CO48/59 National Archives, Kew, London ~ Selected Settler Correspondence for 1822

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 Robert WILMOT-HORTON (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 Cape, and the names of actual settlers appeared in red. Here only letters by known settlers or their families, or letters of great relevance to the 1820 settlers, have been transcribed, therefore no colour distinction has been used. In many cases further letters by the correspondents below are filed with the 1819/1820 correspondence.

GATEHOUSE, George (see correspondence of John GLOVER in CO48/56)

316

Grahams Town

August 26^th 1822

[Received 28^th Feb 1823]

May it please your Lordship,

The memorial of George GATEHOUSE belonging to Mr. William COCK’s Party, located near Bathurst in the province of Albany, South Africa

Most humbly sheweth

That your Lordship’s memorialist, participating in the difficulties with which his native country was recently visited, gratefully embraced the opportunity which was generously offered of emigrating to this part of His Majesty’s foreign possessions in the year 1819, but as he resided at a distance from the British Metropolis, he was not so fortunate as to apply for a passage until the several parties were nearly all complete. He found great obstacles to surmount previous to the attainment of his object, and the Weymouth being at anchor off the Port where your Lordship’s memorialist resided, a vacancy occurred in the party which was superintended by Mr. William COCK (then on board) by the defection of one INGRAM, who was a single man, and your memorialist was accordingly admitted in his stead, and under his name, in order to save the additional trouble which the alteration might occasion at your Lordship’s office, but as the wife and children of your memorialist could not proceed with him to this colony by virtue of that arrangement (and unfortunately for him he could make no other) he left them with tears of affection and distress and under such acute and painful feelings as no human language can describe, yet hoping that he might shortly be enabled by the bounty of divine providence to defray the expences attending their voyage to these distant shores, but alas a succession of unfortunate events have prevented the accomplishment of his anxious desires, and he therefore feels himself under the necessity of praying that your Lordship will be pleased with your accustomed goodness to lay his distressing case at the foot of His Majesty’s throne.

That your Lordships memorialist has an affectionate wife and four children now residing at Mr. WOOD’s, 146 High Street, Portsmouth, and from whom he must remain separated by an ocean of more than seven thousand miles, from events that no human sagacity could have foreseen, nor human power prevented, unless your Lordship is pleased to interfere for him, as it is not in his power to pay the expence of their passage hither and therefore humbly prays that your Lordship will intercede for him with his beloved and gracious Sovereign in order that his wife and children may be sent out to this colony at the expence of His Majesty’s Government.

That your Lordship’s memorialist relying on the well known clemency of his gracious Sovereign through your Lordship’s noble and generous interference towards his unfortunate wife and children, looks forward with no small degree of complacency to the realization of his earnest desires, and therefore begs leave with all humility to pray that your Lordship will be pleased to allow her to sail from Portsmouth instead of London as she would not be able to meet the expences which that journey would occasion, and your memorialist will ever feel himself in duty bound to pray for your Lordship and your illustrious family.

GATEHOUSE, Mary

305

146 High Street

Portsmouth

July 26 1822

Sir,

I have taken the liberty of enclosing a note that I have received from my husband George GATEHOUSE from the Cape of Good Hope. He went out as a settler in the Weymouth on the 7 January in the year 1820. He went out in the name of Charles INGRAM as there was a young man by that name declined going and the ship being redey for sea at the time prevented the captain from altering the name to George GATEHOUSE. Therefore Sir I have applied to you for a passage out for myself and four children which I hope you will grant me as soon as you can as we are in great distress owing to the long time I have been delayd from going out.

I am Sir your most humble servant

Mary GATEHOUSE

[Enclosed]

Albany

April 20 1822

Sir,

I beg leave to state in answer to your note that application was made by me at Portsmouth to the Colonial Office by letter requesting to make some necessary alteration in the list of my party. The answer which I received from Mr. GOULBURN was to forward my list for that purpose, but the vessel was expected hourly to sail. I was therefore under the necessity of entering you under the name of INGRAM

Yours &c

William COCK

315

No.3 Crown Street

Portsmouth

Aug 6 1822

Mr. WILLMOT,

I once more tacke the liberty of troubling you in hopes you will be pleased to tacke my distrest situation into consideration and grant me a pasage to the cape of good hope to join my husband as i have been left too years and eight months without any suport and four young children to suport wich Sir if the[y] had been fourtunate in their crops my husband would have been able to remit me some mony but being disapointed has brought me in the greatest distress. Now honored sir if you would be pleased to asist me in going to my husband or direct me how to get a pasage you will be doing a real charity to a distresed family who will be bound to pray for you

I am sir your very humble and obedient servant

Mary GATEHOUSE

JAMES, William (brother of Samuel JAMES)

336

Westbury

May 9^th 1822

Sir,

Having a brother by name Samuel JAMES who imagrated to the Cape of Good Hope with your squadron & having just receiv’d a letter from him, wherein he is desirous of having some goods sent him such as broad cloth & chimeres [Transcriber’s Note: a type of riding cloak resembling an academic gown], callicos, stockings, threads, cottons, pins, needles &c &c. I will therefore be much oblidge by giving me an information as soon as posible where goods can be sent to him free of duty & by what conveyance & if possible please to say what time a vessel may sail. Your attention will greatly oblidge

Your obed’t serv’t

Wm. JAMES

338

Westbury, Wilts

June 8^th 1822

Sir,

Having wrote you some time ago requesting an information how to send to the Cape of Good Hope & not having heard from you I take the liberty of writing again & will take it a favour if you will give me the necessary information. Sir when the parties went to the Cape of Good Hope I had a brother who went with them named Samuel JAMES which has lately sent me a letter stating his satisfaction of the country & requesting me to send him some goods namely broad cloths, [Dowlases?] checks & cutlery goods. I will take it a great favour if you will give me information when there will be a vessel sailing there & from what port it goes from & if possible please to inform me when the goods is exempt of duty to them.

Your answer will be esteemed by, Sir

Your obed’t serv’t

Wm. JAMES

Clothier

Your favour of the 7^th June is just receiv’d & if possible will thank you to say when you expect a vessel will sail & how goods must be directed there.

NORDEN, Joshua (brother of Benjamin NORDEN)

426

London

18^th Oct 1822

Sir,

I beg you will excuse the freedom I take in addressing you but being actuated from a sense of your goodness to pardon the presumption.

I thus wish you to inform me if it lies in your limitted power to grant me a free passage to the Cape of Good Hope, my finding myself in provision & taking with me small quantity of goods consisting of bale & wearing apparel, quills & stationary. My brother Benjamin NORDEN [SIMONS?] being one of Mr.WILSON’s Party of settlers has now wrote for me to come out to him at the Cape. Thinking to embrace this opportunity I shall feel it a great obligation confered on me if you can grant the indulgence of my request and allow me to subscribe myself, Sir

Your most ob’t hble serv’t

Joshua NORDEN

SCOTT, John

439

Bedford Arms

East Lane

Walworth

8^th Oct 1822

My Lord,

The humble petition of John SCOTT, a settler at the Cape of Good Hope went out in Mr. WILSONs party as a shipwright and having since obtained leave of permission from His Excellency the Governor Lord Charles SOMERSET returned to England on some private affairs, wishing to return to his wife and six children and being unable to pay his passage himself, begs his Lordship would be pleased to grant him a passage out in one of His Majesty’s store ships, and your humble petitioner in duty bound will ever pray

Your Lordship’s most obed’t humble servant

Jno. SCOTT