CO48/56
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
BOARDMAN,
William
54
[Letter from the Rev William BOARDMAN (of WILLSON'S
party) to his son Thomas. Addressed to:
Mr Thos
BOARDMAN
at Mr BARTON'S Upholsterer
Mr WILLSON'S
party
near
Dear Thomas
We are at length settled at the place of our location, or
rather, have been here 7 or 8 weeks, but, Mr WILLSON having left the party immediately on our arrival, the
business of measuring the land, and allotting to each his portion devolved on
me, so that I have been almost continually engaged. I am happy to inform you
that our situation is delightful, resembling much a park, the air and water are
good, and the soil apparently fertile; so that, unless the summer prove very
dry, we have the prospect of a good crop of corn. My neighbour Lieut BISSET and I have ploughed
in common a valley containing about five acres, and sown about half of it with
wheat, but cannot sow the rest yet, as seed-corn is very hard to be obtained.
We have also digged a garden, and planted about 100
vine stocks, with potatoes, pease, beans, French
beans, pompions [transcriber’s note: old word for
pumpkins], and melons, which are come up, and promise a fair crop; we have also
sown the seeds of other vegetables as turnips, cabbages, onions, beets,
cauliflowers &c; but, I am afraid prematurely; as altho’
the midday heat is equal to that of the hottest at Midsummer in England, yet
the nights are intensely cold, and a hoar frost is often found on the grass
before sunrise: as we live in tents these changes from heat to cold affect us
more severely: as soon therefore as we have finished the cultivation of the
ground we shall begin to build without delay, altho’
straw for thatch cannot be had until December, when the crop of wheat is ripe.
My salary is fixed at 2000 Rixdollars
per annum for which liberal allowance I am under the greatest obligations to Mr NAUDE the Governor demurring
to allow me a stipend, as the whole of the party were not members of the
Ch of England: two or three families of methodists
and as many of Jews (or proselytes as they call themselves) having smuggled
themselves on board; the British Government also had sent no definitive instructions
relative thereto; their sanction to the measure must therefore be obtained,
which I have not the least doubt will be the case, as that Government which
intended to confer a favour on Col CLAUGHTON, would
never have thought of doing so by sending a person whom he so highly esteems,
to perish with his family in the wilds of Africa.
From the
liberal manner, however, in which the colonists have been treated as well by
the Colonial as by the British Government, I have nothing to fear. On the
passage (as I believe I observed in my last letter) the health, and comfort of
the settlers were provided for in every possible manner: tea, sugar, cocoa,
lime juice &c were provided in sufficient quantities for those in health;
and wine, preserved meats with other medical comforts for the sick: our agent Lieut WILLIAMS turned the people regularly on deck, often
at first much against their inclinations, whilst he and myself, and Dr PAULL, the surgeon, superintended the nitrous fumigations
below.
Soon after our landing ⅓ of
each man's deposit was returned; the rest has been retained by the colonial
Government, in part of payment for the rations of beef or mutton and bread or
flour, which I understand will be delivered out (as they are at present) until
the wheat be harvested, so that the Colonial Government has evinced a degree of
wisdom which deserves the greater praise. I had also forgotten to observe that
another third of the deposits was furnished to the settlers in agricultural
& other useful implements, as spades, shovels, hoes, axes, harrow teeth,
saws, hinges, nails, &c at very low rates; wagons also to bring us hither
from Algoa Bay (near Port Elizabeth) were found by Government.
The Colonial officers also are in general British, and
execute their respective offices with fidelity and ability. His Excellency the
Governor Sir Reufen Donkin,
to whom I had the honour of being introduced by Capt CLOETE, is the complete
gentleman & man of [business]: also Capts CLOETE,
EVETT, MORESBY Ret of the Menai [transcriber’s note:
Captain MORESBY and HMS Menai were present when the first settler
ship, the Chapman, arrived in Algoa
Bay], J. TRAPPES, with whom I have had business to
transact, have shown me every attention. Captain TRAPPES’s
family is related by marriage to Grimshaw LOMAX Esq;
also to the BLUNDELLs of INCE,
BLUNDELL & CROSSLEY.
Altho’ it is now the commencement only of
the spring yet the number & variety of most beautiful flowers is
astonishing, there are also many useful plants, as wild leeks, marjoram, mint,
wormwood, &c; as also a tree bearing berries resembling wild cherries,
& another, the round succulent acid leaves of which make excellent pies or
puddings, resembling in taste young gooseberries or apples. There is also an
abundance of game as antelopes, wild hogs, zebras, monkeys & baboons,
hares, wild Guinea fowls, ducks, doves & geese, with partridges, plovers, parroquets, and a variety of smaller birds of the most
exquisitely coloured plumage. There are however other animals which are more
unpleasant neighbours: about 4 miles from hence the post boy (a soldier) was
stopped by a lion on his way from
Of the Dutch settlers I can say little having seen none,
except those who brought us here, & who came from Graff Reinet 150 miles to
the northward; we could not understand each others language; yet they appear an
uncouth half-civilised race, a composition of knave
& fool, in which the former predominates; they have raised the price of
every necessary of life to an enormous height; & had it not been for the
provident care of the Government we must have been starved.
All our party, many of whom are
very worthy & respectable, and firmly attached to the British Government
are anxious to hear from
Your
affectionate father
Wm BOARDMAN
We are all
in good health & spirits; in the midst of good neighbours; & I have the
happiness to be much esteemed by all the party. See W. HOGG’s
mother & inform her that he is in good health & contented; & that
he behaves very well.
[Obscured]
to [R] WHITTAKER and every friend at
CLARINGBOULD, Richard and John DARBY
52
Deal, 17 March 1821
My Lord
Having been permitted by His Excellency Governor DONKIN to return to this country for the purpose of
procuring various articles necessary for our establishment at Algoa Bay, we
seize the first moment of our arrival for the purpose of transmitting the
inclosed letter from our party detailing our views and wishes and humbly
soliciting the aid of your Lordship towards carrying them into effect by
granting us a passage for ourselves, and the articles we may purchase, to the
Cape of Good Hope in any of His Majestys Store Ships
or Vessels of War bound to that Colony. The inclosed letter fully
developing our objects, we forbear to trouble your Lordship at greater length,
than to add our most humble but earnest request that your Lordship will be
pleased to comply therewith, but the benefit we have already received at your
Lordships hands from the commencement of our undertaking and the favorable and
indeed friendly reception we have experienced from the Officers of Government
at the Colony from the moment of our debarkation call for the most grateful
acknowledgement, and we now beg leave most respectfully, but most sincerely, to
offer them, on behalf of ourselves and our whole party.
We left Algoa Bay on the 18 December last at which time our
own Establishment and all in the Vicinity were progressing beyond our most
sanguine expectations, we had previously taken a journey of 7 days up the
Country, which we found indescribably delightful & the New Settlers quite
as comfortable as from their recent location could be expected. Holding
ourselves at the command of your Lordship we have the honor to be with the
greatest respect & deference, My Lord
Your
Lordship's most obliged & obedient servants
Richard CLARINGBOULD
John DARBY
at Mr Edward DARBYS
Deal
[Enclosed
letter]
Deal
To the
Right Honorable the Earl of
May it
please your Lordship
We the undersigned being the persons permitted by a letter
of leave from his Excellency the Governor of the Cape of Good Hope to return to
England for the purpose of procuring articles necessary for the better
establishment of a Fishery by the Deal Party of Settlers located at Algoa Bay
under Mr Charles GURNEY and respecting which we had
the honor of addressing your Lordship a few days ago through the medium of the
Reverend Mr PENNINGTON, having understood that the
ship "Sappho"
Capt LAMB is taken up by government as a transport for the purpose of conveying
Stores and Passengers to the Cape of Good Hope and is now loading at Deptford
Dock yard and expected to sail in about twelve days, beg leave to solicit
through your Lordship the favor of a passage for ourselves and the Boats and
articles we have purchased for our Fishery by the said ship Free of Freight.
We beg leave most respectfully to represent to your Lordship
that in purchasing the articles we came to England for we have expended the
greater part of our Capital and that we should consequently feel most severely
the additional expence to which we should be subject were we to convey them and
ourselves to the Cape in a Merchant Ship [obscured] to freight, and as our
object has the approval of his Excellency the Governor and we trust will be
deemed by your Lordship to be a truly laudable one we humbly presume to hope
that your Lordship will be pleased to enable us to carry it into effect by
granting us permission to proceed with our said articles in the manner before
requested and as in duty bound
We will
ever pray
Richard CLARINGBOULD
John DARBY
at Mr Edw DARBYS,
Deal
162
St Dunstan's Hill
Tower St
[obscured] April 1821
Sir!
The annexed letters relate to the application made to Earl
BATHURST (left at this office at the Colonial Office on Saturday last) for a
free passage to the
John DARBY & Richard CLARINGBOULD. We submit them to you that they may
strengthen as we hope they will, the reasons urged for the grant in question:-
And we take the liberty of adding that if the parties cannot
be allowed to proceed in the "Sappho", it would be considered an equal favour if they
were permitted to proceed free (with their three whale boats) on board the
first vessel belonging to, or provided by, Government to the colony proposed.
I remain
Sir respectfully
Yr very ob st
[??] SENTANCE
[Enclosed]
At Mr Edward DARBYS, Deal
To the Right Honble the Earl
May it
please your Lordship
We the undersigned being the persons permitted by a letter
of leave from his Excellency the Governor of the Cape of good Hope (a copy of
which we beg leave to annex) to return to England for the purpose of procuring
articles necessary for the better establishment of a Fishery by the Deal Party
of Settlers located at Port Elizabeth Algoa Bay under Mr
Charles GURNEY and respecting which we had the honor of addressing your
Lordship through the medium of S R LUSHINGTON Esq the
17th instant, having understood that the ship Sappho Capt LAMB is taken up by
Government as a Transport for the purpose of conveying Stores and Passengers to
the Cape of good Hope and is now loading at his Majestys
yard at Deptford and expected to sail in about twelve days beg leave to solicit
at the hands of your Lordship a passage for ourselves and the Boats and
articles we have purchased for our Fishery by the said ship Free of Freight. A
favor with the many others we have received since the [commencement] of our
undertaking will remain indellibly impressed on our
minds and on those of Mr GURNEY and all connected
with us and will ever stimulate us to evince our gratitude by every means which
our peculiar location in Algoa Bay, the nature of our pursuits and the
possession of means of assisting vessels in distress may afford us.
We beg leave further to represent to your Lordship that in
purchasing the articles we came home for we have expended the greater part of
our capital and that we should consequently feel most severely the additional
expence to which we should be subject were we to convey them and ourselves to
the Cape in a merchant ship liable to Freight, and as our object has the
approval of his Excellency the Governor and we trust will be deemed a truly
laudable one by your Lordship we humbly presume to Hope that your Lordship will
preserve to us the means of carrying it on with the necessary Capital, activity
and Spirit by granting us permission to proceed with our said articles in the
manner before requested.
We have the
honor to subscribe ourselves with the greatest deference and respect, My Lord
Your
Lordship's obliged obedient and very humble servants
Richard CLARINGBOULD
John DARBY
Copy of the
Authority alluded to in the within letter from Col CUYLER
to Mr GURNEY
Copy
Colonial Office
Sir
I am directed by his Excellency the acting governor to
acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 21 ulto
[giving cause] to an application for Mr C. GURNEY and
I have it in command to inform you that his Excellency has been pleased to
permit Richard CLARINGBOULD and J DARBY to proceed to
England for the purpose of procuring sundry articles and assistance necessary
for the better conduct of the Fishery at Port Elizabeth.
I have the
honor to be Sir
Your obed servant
Signed H.
ELLIS
D.S.
A True Copy
Signed J.
S. CUYLER
Landrost of
Uitenhage
168
Deal
Dear Sir
Thank you for your favor of yesterday and now inclose a
letter for Earl BATHURST praying leave for the 2 Colonists to proceed to the
Yrs truly
E. DARBY
170
Deal
Dear Sir
I am favored with your letter of yesterday & thank you
for the pains you have already taken in the Cape business, & request you
will please continue your exertions & I have no doubt you will thereby
attain my object of a free passage for the young men & their goods to the
Cape.
I shall
endeavour to run up to
Dear Sir
Yours very
truly
E. DARBY
The
purchases will amount to 400£ British manufactured goods & if they are successfull then demand will increase every year which in
these times is an object [3 illegible scrawled words]
FISHER, P re
Abeona
105
HM Ship Queen Charlotte
Sept 25 1821
My Lord,
I beg
leave to inform you in a succinct manner an account of the unavoidable expense
that I was subjected to in the Abeona Transport and the loss of all my property, the
temporary nature of the employment, the expenses incurred in travelling to join
her and going home again on half pay along with my expenses at Lisbon.
In
the first place the unavoidable expense that I was subjected to was paying
about £24 sterling of Mess Money before leaving Greenock, which was for my
passage out, living at that rate would have cost me upwards of £90 sterling a
year and my pay was only 6sh 6d per day. Were I in a man of war my mess would
not have cost more than one fifth of what it cost in the Abeona; to make it appear more
explicit, in the a’said vessel I was under the
necessity of messing with the master which made it so much more expensive than
in a man of war.
In
the second place the loss of property I value at about £120 sterling. In the
third place the travelling expenses to join her and living at Greenock for
about twenty days and five or six days at
In
the fourth place I was only five or six weeks employed alltogether
when the vessel was destroyed by fire. I humbly hope that you will take the
hardship of my case into your consideration and indemnify me for my losses.
I beg
leave to refer you to the Hon’ble Commissioners of
the Victualling Office by whom I was appointed for particulars. I received £19
sterling indemnification for the loss of my instruments and £5 16sh in
compensation for victualling.
My Lord I have the honor to be your Lordship’s most
obedient servant
P. FISHER
Asst Surgeon RN
[Note from GOULBURN: Refer to Navy Office]
112
HM Ship Iphigenia
Nov’r
6 1821
My Lord,
Having
not rec’d an answer to my letter of the beginning of last month I suspect that
it has not reached your Lordship, it was respecting indemnification for my
losses in the Abeona
when destroyed by fire on her way to the Cape of Good Hope with settlers whilst
I was in medical charge.
I am
now appointed to the Iphigenia and am
fitting out for the coast of
My Lord I have the honor to be your Lordship’s most ob’t servant
P. FISHER
Assistant Surgeon
FRANCIS,
David Polley
94
[Addressed
to Col. J H STRUTT, MP]
Sir
It is now near eighteen months since you did me the favor to
recommend me to the Colonial Department in England as a person wishing to
settle in this Colony and presuming you would have no objection to hear how far
I have succeeded, I am induced to give you a short account of my proceedings
since I arrived in this Colony.
I reached this Country on the 30th of April and landed at
Simons Bay, on the 3rd of May I proceeded to Cape Town, with a Mr PARKER whose Party I had connected myself with before I
left England - on our waiting upon the colonial secretary Col BIRD we found
that the acting governor Sir Rufane DONKIN was up the Country, Col BIRD informed us that the
ship was to proceed to Saldanha Bay as it was
intended to locate us at a place called Clan William about 120 miles from Saldanha Bay and 140 or 50 from Cape Town - he assured us
that it was one of the best places in the Colony. After making many enquiries
and finding the reports so very different from each other Mr
PARKER and myself determined to visit the spot as we were strongly advised so
to do by several friends in Cape Town though Col BIRD appeared not to think it
necessary.
A few days after we commenced our journey and after
traveling four days - the last two over a country composed of deep sand, rocks,
and bushes - we arrived at Mr BERGH’s
the Deputy Landrost of Clan William whose grounds adjoin the lands which where
intended for our location, indeed some of the lands he cultivated where to be
allotted to us. The Government surveyor was there making a plan of the same.
Both Mr BERGH and the surveyor gave a most unfavourable account of the place - and I was sure as soon
as I saw the land it was a very just one, for it consisted of a deep
sand highly impregnated with saltpetre without any
vegetation but some wild flowers and bushes, under those circumstances we
thought it advisable to make a report to the Colonial Government - that it was totaly unfit for the location of so many settlers not only
on acct of the badness of the land but from the smallness of the quantity there
being only about 1200 acres and not one third of this could ever be cultivated
[the next word and line illegible]...
... for the settlers intended for that place was about 12,000
acres. On our meeting the ship at
I sent the men belonging to me, as I thought it right to
comply with the orders of Government, and returned to
I trust I have no occasion to say to you Sir that I should
be one of the last persons in the world to find fault with the British
Government, either at home or abroad, but the breach of faith which I have met
with in this Colony is such as obliges me to complain, for after a verbal
promise of the Governor (with whom I had several Interviews) as well as a
circular addressed from the Colonial Office stating that we should be conveyed
free of expence from Clan William to our locations and provided with rations
for twelve months, or untill we could produce a crop,
which must have been near 15 months as we arrived about 3 months before Harvest,
this would have been a poor remuneration for the loss we had sustained in being
sent to Clan William - however a few days since a circular was sent me saying
the rations would be discontinued without payment or undoubted security for the
[illegible] and this is at a time too when it is quite out of our power to
procure bread for [money] without the aid of Government as the Harvest has totaly failed.
I have written to the Government here to say that in the
event of their departing from the arrangement made with me, I should be under
the painful necessity of discharging my people and abandoning my location. If
it should be so my only recourse will be to apply for some redress to the
Government at home. If I had been sent here when I first arrived in the Colony
in common with other settlers I should have had no right to complain, but must
have shared my fate with them.
I am afraid
I have trespassed too long on your valuable time and can only hope you will
allow me to apologise for the intrusion and subscribe myself Sir
Your most
obedient humble servant
D P FRANCIS
GLOVER, John
re George GATEHOUSE
115
23 Feb 1821
My Lady,
Lady
CAMPBELL having sent Lord BATHURSTs answer to your
letter about GATEHOUSE, I beg to acquaint your Ladyship that I have made every
enquiry about him and find that GATEHOUSE was originally intended to go out in
the Weymouth with Captain Duncan
CAMPBELL as one of his Party, but as he had more than his complement he went
out in the same ship as one of the Party of Mr. COX in the place of Charles
INGRAM, who was going out but who could not pay the sum stipulated by
Government. Mrs GATEHOUSE has received letters from her husband whi is well, is doing well, who is very anxious for her to
join him.
Your Ladyships most humble servant
John GLOVER
[Note on back] Mr. GLOVER who writes this letter was
secretary to Sir George CAMPBELL & is now with Sir James [WHISHEDTREE?]
GREATHEAD, Francis (father of James Henry GREATHEAD)
119
Summer Hill
Sand Pits
Oct 12th
1821
My Lord,
I
trust your Lordships wonted goodness will excuse the liberty I have taken in
addressing you on this subject and humbly beg your Lordships gracious
consideration thereof. In 1819 my son Mr. James Henry GREATHEAD
was selected by your Lordship’s permission to emigrate at the Head of a Party
to the Cape of Good Hope, and in consequence of so short a notice and his men
living so remote from his residence it was with difficulty they could collect
their baggage, which was executed on the part of my two sons with the greatest
expedition. It was conveyed by waggon to WHITEHOUSE’s Wharf, Tipton and put on board a boat, but in
consequence of the frost setting in it was obliged to be disembarked and Mr.
WHITEHOUSE engaged to convey it to
I am your Lordship’s very obedient humble servant
Francis GREATHEAD
PS My sons went from Dudley Worcestershire and located
Tivia Dale near
[Note from GOULBURN]
If the baggage were in London Lord B could give orders
for its shipment on board any transport which might be taken up for the Cape of
Good Hope but beyond this Lord B has no power of affording him any assistance.
121
Sand Pits
Oct 18th
1821
Sir,
I was
duly favoured with your letter wherein Lord BATHURST will have no objection to
the shipment of the goods belonging to my son, James Henry GREATHEAD.
Settler at the Cape, (providing they were in
I am Sir
Your most obed’t serv’t
Francis GREATHEAD
INGRAM, John
(see also letter of John MADDER below)
131
The memorial of John INGRAM of the
Sheweth
That your memorialist was for several years largely
engaged in business in the City of
That your memorialist instances one occasion among many
of his services in supplying the 40th Regt with money &c in the
last war when embarking for
That owing to the change which occurred in trade on
the Peace your memorialist’s business fell off
considerably & that he was obliged to discontinue business.
That he then went out with a colony of settlers to the
That having heard that the place of Barrack Master at
Cape Town is vacant he humbly requests he may be appointed thereto & hopes
he has shown a claim on the Government for his [obscured] loyalty & the
disappointments he suffered in getting unproductive land.
Your memorialist begs leave further to state that he
has a wife & six children entirely depending on his exertions for support
& he respectfully begs to refer you to the annexed certificate from his
late fellow citizens for his former rank & loyalty
Signed
John INGRAM
[enclosed]
We the undersigned certify that John INGRAM now of the
Arthur PERRIER Mayor
of
T.PARSONS
BOLAND Sheriff
Isaac MORGAN }
Sheriffs elect
Rob’t LEYCESTER }
Thos. S. REEVES
H.L. JAMESON [Ambassador?] to HM King of the
H.B. WESTROPP Burgess
Geo. KNAPP Burgess
Wm. COLBURN
Wm. BAKER
Henry BAGNELL
James LANG
[illegible signature]
Thos. POPE
Wm. P. WHITE
John LECKY
Rich’d PARKER
Edw. COLBURN
John
Robert NAVERS
Wm. ROBERTS & Son
Rich. DIGBY Alderman
John Geo. NEWSOM Alderman
Richard T.P. POPE
Reuben HARVEY
Thos. DUNSCOMBE Burgess
Jacob MARK
Wm. PHIPPS
Henry BENNETT Burgess
[illegible signature]
Rich. HAWKE
Robt ODWAT
Thos. TUCKER
John LANDER
Robt. MARTIN MD
Nich’s
VINCENT
[illegible signature]
Henry MORGAN
J.S. SHILPER
JARMAN, Mrs.M
133
Bishopsgate
Without
21 June 1821
Sir,
The
person who takes the liberty of addressing you is the mother of a young man
named Thomas JARMAN, who with his wife and child went
to the Cape on board the
He
has written to me since his arrival at that place expressing himself highly
satisfied with his situation, but at the same time requesting to be furnished
with sundry articles as earthenware, culinary utensils, medicines and wearing
apparel. I have accordingly filled a cask with such articles but have not been
able to find any means of conveyance; no ship sailing direct for
It
has occurred to my mind that it may be in your power to direct me as to the
best mode of conveyance. Should you condescend to grant me any information on
the subject it will be most gratefully received.
I am Sir with great respect
Your hbl serv’t
M. JARMAN
PS I have rec’d three letters from my son expressive
of his satisfaction. As contrary reports have been circulated any persons
interested in the success of the colony are welcome to peruse my letter.
[Note from GOULBURN]
Acquaint him [sic] that we have no means of forwarding
these articles & that the better course for her to pursue will be to ship
them for the Cape and to apprize her son of their having been so sent when it
is probable he may have the means of getting them conveyed to the new
settlement.
JONES,
William re Mrs. WHITE
176
[To Richard PENN Esquire]
Army
Pay Office
26th
January 1821
Dear Sir,
I beg to
return you my sincerest and best thanks for the favour of your obliging letter
of the 5th Instant, in answer to my application, in behalf of Mrs WHITE for a passage for herself and children, to the
Cape of Good Hope; and would certainly have done so sooner, but I was desirous
of being enabled to state to you, at the same time, as required by your letter,
the cause of her not having proceeded thither with her Husband: and I am now
informed that it was impossible for her to go out then, from the precarious
state of her health in consequence of confinement in childbed. I beg leave
further to mention that Mrs WHITE has recently
received another letter from her husband, expressive of his most anxious hope
that she may be so fortunate as to obtain, through assistance of government, a
passage for herself and children, and be enabled to join him; he being, at
present in timely employment in a public building (a court house) now erecting
at Bathurst Town; with every fair prospect of doing well hereafter.
If
therefore, under these circumstances it should be in your power to obtain for
the poor woman, the assistance of government in providing a passage on board
the "Duke of Marlborough" W
HOLLET, Commander (a private trader that will sail
early in the ensuing month) it would be a still greater favour; as the brother
in law of Mrs WHITE & his wife who are mentioned
in my former application are going to embark in that vessel; he having made
terms with the Captain to work his passage out: And it would afford the
greatest comfort the most desirable indeed, to Mrs
WHITE to go out in the same ship with such near relations.
Relying on your kind offices in this
matter, I beg to subscribe myself
Your much obliged & obed’t hble servant
Wm JONES
P.S.
I would beg leave to add that the grandfather of Mrs
WHITE's Husband (a Mr GRINDON) was, for many years, until his decease, one of the
Landing Surveyors in his Majesty's Customs; that those for whom I am soliciting
the favour of your kind assistance, are most deserving people - struggling
under misfortunes.
MADDER,
George re John INGRAM
159
Ballybrood
October 22nd
1821
Sir,
I
take the liberty of addressing you upon the subject of a memorial that was
forwarded to Sir Benjamin BLOOMFIELD to be presented at the Colonial Office in
behalf of Mr. John INGRAM.
When
I waited upon Sir Benjamin in
I remain Sir with much respect
Your very obedient servant
Geo. MADDER
NAVY BOARD
re CALTON’s Party (Filed under
1821)
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]
PIGOT, George
172
Jan
1st 1821
Sir,
After the
trouble you took with the Settlers sent to the
After
a long passage in Northampton
Transport on board which ship we found everything necessary for our comfort and
health we arrived at Cape Town March 2nd where I met with every attention from
Sir Rufane DONKIN and the
Government; on 2nd May we anchored in Algoa Bay after a tiresome voyage of a
month, an encampment was formed for the settlers on the beach, who were
transported in waggons
to their respective locations, which for the most part lay between Grahamstown,
the mouths of the Cowie & Fish Rivers. On the
18th May I arrived at Blaukranze, an old military
fort destined to be my future residence. The country we marched through from
poor; some fishermen that have had the
use of my nets on the Cowie have frequently been over
the bar at the mouth even at low water. Their report is that the surf is not as
great as at
the largest ship could sail up several
miles. This will be a great thing for us. All our flour and stores come at
present 120 miles in waggons from
think Government will carry any machinery
we may require (for that and other purposes equally beneficial to the Colony)
free of expense. If so, I have written to my brother to send some out. It is my
intention shortly to visit the Cowie mouth, when I
will take the liberty of making my observations known to you.
I have the honour to be, Sir
Your most Obd
and very humble Servant
Geo PIGOT
184
Near Grahams
Town
May 6th
1821
Sir,
Having
since my last communication to you visited the mouth of the
The Cowie River can only be navigable for flat bottomed barges
about 15 miles, the road from the river mouth to Bathurst is so much shorter,
being only 9 miles, I do not consider it will at present be used as a navigable
river, but I do consider the port may be visited with the greatest safety.
Small vessels with little draft, of seventy tons, may cross the bar with the
greatest ease, and ride in perfect security, and there is not the least doubt
from the report of the fishermen who cross the bar at all times in a little
boat found on the beach that there is good anchorage outside the harbour for
ships of any burthen. I trust Government will take this into consideration for
on it depends the success of our arduous undertaking.
I
mentioned in my last the failure of our wheat crop and the advantage of a
supply of English wheat for seed. We have some lands ready to sow but not a
grain of wheat fit to put into the ground. The Colonial Government have sent a
supply from
I
continue to be as much pleased with the country as ever. The permanent dwelling
is not yet fit for my reception. With a party of 20 good workmen I thought
before I left England I could build a house in a few months, but the timber is
to be fell’d and saw’d,
bricks made, slate quarried &c &c before the work begins, besides the
necessary attendance on the farm, garden & vineyards and the very great
difficulty we have had with our people. All the large parties of 100 are broken
up, such a mixture of people never could agree. I am delighted I only brought
farming servants.
June
8th – Since writing the above Sir Rufane DONKIN has visited us. He takes the greatest interest in
our welfare. Had it not been for his very great attention many would have
returned home. He visited the
We
presented an address of thanks to Sir Rufane for his
very great care of us. We likewise presented two memorials, one relative to the
Law of Succession; the other to the very insecure terms by which we hold our
lands until they are finally made over to us. To both subjects I beg to draw
your attention. Our inability to make a will is a great bar to improvment, many that I have spoken to on the subject, who
like myself have children by a former marriage, will not
expend any of their capital. I have without thinking on the subject sunk so
much that my four children at my death will be greatly injured,
it is out of our power to leave property intire. The
Orphan Chamber seize everything and divide it as they
think proper. The children by a former marriage are excluded receiving any
share.
With
respect to the insecurity of our grants, altho I am
confident it is the intention of the English Government to make it over to us,
yet from our ignorance of our boundary we cannot properly make improvements
without running the hazard of having some part taken from us. A Governor may
come out who may choose to move us to another location. I know this colony
prevents all the people that have capital from making the use of it they
otherwise would. Here I am again individually concerned, having nearly finished
a good house, made an excellent garden, planted a vineyard & ploughed &
cleared an hundred acres for tillage, for which I have gained the approbation
of Sir Rufane DONKIN. I have
not only no security that my children will inherit what I have accomplished in
so arduous an undertaking, but it is even possible that I may myself be moved.
I have mentioned my fears to Sir Rufane, who I am
confident will do all he can for us all, but this is a matter that rests with
the English Government. I hope what I have stated will not be considered as
making difficulties, as the future welfare of my family (three females) depends
on these two subjects. I trus you will excuse my
requesting that you will further our objects as far as may be in your power.
Sunday
16th June - The Locust brigg is not yet arrived. We have had a violent hurricane,
many houses destroyed, mine much injured, Sir Rufane
returned to
I have the honor to be Sir
Your most ob’t serv’t
Geo. PIGOT
PIGOT, Hugh (brother of George PIGOT)
180
March 17
1821
My Lord,
I
have this instant received a letter from my brother Major Geo. PIGOT at the Cape respecting whom my brother Colonel PIGOT and I called to entreat your Lordship would give him
the appointment of Landrost of Albany, Colonel GRAHAM having declined it. I
likewise requested if possible to be allowed to send him some agricultural
implements by a Government Transport freight free and
particularized a water wheel with mill stones &c &c. I now beg leave to
lay before your Lordship an extract from his letter.
“If
it was represented to Government that there is but one mill within an hundred
miles of Grahams Town and our new Capital (Bathurst Town) I feel confident from
the liberality we have all experienced you will be permitted to send one by a
Government Store Ship or Transport and if you can by this same means send out
clothing for another year with double the quantity of things.
Had I
not come out so well supplied with them my People would have had as much reason
to be dissatisfied as some others have. The wheat I am
informed is blighted throughout the Colony, in this I am not singular, fresh
seed therefore must be procured or we may expect the same next year.
The Cowie River which runs from Grahams Town through my estate
and Bathurst Town (my fishermen inform me) has a bar at the entrance with four
or five feet at low water, but within, a vessel of three hundred tons can sail
up for many miles – goods landed here would save great expence and I hope to
have a wharf erected by next year.”
I
fear my Lord having dwelt too long and shall beg to conclude by entreating your
Lordship will be pleased to take this matter into your consideration and remain
Your Lordship’s most devoted and very humble servant
Hugh PIGOT
Captain RN
[Note from GOULBURN]
Acknowledge receipt and acquaint him that Ld B has
never thought it advisable to interfere with the direction of the Governor of
colonies in recommending persons for the situation of landdrosts
and consequently cannot on this occasion divert from the usual practice. With
respect to his machinery Ld B is not aware of any transport being about to
proceed & does not feel authorised to take up tonnage or freight specially
for the purpose of the conveyance at Govt. expence
WESLEYAN
41
[To Joseph BUTTERWORTH MP]
Wesleyan
77
6th
Dec 1821
Dear Sir,
A
party of settlers who went out with a person of the name of SEPHTON
in January 1820 to the Colony of the
You
will recollect that in the various communications which our committee have had
from Mr. SHAW who, with his party, is located at Salem, in the district of
Albany, he has most pressingly urged his need of a fellow labourer on account
of the surrounding settlers and Hottentots, the great majority of whom have no
religious instruction at all except what Mr. SHAW is enabled to afford them in
addition to his other duties.
The
Committee have now appointed William THRELFALL to
proceed to join Mr. SHAW and to extend his religious labours by preaching and
in the establishment of schools, especially among the surrounding heathen. Mr. THRELFALL has been fully instructed by the Committee to act
under the direction of Mr. SHAW and to confine himself entirely to the duties
of his office, to be obedient to the laws and to honour the authority of the
colony.
As
one of the Secretaries of the Wesleyan Missionary Society I now apply to you to
request that you will have the goodness to obtain from the Right Honourable
Earl BATHURST a letter of recommendation for Mr. William THRELFALL
to the Colonial Government of the
Our
Committee have for some time past been desirous of establishing a mission in
the vicinity of De la Goa Bay on the east coast of
South Africa about latitude twenty five, where the population is large and the
natives disposed to be friendly. Will you have the goodness to furnish us with
any information you may possess, whether difficulty is to be feared from the
Portuguese who once had a settlement there, but which it is supposed they have
entirely abandoned?
I am dear Sir
Yours most truly
Jos. TAYLOR
The story of what happened to the ill-fated William Threlfall can be read at http://www.genealogyworld.net/missionaries/missionaries_t.html