRD
acknowledged to him that the acting ?landdrost? had not done his duty. He openly refused to act for the
purpose of ??? my funds. I
now tell you candidly William that necessity was the cause of it and I do
assure you that you will not hear of any thing of the kind happening again ???? unless such a conspiracy
was against that plan, which is not likely as we have got a very clever
gentleman as Landdrost. The simple man is the beggar
for that and I do assure you that it takes every eye to be on the lookout here.
The
excuse of my silence since the arrival of the people here (who are all
contented) was sickness. I have been in very bad health for six weeks back that
I could not put pen to paper to say I’m taken with the ague. I shook from head
to foot with violent perspiration which reduced me so much that I am at the
moment only twelve and a half stone weight and on my arrival in this colony I
was sixteen stone. [Line obscured in fold] would not allow me to be a friend
and by taking laxatives added ?? altho ?? I am now in great
good health and spirits but as lean as a craw.
On
Sunday first I shall answer your long ??? but I think it will take a quire of paper to do so, however
I shall give you two or three sheets of the paper that this country affords. I
pray my dear children are in good health and with my best respects to Mrs. TAIT
I remain my dear brother
Your most faithful brother
Peter TAIT
PS Colonel BIRD said that the enclosed certificate was
perfectly sufficient and it was not necessary for him to write on the subject
413
South
Lambeth
Apr 19 1820
Sir,
Dr. TAIT presents his respects to Mr. GOULBURN and will be much
obliged if he will have the goodness to give him an answer on the subject of
the deposit for his brother’s settlers, as he is on the point of proceeding to
the Continent for the benefit of Mrs. TAIT’s health
and he wishes to settle his money arrangements with his brother at the Cape
before his departure.
Dr. TAIT laments that he should be so
troublesome to Mr. GOULBURN and begs to offer his most respectful apology.
THORNHILL,
Christopher
377
January 7th 1820
Sir
Having with every wish to promote
the welfare of the several men and families going out under my direction, as
well as to secure as far as possible success to the undertaking of myself and
my family emigrating to the new Colony at the Cape of Good Hope, collected at a
considerable expense a quantity of such articles which I conceive, and was made
to understand, would be necessary for the cultivation of the ground, erecting
of habitations, and the comforts of my own family as well as those young out
under my care; but owing to some disappointments by Mr. WAIT’s
detention and other causes, most of the several articles could not be collected
in readiness but lately, finding on sending some on board the Zoroaster Transport that not sufficient
room was left after placing the several settlers, for receiving the said goods
and being still desirous of proceeding with the same vessel I beg to request
that my Agents Messrs STROMBOM and Co. of 65 Broad
Street may be permitted to ship the several articles left out and such others
found necessary for the forestated specific purpose –
to be shipped on my account and those under my direction on board the Aurora or some other transport
proceeding immediately after the Zoroaster.
Which request I should hope may be
the more readily granted being fully assured it is the wish of Government and
the Earl of BATHURST in particular to promote the comfort and future success of
the Emigrants as far as conveniently can be done.
I have the
honor to be Sir
Your most
obedient humble servant
C.
THORNHILL
379
18th January 1820
Sir
I beg to apologise for the delay
that has taken place in sending you the Receipt for the deposit – it has
however arisen from circumstances not under my control. As I before stated Mr.
WAIT and I entered into an agreement to advance the deposit in equal moieties
and also to share equally in the Grant of Land and in all the advantages to be
deserved therefrom or from the families taken out
subject to other stipulations for securing any excess of capital that might be
advanced by either party. The deposit was accordingly advanced by us in equal
shares or thereabouts – but in consequence of the difficulties which Mr. WAIT
had afterwards to encounter and which are referred to in his letter he was
unable to advance any further sum of money and did not expect to be able to accompany
the party – under these circumstances it was arranged that the Grant should be
in my name (but of course subject to the terms of our agreement the same as if
in his) and I accordingly returned to you the letter to Lord C.
Supposing the Grant would be made out
and that I should be thereby secured for any advances I might make I continued
to lay out several sums of money on such things as we had considered proper and
necessary for the undertaking – but in case the Grant should be made to Mr.
WAIT solely since he has failed to make any advance beyond his share of the
deposit and since it has turned out contrary to his representation that he has
no property I shall be in danger of losing the whole and having myself and my
family brought to utter ruin and want having nothing but his personal
responsibility for fulfilling his agreement.
Under these circumstances I beg most
respectfully to request that the Grant may be either made to us in our joint
names as Tenants in Common or that one moiety may be made to each leaving us to
arrange for such sums as we have advanced beyond the deposit between ourselves.
As this would be but just and
reasonable between the parties I humbly hope that Lord BATHURST may be pleased
to comply with my request.
I have the
honor to be
Sir your
most obedient Humble servant
C.T.
THORNHILL
PS. Altho. Mr. WAIT may withhold the Receipt for the deposit
money I can if necessary produce his acknowledgement of the sum advanced by me.
381
19th January 1820
Mr.
THORNHILL begs leave to send Mr. GOULBURN an amended list of the persons going
out as settlers to the
383
19th January 1820
Sir,
I am sorry to be obliged again to
trouble you with reference to the settlers going to the Cape of Good Hope, but
the circumstances under which I now take the liberty of addressing you are of
that nature as to render it a duty incumbent upon me both as it respects my own
Family and the other passengers on board the Zoroaster.
Mrs. THORNHILL had for some days
been on board and I yesterday received a communication from her stating that
the person mentioned on the list under the name of Mrs. WAIT was not Mr. WAIT’s wife and that under such circumstances it would be
impossible to associate with her on the voyage. On receiving this intelligence
I made the necessary enquiries and I am sorry to say their remains no doubt of
the truth of it.
It is not for me to dictate as to
the course proper to be pursued and therefore I beg to submit the case for the
consideration of Lord BATHURST. Independent of the bad consequences likely to
result from taking persons of this description to an infant Colony she sails to
which the families on board will be liable are of too serious a nature to be
overlooked – besides my own wife and [our?] four children there are several married
ladies with families of children, some having attained an age when it might be
injurious in an extra degree to be obliged to associate for the whole of [a]
voyage of not less than three months with [such] an individual. The importance
of the [?situation] I hope will be considered a
sufficient apology for troubling you with this letter.
I have the
honor to remain
Sir, your
most obedient Humble servant
C.T.
THORNHILL
385
Friday evening [no date is given, but was presumably
21st January 1820]
Mr.
THORNHILL begs leave to inclose to Mr. GOULBURN the letter addressed to Lord
Charles SOMERSET and delivered to Mr. WAIT and at the same time begs to request
that he may be favoured with the letter to Lord Charles SOMERSET to make the
Grant in his name as early as may suit Mr. GOULBURN’s convenience.
Mr. THORNHILL’s name is “Christopher Thornhill THORNHILL”.
387
January 24th 1820
Sir
It is with great reluctance I again
take the liberty of troubling you. But I feel that I should not do justice to
myself and family were I to depart without first calling your attention to some
circumstances which have not hitherto been brought particularly under your
observation either by myself or the letter written by Mr. FISHER in my absence.
It has already been mentioned that
the party are bound to serve me on their arrival at the
I might perhaps, properly, be told
that as I have entered into contracts with Mr. WAIT I had my remedy else where.
It is true I have agreements sufficient to establish my right in an English
Court of Law, but I know nothing of the Laws at the Cape, and what can be done
with a man without property (and in my opinion) without principal. What can be
done with a man, who, when he was fleeing from Justice until he was arrested on
a “Ne exeat regno” [Transcriber’s Note: this is a writ to restrain a
person from leaving the country] professes that he was going out before the
party to prepare for their arrival, and at the same time gave me Bills accepted
by himself and partner to the amount of £1500 which he knew were not drawn for
the partnership purposes, and could not be paid when due – these Bills when I
found out Mr. WAITs improper conduct, I returned to
his solicitor Mr. ADAMS who can attest the fact – other acts might be [more?]
mentioned, but my object is to protect myself and not injure him.
To prevent any doubts being thrown
on anything I state from other quarters I beg to add that every fact I have
stated can be attested by proof if necessary.
I have the
honor to be Sir
Your most
obedient servant
C.T.
THORNHILL
391
[possibly 25 January
1820 or later]
Mr.
THORNHILL presents his compliments to Mr. GOULBURN, and begs to acknowledge the
receipt of Mr. GOULBURNs
note of the 12th inst. And in reply Mr. THORNHILL would ask the
favor of 8 or 10 ton to be put onboard any of the Transports going to the new
settlement at the
[Note in
faint pencil below this letter presumably from GOULBURN reads: “Mr. THORNHILL
has not yet sent the Treasury Receipt requested of him”]
395
[no address or date is given apart from “Thursday morning”]
Mr. THORNHILL begs leave to express his grateful
acknowledgements for the interference of the Earl BATHURST to put an end to the
unfortunate disputes which had prevailed between Mr. WAIT and himself; and for
the very prompt and equitable manner in which his Lordship’s intentions have
been executed.
The settlers by their agreement with Mr. THORNHILL have
become bound implicitly to obey all the laws and regulations which may be made
for the Government of the Colony, but if any motive had been wanting to excite
his zeal to promote the welfare and peace of the Settlement the very just and
liberal treatment he has experienced could not have failed to produce a very
powerful one.
[The letter
is not signed]
399
Ship Zoroaster
Downs, 5th February 1820
Sir,
I beg leave to acquaint you that a
man by name PUZEY, his wife, and three children
having left the ship at Deptford I have procured another in the room of him by
name John STOKES, and wife.
The Agent
Lieut. WILLIAMS of the ship Bell Alliance
objects to allow him rations, because his name is not in the original list. I
have to request Lord BATHURST will do me the favor to order the Agent to issue
his rations with the rest of my settlers, otherwise the Captain means to send
him on shore, which will be attended with great loss to me and much distress to
the man and his wife, who have been a burthen to the parish; as our detention
here may admit of a letter from his Lordship.
I would
humbly request that favor, and have the honor to be Sir
Your most
obedient servant
C.T.
THORNHILL
TURVEY, Edward
393
[Undated, 1820]
Sir,
Nothing pains me more than being forced to give trouble but
in the situation I have been placed it becomes my duty to do every thing in my
power for the Party going out under me. A Dilema
occurs in the following manner: John KEMP, Sawyer and five children are going
out with me. His eldest daughter Nancy KEMP aged fifteen has got married within
the last 2 months to John SUTTON aged 17 years and Mr
KEMP is in much trouble fearing his daughter will not go without her husband. Mrs WILLIE aged 26 wife of Mr
WILLIE Carpenter has offered to remain at home for the present and join our
party in 6 months if the Colonial office will have the goodness to permit John
SUTTON to go in her place and I have been most particularly requested by
overseers of the Parish of Burwash in Sussex to make
known this Circumstance and their Ernest Entreaty that this may be complyed with - this will compleat
our Party and make no difference in the number going out or in the amount of
our deposit as it now stands having paid £185-0-0 and our party now making only
the amount of
£182-10-0.
I have the
honor to be, Sir
Your most
obedient and most humble svt
Edward TURVEY
ULYATE, Henry
428
4 Jan’y. 1820
Sir
I trust the undermentioned circumstances will plead an
excuse for this Application to you requesting a Grant of Land at the intended
new settlement in the Colony of the
Your Obt. Servant
Hy. ULYATE
PS Your answer at your earliest convenience will
be considered an Obligation as by delay I might loose an opportunity of taking
my [passage] for a considerable time.
[Note from
GOULBURN on reverse]
Was he on Mr WAITs
list [clerk’s answer: Yes]
Acquaint
him that although Mr WAIT does not go the party is
understood to proceed under the direction of Mr
THORNHILL with whom he is at liberty to embark
12th
Jan.
WAIT,
William
447
Orange Coffee House
Friday Morn [presumably January 1820]
Sir,
In compliance with the request of
Mr. SMITH, I proceed to give you the history of my connexion
with Mr. THORNHILL, our present state of disagreement and what has led thereto.
Chance threw us together at the
period when I solicited permission to take out my settlers to the
Allow me to say I leave myself
wholly in your hands to advise for the best, under the
uncomfortable circumstances of the case.
As Mr. SMITH mentioned the writ which
was to detain me in this country, it may be proper to state further, that my
present legal friend Mr. ADAMS of Grays Inn Square a stranger to me till then,
struck with the enormity of the aggression under which I suffered, in a few days
after our first interview obtained my freedom, and not only relieved me from
all my difficulties, but obtained the restoration of all the property I
required, and put my Brentford Partnership on a fair
footing for paying my Creditors full 20/- in the Pound, and for my receiving
the further proceeds. He has taken the whole from my designing Partner, putting
it into the hands of the most respectable Trustees. And to put beyond the
possibility any deficiency I have signed over my copy hold estate at Brentford and the Creditors have in consequence executed a
release to me, which shall be produced if required. My private debts were under
£50 – which fact may be ascertained by reference to my opponents Attorney, NIND & Co Throgmorton Street.
The amount of which would have been paid before my leaving Brentford
had I not been so [unexpectedly?] arrested. The deeds are in the hands of Mr.
ADAMS ready to be produced if required and Messrs. FISHER and THORNHILL are
well informed of the satisfactory arrangement. Under these circumstances I hope
and trust there will be no delay in the delivery of the grant of land to me in
my own name, leaving Mr. THORNHILL to act upon his deed as he may be advised,
should he decline my offer to leave it to my respectable man to decide between
us; and to prevent any unnecessary delay I will propose a most honorable man
unknown to me – COOKE Esq. King’s Counsel, Stones building, Lincolns Inn - and
as no papers or documents will be wanted, but only the true story to be
related, I will propose forthwith to proceed to his Chambers for its immediate
settlement.
I have
honor to be Sir
Your most
obedient honorable servant
Wm. WAIT
PS
So very strange has been the conduct of Mr. THORNHILL that I
have great reason to fear there will be no room for my private packages sent
this morning to the ship – altho his baggage and
family of 7 – have been a month on board. His own feelings should have dictated
a different conduct and creates in my mind most unpleasant feelings.
I trust the hasty scrall as well as the paper, may
be pardoned; as time will not allow me to copy my final ideas, which have run
to a greater length than I anticipated.
461
Orange
Coffee House
Jan’y
18th 1820
Sir,
The
partnership dispute which I was fearful would have prevented me going out with
the settlers on board the Zoroaster
under my direction having been settled by arbitration in my favour and all my
property restored to me, I have to solicit the restoration of the dispatches
&c sent to me to deliver to Lord Charles SOMERSET. It was never my
intention that Mr. THORNHILL should have attempted to get them altered in his
favor, even had I been unfortunately obliged to go out after the settlers. The
original receipt I keep possession of.
I have the honor to be Sir
Your most obed’t hble serv’t
Wm. WAIT
468
Orange
Coffee House
Jan’y
21st 1820
Sir,
In
reply to Mr. THORNHILL’s vile insinuation that Mrs.
WAIT is not actually my wife, I will only trouble you with a positive
declaration that she has been my married wife for the seven years last past
since November 7th and that she has been received as such in some of
the first classes of society. We have lived ever since our marriage most
happily and there is not a more prudent or virtuous woman breathing. This vile
attempt at detraction affords another trait in the character of my opponent Mr.
THORNHILL.
I have the honor to remain Sir
Your obed’t serv’t
Wm. WAIT
[Transcriber’s note: Filed with the above letter on
p.470 is a copy of a marriage certificate dated 24th January 1820 –
he was obviously taking no chances!]
William WAIT of this parish and Marianne Gertrude WAIT
of this parish heretofore COWAN spinster, the parties having been married
heretofore to each other, were married in this church by licence this twenty
fourth day of January eight hundred and twenty by me Thomas William McGUIRE Rector.
This marriage was solemnised between us
Signed William WAIT
Marianne Gertrude WAIT heretofore COWAN
In the presence of Rev Wm. COX, Harriet Dennis GARRETT
The above is a true copy of the Register of Marriages
of the Parish of St.Paul,
Thos. Will’m McGUIRE
466
Orange
Coffee House
Jan’y
25th 1820
Sir,
As
directed I send herewith a list of the settlers who I believe are actually on
board the Zoroaster under my direction.
There
are at present also on board some others that for my personal safety and the
comfort of all on board I should wish were it possible might be excluded, altho’ put on board originally as entered on my list; their
names are
Wm. BROOKS with his family
Philip CAMM (THORNHILL’s nephew)
Thos. BRUTON
Geo.
__ GILFILLAN, put in by
THORNHILL in his list
From Wm.BROOKS and Philip CAMM I
should consider my life in danger should they go out in the same ship as
myself. On going on board last night I received the grossest and most vile
insults and abuse from Mr. THORNHILL & from the four first mentioned
individuals. I never spoke one word in reply and trust to your [Lordship’s]
protection. These are the only persons on board whom THORNHILL has been able
with all art to induce join him. Within these two days he offered all the men
½lb tobacco and also new clothing for each – all except the three
aforementioned rejected his offer and said to a man they would sooner go out
with myself without a shirt rather than receive his offer, and eventually last
night of their own accord the moment I came on board presented me with a list
of their names declaring of the same. Mr. DIASON {DYASON} told me that Mr. THORNHILL had used great exertions
to prevail on him and the rest of his party to sign a paper to the injury of
Mrs. WAIT, but he assured me they rejected it with indignation and that they
esteemed her very highly.
I have the honor to be Sir
Your most obed’t hble serv’t
Wm. WAIT
477
Jan’y
29th 1820
Sir,
Have just learnt that the articles underneath ordered long since
are not on board our ship; altho Mr.THORNHILL
was requested to put them on board from the very first of his interference.
The success of my undertaking depends on my having these things, and I hope I
may be permitted to entreat that my friend Joseph SILVER Esq of Sise? Lane may have permission to forward them to me free
of expence by the first vessel that will follow us. The tonnage by measurement
I believe will not exceed two tons or thereabouts, being a fold up waggon – 50 gallons still for wine making, an 80 gallon
brewing copper – a corn mill – some plows & a
grindstone.
I have the honor to be Sir
Your most obed’t hble serv’t
Wm. WAIT
487
Orange
Coffee House
Friday
evening
[probably Feb 11 1820, the eve of the Zoroaster sailing]
Sir,
In
compliance with the suggestion communicated to me by Mr.SMITH
I called on Mr. THORNHILL immediately. I was informed that he was not at home.
I then wrote a note to him of which the enclosed is a copy, and desired the
servant who delivered it to wait for an answer. The reply was verbal that Mr.
THORNHILL was at Deptford and it was not known when he would return. Mr.
THORNHILL was not on board at Deptford this afternoon and I have reason to
believe that he was then at
The
deed to which I have alluded as being ready to execute I should be happy to
submit to your perusal, it is impartially prepared and my legal adviser Mr.
ADAMS will admit no other (except that reference to Mr. COOK) and I have no
doubt but Mr. THORNHILL will gladly accede thereto, after we may have sailed;
as he originally submitted to be inserted in my list as a labourer, after
having been in negociation with Mr. BAILEY without
effect, and after having his offer for himself and family without settlers
rejected by Government.
I am
very sorry to add that I have just learnt by a person who was on board our ship
yesterday that Mr. THORNHILL had a communication to the men on board that
within a few hours he should have to announce to them that all who belonged to
me, and every man who adhered to me should be discarded from the ship, and that
I myself was to have no concern on board. The men who to a man have been
procured by myself and are [devoted?] to me were in the utmost alarm and
confusion dreading what was to result. Hoping to be favored this morning with
the return of my original letter for His Excellency the Governor Lord Charles
SOMERSET, which was ever far from my intention to have exchanged by THORNHILL.
Have the honor to remain Sir
Your most obed’t hble serv’t
Wm. WAIT
PS Saturday morning
The Pilot I have learnt is on board and the ship
expected to sail today
[Enclosed note to Christopher THORNHILL]
Jan 21st
1820
Sir,
Much
wish to settle our unpleasant disputes. It appears to me that there is only one
way, and that is to refer our differences to be settled by an impartial
arbitrator. If you will be at the expence I have no objection that the
arbitrator be Mr. COOK, the Kings Council of Stones Building, Lincolns Inn. Mr.
COOK is unknown to me but I understand he is a most honorable
man. It should be settled immediately, or if you prefer to execute the deed as
prepared by Mr. ADAMS I will still agree to it. I am sure nothing can be more
equitable. The bearer waits for your answer
I remain Sir
Your hble serv’t
Wm.WAIT
WATSON,
Robert
485
10 Feb 1820
My Lord,
In
consequence of receiving no reply to a letter which I did myself the honor of
addressing to your Lordship about 4 or 5 weeks since, I am led to fear that it
has never been received by your Lordship. I am therefore induced once more to
intrude myself upon your Lordship’s notice.
I am
about to engage with a Gen’l CAMPBELL for the purpose
of emigrating to the Cape of Good Hope and altho’ I
have no reason to doubt the honor of the General, yet as there are many persons
now about taking every advantage to the ruin of the unwary, I am bound by the
strongest ties for the safety of my own family and those families who are
willing to place themselves under my care to take such steps as will ensure the
safety of us all. I have therefore to request of your Lordship that you will
have the kindness to inform me whether His Majesty’s Government has made to Gen’l CAMPBELL of Durham Place Lambeth a grant of 10,000
acres of land and in what part of the Colony the grant is made.
I am
further to solicit from your Lordship the favor of being informed whether His
Majesty’s Government would be induced to favor me with a grant of land of about
5 or 600 acres upon my taking out at my own expence 5 families, including in
men, women & children 15 persons. An answer at your Lordship’s convenience
will be gratefully acknowledged by, my Lord
Your Lordship’s most obliged and most obed’t serv’t
Robert WATSON
Please to address Mr. WATSON,
WHITLEY,
Michael
464
22 Jan’y 1820
Sir,
We
shall feel obliged by your informing us at your earliest convenience whether it
is the intention of His majesty’s Government to allow any more settlers to
proceed to the Cape of Good Hope under the same considerations as those who
have gone from this Port, as it is our intention to take out, if permitted, one
hundred able bodied settlers to join our friends who sailed in the John, Lieutenant CHURCH.
We are most respectfully
Your most obed’t serv’t
M WHITLEY & Co
Late HAYHURST & WHITLEY
School Lane
471
27 Jan’y 1820
Sir,
We
have your favor of the 25th inst stating that the number of persons
which His Majesty’s Government intends to send to the
We are respectfully
Your most obed’t serv’t
M WHITLEY & Co
508
No.39 St.Thomas’s Buildings
July 31st
1820
My Lord,
Since
the news of the safe arrival of the emigrants who were sent out under the
direction of our Mr. HAYHURST in the ship John, Lieut.CHURCH,
in January last, we beg leave to acquaint your Lordship that numbers of
families are making daily application to us for the purpose of emigrating in
like manner, many of whom are friends and relatives of those already gone to
the Cape.
We
beg leave to submit the affair to your Lordship’s kind consideration and should
feel extremely obliged would your Lordship so condescend to say whether we may
be permitted to take out from 40 to 50 families, the principal part of whom have been anxiously waiting an opportunity to follow
their relatives and friends. They are the more eager at present, understanding
that your Lordship has been pleased to confer grants to a number of individuals
who are now preparing for their embarkation from
We in
their behalf humbly beg that your Lordship would also permit these to go
out under our direction from this Port agreeable to the manner their friends
were permitted in January last.
Waiting your Lordship’s reply we remain
Your Lordship’s mo ob’t hbl servant
Mich. WITLEY & Co.
[Note from GOULBURN]
The number of settlers whom it is at present possible
to conveniently accommodate in the Colony being completed it is not probable
that any encouragement on the part of Govt will be given beyond a grant of land
to those persons who are conveying themselves to the Colony appearing to have
the means of cultivating it.
WILLSON, Thomas
455
La Belle
Deptford
3 January
1820
Sir,
I
have the honor to inclose herewith a final correction of my return of
settlers proceeding to the Cape of Good Hope, and not having received your
instructions as to the mode of my drawing my deposit at the Cape I am
particularly anxious to know what steps will be taken to ensure me the
difference of the exchange, and the interest of the money, or whether I am to
provide myself with dollars in this country! I shall therefore do myself the
honor of waiting upon you for this purpose previous to leaving Deptford
I have the honor to be Sir
Your most obedient servant
Thos. WILLSON
I have also returned the dispatch for the Governor
agreeable to you
[Note from GOULBURN]
Alter accordingly. The Governor will pay him his
deposit according to the terms laid down in the circular without interest &
at the [average?] rate of exchange
459
Millers
Hotel
6 January
1820
Sir,
On
Monday the 3rd instant agreeable to your desire I had the honor of
forwarding to you the final correction of my return of settlers and also the
Governors Dispatch, requesting at the same time to be favored with your
instructions as to the mode of drawing the deposit &c & I must beg to
wait in London to ascertain your pleasure thereon.
As
the Rev’d Will’m BOARDMAN
pursuant to his appointment has now embarked his large family, it has now
become necessary from peculiar circumstances for me to request that he may be
permitted to draw his stipend or a [moiety?] of it in advance, for without
meaning any disrespect I cannot but apprehend much inconvenience unless he
receives such pecuniary aid: requesting your early attention hereto
I have the honor to be Sir
Your most obedient humble servant
Thos. WILLSON
496
16 May 1820
My Lord,
With
all due feelings of respect and high consideration and a grateful sense of your
Lordships benign views in the arrangements which have been made on board La Belle Alliance Transport for the
health and comfort of the settlers who have arrived in this Colony under my
direction, I cannot proceed onwards from this port without feeling it to be my
duty to express my best and most grateful acknowledgements.
We
have made the passage without accident in eleven weeks from the Downs and
except in the cases of Measles and Small Pox which was brought on board by some
of the settlers children we have had excellent health, and it is my duty to say
that in general the settlers have not only stated themselves to be well
satisfied but have expressed their gratitude for the excellent accommodation and
provisions which were furnished for them by your Lordships direction, and I
believe in so large and varied a party it would be difficult to select an
instance wherein greater order has more generally prevailed, with exception of
two juvenile thieves who for example sake [I] have found it necessary to be
punished, but careful to avoid the character of severity on the passage,
notwithstanding their repeated depredations, for the sake of example only (the
agent being of the same opinion) I have been induced to deliver them over to
His Majesty’s Fiscal for punishment: it is not in my power to do ample justice
to the humane character of Cap’t YOUNG of Deptford
whose benevolent views appear to have anticipated every minute comfort for us
(consistent with the nature of service) more particularly for the female
settlers, who I am very sure will not fail to hold him in grateful remembrance
who with myself must ever feel particularly obliged for such great precaution
as to our health and accommodation. We also owe much to Cap’t
ROLFE (the Master) for his polite attention and
humanity, and obliging civility to all classes during the voyage, and to Lieut.
WILLIAMS RN, the agent on board, whose gentlemanly conduct is beyond all
praise, I must always feel myself highly indebted for the dignified, firm and concilliating manner with which he has carried the
Government regulations into effect and whose duty I believe it is to furnish
your Lordship with a return of the Births and Deaths which have occurred on the
passage.
Arriving
at this port I have great pleasure and satisfaction in saying that the most
prompt facility and explanation have been afforded us by Colonel BIRD, the
Colonial Secretary, as far as is consistent with his public duty, and I am
informed that we are to be located not far from Grahams Town on the Great Fish
River: this I very much regret to say has excited a considerable degree of
anxiety and some dissatisfaction and even dismay, from its being a greater
distance from the coast than the Government circular would appear to imply, and
as the settlers were not prepared for this unexpected information of their
having to travel thus far into the Interior at their individual expence and
resources, I cannot conceal my fears upon the subject, that it will greatly
distress the party. I am already inundated (upon the ground of the consuming
expence and great distance) with daily remonstrances
that it will make beggars of more than one half of the party before we arrive
at the place of our destination. Thus I feel myself placed in a most hazardous
and even dangerous situation, which I feel the more acutely from the weighty
responsibility which naturally attaches to me as their Leader, and that too
without any legal authority to control the disaffected: otherwise than by some
wholesome [covenant?] to prevent theft and illegal combinations which I have
thought proper to insert and have printed at this place as part of the
conditions of my sub-grants: and I must pray your Lordship to suggest to His
Excellency the Governor for my personal security that he will be pleased to
invest me with some kind of station which will afford me a little respect and
safety as a means of checking the turbulent, otherwise after all my heavy
expences, excessive labour and severe anxiety with a view of promoting the
views of Government by undertaking the direction of so large a party in a
foreign and remote colony, thus easing my country of part of its redundant
population (if I am to believe what I hear) I [have?] to anticipate from
disappointed hope that I am destined to be the first victim on the altar of
revenge! These feelings of dissatisfaction I am aware may in some measure arise
from the varied, contradictory and prejudiced accounts which daily arrive from
the Interior and from the settlers who have preceded us; but confiding always
in the wisdom of the Executive and His Excellency the Governor, who I
understand will receive us personally at Algoa Bay, I hope I shall be able in a
great measure to dissipate the jealousy and distrust which have created so much
alarm, and that I may shortly have it in my power from my own observation to
furnish your Lordship (if such information will be acceptable) with more
satisfactory details than I have been in the habit of receiving here.
Taking
all things into consideration it has occurred to me from the great influx of
population in the district I am to inhabit, foreseeing that a number of
artificers and persons of mechanical genius who have entered themselves as
farmers will naturally fall with their former occupations and that additional
towns and villages will most probably grow out of such a state of things; I
have suggested a plan for a town which can be systematically and progressively
acted upon: to express its origin I have given it the name of Angloville, which name I have also inserted in my printed
forms for sub-grants. It will in the beginning simply take the form of a
square, which with your Lordships permission as a token of my respect and from
a grateful sense of duty I must beg leave to call Bathurst Square, in the center of which it is proposed when our funds will admit of
the expence to erect a colossal monument of our beloved Sovereign King George
the Fourth, and as other squares and streets occur in the design His Majesty’s
Ministers will not be omitted in marking our gratitude for the present epoch of
our lives, with the natural feeling and spirit we must ever have for our native
and beloved country.
But
when I reflect upon the probable results of this most arduous but interesting
enterprise I must beg leave to throw myself upon your Lordships protection and
indulgence, as you must be aware that I am exposed not only to great danger
from the disaffected but to every deception, ingratitude, insult and
misrepresentation! Before I left England I felt it incumbent upon me to dismiss
and return the deposits of several who had embarked apparently with a view of
forming desperate combinations and I must beg to submit to your Lordships
consideration injustice to the difficult and arduous enterprise in which I am
engaged upon public grounds, that I may derive some real benefit for my
descendants (for myself it will be impossible) but in return for all my labour,
anxiety and excessive expence, toil and care which I must encounter for years
to come, that I should be permitted as a voluntary servant of this country to
hold a freehold grant for the number of acres to which I may be
entitled, so that I may look forward to some real benefit and be enabled to
pursue my views in this colony with some better hope of profit and advantage to
my family.
Trusting
that your Lordship will do me the honor of a communication upon this subject
and that you will condescend to recommend me to the protection and support of
His Excellency the Governor, permit me to place my personal services entirely
at your Lordships disposal, in the hope of some appointment amongst the number
that must arise under our System of Improvement, and that I may be
distinguished by the honor of your Lordships remembrance.
I have the honor to be, my Lord, with all deference
and devotion
Your most
obedient, faithful and very humble servant
Thos. WILLSON
[Note from GOULBURN across second page]
Acquaint him that Ld B only forbears to take his
request into consideration because he considers it more advisable that it
should be submitted to the Governor for his consideration & approval
YOUNG,
Captain re WILLSON’s Party (see also John SCOTT)
509
Copy
To the Hon’ble Commissioners
of HM Navy
Transport
Office
Deptford
12th
January 1820
Hon’ble
Sirs,
I
return herewith Mr. GOULBURN’s letter to you of the 8th instant
together with a copy of a petition to Earl BATHURST from John SCOTT and three
other settlers embarked on board La Belle
Alliance Transport complaining of the manner in which that ship had been
fitted up by a partition being placed in the middle of the ship so as to
prevent a free circulation of air &c.
I beg
to acquaint you I have been on board and examined into the circumstances
stated, and find that there is not the slightest foundation for such a
complaint, there not being any such partition in the tween
decks, and the excuse made for making the application to Earl BATHURST most
frivolous. One of the persons (Charles LEE) [Transcriber’s note: should be SLEE], who signed the petition, when called upon to assign
his reason for not calling upon Mr. WILLSON, the head
of the Party, Lt. WILLIAMS, Agent for Transports on board, or myself, in case
he had any cause of complaint, expressed himself in rude and insolent terms and
it appears by the letter from Mr. WILLSON to me of
this herewith inclosed he has ordered him on shore. I consider that man as
likely to be troublesome on board, being of a discontented spirit, without
knowing how to conduct himself for the general good.
Mr. WILLSON’s letter will explain the general
satisfaction of the Party embarked at the arrangements made for the comfort and
accommodation of the whole, as far as circumstances will admit.
I am &c
(Signed) W. YOUNG
[enclosed]
Copy
To Captain YOUNG
La Belle
Deptford
12th
January 1820
Sir,
I
have to express my regret that any representation has been made by individuals
of my party to Earl BATHURST complaining of a want of attention to their health
or of the general accommodation provided in the La Belle Alliance, more particularly as I find after duly
investigating the matter that such representation is utterly devoid of truth
(no such partition as stated having existed at all). The whole appears to have
originated in some petty jealousy of the individuals, one of whom I have found
it prudent to send on shore. The signatures I understand were unduly obtained,
one being that of a female and the other readily admitted to be the effect of
misrepresentation. It is but justice, Sir, due to you and a pleasant duty to
myself to bear testimony of the general satisfaction of my party for the
excellent arrangement and accommodation which has been made under your
direction, and an unprejudiced mind must readily perceive that every human
consideration has been judiciously combined with public economy and the arduous
duties of office. A feeling that I shall ever feel proud and grateful to
acknowledge in subscribing myself Sir
Your most obedient and very humble servant
(Signed) Thos. WILLSON
YOUNG,
Robert
523
Fanny
May the 2nd
1820
The humble memorial of Robert YOUNG on board the Fanny sheweth
That
memorialist agreed with Capt. SENNOT to gow with him to the
McDONNALD
and memorialist wish to serve Capt SENNOT according
to his original agreement but humbly solicit your Excellency to allow them
their full complement of land (one hundred acres) and to annull
the agreement they were obliged to make, as they paid their own deposit and
were people of good circumstance in Ireland, and memorialist as in duty bound
will ever pray.