CO48/114
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, unless otherwise indicated, were either
addressed Lord BATHURST (prior to April 30) or to the Rt
Hon William HUSKISSON, Secretary of State for the
Colonies, or to his deputy R.W. HORTON. 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.
ADAMSON, Rev
4
Cupar,
Sir
Permit me to inform you that I have been ordained by the
Presbytery of Edinburgh to be Minister of the proposed Scottish congregation at
Cape-town and have been instructed to apply to you to procure for me a passage
to the colony at his Majesty’s expence in conformity with an assurance to that
effect made to the Presbytery. The accommodation required is for a single person
with six or seven boxes of luggage and I shall be ready to sail at any time
after the end of this month and shall esteem it a peculiar favour if you will
let me know as early as possible at what time a vessel will sail in which it
may be convenient for his Majesty’s government to afford me a passage.
Believe me,
Sir, your obed’t ser’t
6
Cupar,
4th
May 1827
Sir
I sometime ago received from The Rev’d.
Dr. BRUNTON Edinburgh an extract of a letter from you
in which you intimate that a passage to the Cape of Good Hope will be ordered
for me at the expence of his Majesty’s government. The object of my former
application was to ascertain merely the time at which it would be convenient to
appoint me a passage and I intended to present myself in
Permit me again to request that you will give me early
intimation of the period at which the vessel will sail by which you intend me
to proceed.
I am your
most obed’t Ser’t
BUCKLEY, Phineas
15
March 10th
1827
My Lord,
I humbly address your Lordship requesting
that you would have the goodness to inform me (if it lays in your department of
Government if not to forward it to the proper Quarter) whether I and some other
of my Brothers can be permitted to go to the Affrican Settlement to
reside upon the same conditions as the Settlers who went out in the year 1820 –
if we can when will any ships be going to the Cape of Good Hope or Angola Bay on
the Government account, or whether a passage will be granted any other way to
the said Settlement - -we have relations there and are very desireous
to join them by the Goverments permission – your reply to these Enquiries
will much oblige your humble petitioner
Phineas
BUCKLEY
Direct Phineas BUCKLEY, Hollins, near Mossley.
CAMPBELL,
Charles Junior (See correspondence of Mary CAMPBELL in 1828 and
1829)
88
[To Viscount GODERICH,
Secretary of State for the Colonies May-September 1827]
Theatre
Royal
26th
May 1827
My Lord
Previous to Earl Bathurst retiring from office I had the
honor of receiving his promise to make the necessary enquiries with a claim I
have upon the Orphan Chamber of the
Your
Lordships
Most obedient
Honorable Servant
Charles CAMPBELL
126
Adelphi
Theatre
6th
November 1827
Sir,
Since
I had the honor of writing last letters have arrived from the Secretary of the
Orphan Chamber stating that my claim has been transmitted to England thro’ Government
and expressing his surprise that it has not been received. I beg most
respectfully to be informed where I am to apply for the same or what channel it
is most likely to have been sent.
I have the honor to be
Your most obed’t serv’t
Charles CAMPBELL
CAMPBELL,
John
90
Royal
Marines Barracks
Woolwich
June 12th 1827
Sir
Having observed in a printed Pamphlet
entitled “Bishop BURNETT’s reply to the Commissioners
report of” [sic] a copy of a letter from my Brother / Capt CAMPBELL / to Mr.
BURNETT which the latter has published with a view to refute the statement of
the Commissioners that during their residence in the Albany district in the
early part of 1824 they observed a general disposition amongst the respectable
classes of the settlers to withdraw themselves from all connexion
with Mr BURNETT in any public proceeding; I conceive
myself called upon, as much in justice to my Brother, as from an anxious wish
on my own part, to prevent such a circumstance from making an unfavourable
impression on your mind to lay before you an extract of a letter which I have
just received from him dated Graham’s Town April 1st 1827 which
will, I trust, place this matter in its true light.__ “I have opened my letter
to say that I have this instant heard that unprincipled person BURNETT has
shown me up in his Pamphlet. __ I do not think I ever wrote one line to him on
Public Matters as I always had a thorough contempt for him. __ I know not what
may have disturbed his bile on this occasion, but it may perhaps arise from the
following circumstance ___
“Shortly after his petition to Parliament arrived in this
Colony I was written to by a gentleman requesting to know what dependence could
be placed on BURNETT’s assertions. I entered into
detail and shewed that every word he uttered respecting
transactions on the Frontier was utterly false. __
“This statement was afterwards
forwarded to BROUGHAM. I know not whether it may not have been instrumental in
making him relinquish the case, but I think it not improbable that BURNETT may
have heard of it. __”
I must also beg to call your
attention to the date of the letter inserted by Mr BURNETT
/Feby 1823/ at which time his character might not
have so decidedly developed itself as to prevent the interchange of civilities
which near neighbourhood in a disturbed and thinly populated Country would
naturally induce, but which in the early part of 1824 /the date of the
Commissioner’s Statement / might have totally ceased from his character being
better understood. __
May I now be so far permitted to
trespass on your very valuable time as to give a faint outline of the various
losses, disappointments, and distressing embarrassments my Brother has had to
contend with since his arrival in that Colony, in the anxious hope that he may
not be deemed wholly unworthy of the kind consideration of the Home Government.
__
On his first landing he and two or
three others were sent towards the west into the district of Swellendam,
distant about 100 miles from Cape Town, where however after many fruitless
attempts they found the soil to be totally incapable of cultivation, and after
a short residence and a very considerable sacrifice of Capital they were
obliged to return to Cape Town. __ In consideration of his losses the
Government allotted my Brother a very eligible Farm near Graham’s Town which he
took possession of with grateful feeling and sanguine hopes of better success,
but the continual failure of Crops from Rust, Locust and Caterpillar, the
already very exhausted state of his finances and above all the distressing want
not to say almost total impossibility of procuring labourers at any price have
rendered this extensive grant of Land and all his exertions worse than useless,
and he finds himself after a residence of Six Years in the Colony in a worse
situation than when he landed. __
I should indeed presume too much on
your time, Sir were I to enter even upon the shortest stretch of the very
lamentable accounts I continue to receive by almost every Ship, of his failures
and his disappointments; __ these it is, however, which have induced me to
trouble you with this general statement of his unhappy embarrassments and most
earnestly to solicit that his Majesty’s Government may be pleased to take his
case into their kind consideration and bestow upon him some official situation
in the Albany district, the emoluments of which together with his own
unremitting exertions on his Farm may enable him to have a present existence
and give him some hope that he may finally succeed in realizing a small independence.
__
Twice he has had the honor of acting
as Landrost in the Albany district but as it was only during the absence of
Col. SOMERSET & he received no emolument or other gratification than that
of having performed this arduous duty to the satisfaction of those who from
being on the spot, had an opportunity of narrowly observing his conduct during
the time he held the situation. He has also ever since his arrival in the
district filled the office of Heemraad. __
I shall not, I feel confident,
weaken his claims to the gracious protection of his Majesty’s Government when I
state, that in addition to his misfortunes as a Colonist he forms part of a
Family, every man of which has devoted his life to the service of his King and
Country. __ His Father (now deceased) and three of his Brothers held
Commissions in the Army; two fell during the last war and it was not till after
26 years of honourable and approved active service
during which from wounds, Shipwreck and bad Climate his health was much
impaired, that himself solicited and obtained permission to retire on half Pay
in order to avail himself of the facilities of that time afforded by the
Government to those who wished to emigrate to the Cape of Good Hope.
For Testimonial to character and
fitness for any situation Government may be pleased to bestow upon him I would
refer to Mr. G. ELLIS late deputy Colonial Secretary at the
I have the honor to be, Sir, with
great respect
Your very
obedient Humble Servant
John CAMPBELL
Captain R. Marines
[Note from
Colonial Office written across letter: Acq’t the
Writer that I have submitted DLG* his explanation of
Capt. C (and I have received the Lordship’s direction to instruct Gen HAWKE?
to employ
him whenever an opportunity may offer]
* Viscount
GODERICH was the Colonial Secretary at this time
CARLISLE,
124
Staffordshire
5th Nov. 1827
Sir
I have taken the liberty of addressing you to ask if I may
be allowed a copy of the last report of the Emigration Committee, and whether
it may be sent to my address, otherwise I can direct someone to call for and
forward it to me.
If you will allow me further to trespass on your valuable time I would also be much
obliged by your opinion as to whether it might be proper for me to write
officially to Mr. HAY requesting a reply to my original application on behalf
of the Albany Settlers having understood from you that no pecuniary assistance
can be given without a certainty of the whole being repaid, and knowing
myself the impossibility of affording that certainty.
I am told any application for my own
expenses as prayed for in the memorial of the Settlers, would meet from the
Col. Department a decided negative, and not wishing to put upon record a
request unreasonable enough to merit such a fate, I shall say no more on that
head.
As I may not again have to trouble
you on the subject of the present communication I wish to take this opportunity
of conveying my thanks for the attention and consideration you have at all
times favoured me with.
I have to honor to be Sir, your very
obedient Servant
Fred
[Colonial
Office footnote across corner: acq Mr. CARLISLE that
there is no fund from which any relief for the
COLLEN, William
111
19 October 1827
The
Memorial of William COLLEN late of
Humbly
Sheweth,
That your Memorialist left
That, with a view to a permanent
occupation of his time in agricultural and mechanical persuits,
Your Memorialist had attached himself to a Mr Henry LOVEMORE( the Proprietor of an extensive estate called Bushey Park, about ten miles from the Bay, and of another
on Luangas Flat) for the term of three years; at the
expiration of which, that Person was to obtain a Grant of Land for your
Memorialist and to establish him thereon : but, in consequence of the loss
sustained by the said Mr LOVEMORE
of the principal parts of his personal effects by a calamitous Fire, your
Memorialist’s papers of Assistance through his medium were disappointed; and he
therefore continued on the estate of that Individual for a considerable time
after the fulfilment of his engagement:
That Your Memorialist hath more recently
employed himself, principally, in journies to and
from Grahams Town, Cradock, Somerset, and other districts in the interior of
the Colony; in the course of which he has acquired much information useful to a
Settler: and, being now most anxious to
obtain by the grace and favour of His Majesty’s Government, a Grant of such a
competent portion of Land as may enable him to fix himself permanently in that
Country, Your Memorialist is returned lately to England, for the purpose of
Humbly representing his situation and views ; having, in the mean time,
committed his stock of Cattle to the care of the said Mr
LOVEMORE:
Your Memorialist therefore humbly
prays your favourable consideration of his Case; and that you will be pleased
to recommend him to the Grace and Favour of the Crown, for a Grant of Land, to
the extent of one thousand acres, or thereabouts, in some district near the
coast on the Kromme River, and at as little distance
from Algoa Bay as may be convenient.
And your
Memorialist shall etc
(signed) William COLLEN
Postman
Square
October 19
1827
[note from Colonial Office across bottom: Ans’d
verbally 20 Dec that no land was to be had in the quarter for which he applies]
134
December 22 1827
Sir,
In Conformity to your directions when I had the honour of
waiting on you, I take the liberty to acquaint you that my wish on becoming a
colonist in the Cape of Good Hope is to possess about one thousand acres of
land in as desirable a situation as can be assigned to me by His Majesty’s
Government at that Settlement: and, from the experience which I have acquired
during a residence of eight years in the colony, I am enabled to express my
assurance that, with a due degree of perseverance and the recommendation to the
Favour and Indulgence of the Government there, with which you, Sir, may have
the goodness to honour me, I will succeed in my undertaking. In the event, however, that, from any
unforeseen circumstances my best endeavours should not be followed by success,
such failure would be my misfortune, and I could not, in such case presume to
have any claim to some liberation from the Colonial Department.
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your
obedient and very humble Servant
William COLLEN
136
Dec 24 1827
Mr. COLLEN presents his respects to Mr. HAY and trusts that he
will forgive him for saying that in case he should be determine to send the
recommendation of his brother Mr William COLLEN to the Governor of the Cape of Good Hope not by his
hand, he will be extremely obliged if he will have the goodness to give him a
note to identify him on his arrival at the Cape
HART,
William Junior
292
15th July
1827
Sir,
I beg leave
to enclose a copy of a letter addressed to my father at the Cape of Good Hope
wherein Earl BATHURST promised a free passage to our family in England, but as
no part of them at present except myself have a desire to go to that colony I
should feel most particularly indebted by your granting me the favour of a free
passage to join my Father at the Cape of Good Hope in about a month from the
present time.
I have the Honor to be Sir,
Your most obedt. humble servt.
William HART junr.
[Colonial Office note on reverse]
If the enclosed be a true copy of Mr. HORTON’s letter and Mr. HART be
really the person he represents himself to be – a passage to the
294 [attached to above]
Copy
26th
Sept. 1824
Sir,
I am
directed by Earl BATHURST to acquaint you that the Commissioners of enquiry
having communicated to His Lordship the memorials which you presented to them
at the Cape of Good Hope setting forth your distressed situation from the
disappointments and loss you have sustained as an emigrant settler and state
that your inability either to return to your family in England or to provide
the means of enabling them to join you in South Africa, His Lordship has been
induced, [obscured in fold] the special recommendation of the Commissioners to
accede your request, that your family may be provided with a passage to the
Cape at the public expense, and directions will be given for that purpose as
soon as his Lordship is made acquainted with the address of your family, whom
the commissioners state are to be directed by you to make application to the
Colonial Office.
I am &c &c
R. W. HORTON
To : Mr Wm. HART
HEATH, John
Henry
305
[To Viscount GODERICH,
Secretary of State for the Colonies May-September 1827]
The
Petition of John Henry HEATH of Port Francis in the District of Albany, Attorney
at Law and Notary Public
Humbly
Sheweth
That your Petitioner was regularly articled to the
profession of the Law to Mr. Matthew HEATH of No. 10 Kings Bench Walks,
In the latter end of 1819 your
Petitioner was induced from the little business in his profession to embark for
the Cape of Good Hope; and in 1925 was appointed by his Excellency the Governor
to the situation of Clerk of Court to the Residency at Port Francis with
permission to act at Notary Public within the jurisdiction of the Residence
upon the small salary of £22-10-0 per annum.
That hearing of the great changes
that were to be made in the Law department your Petitioner was induced to
Petition his Honour the Lieutenant Governor for a Situation under the new
regulations anticipated – hoping that his professional knowledge and his steady
discharge of his present situation might prove him worthy of a place of more consequence
and wherein his acquaintance of the Laws of England might render him a useful
Servant of the Public.
That his Honour
was pleased to return for answer “that he could not hold out any hopes of
employment for him.”
Under these circumstances your
Petitioner is induced to apply to your Lordship for your consideration, and
that if any vacancy is left under the new regulations your Lordship [will] be
pleased to appoint him to the same, [obscured] which by assiduity and attention
he would hope to merit your Lordship’s favour.
Your Petitioner humbly begs to refer
your Lordship for his character and professional knowledge to Mr. FLEXNEY of Bedford Row,
Humbly requesting your Lordship’s
consideration and favour
Your Petitioner as in duty bound will
ever pray &c.
Signed: J. Henry HEATH
HEATH, W.J
8th
January 1827
Sir,
In
June last I procured Leave of Absence from His Honor the Lieutenant Governor at
the Cape of Good Hope to proceed to
My
intention was to have left
Trusting
this will meet with your Approbation I have the honor to be, Sir
Your
most obedient serv’t
W.J. HEATH
PS. At Mr. BOOTH’s
Army Contractor,
HOGBEN, George
284
19th May 1827
To The
Right Honourable
The Lords
Commissioners
Of His
Majesty’s Treasury &c &c
The
Memorial of George HOGBEN Tailor an inhabitant of the
town of
Humbly sheweth
That your memorialist with a wife and six children having by
the advice of his friends a desire to emigrate to Grahams Town Cape of Good
Hope to join his Brother-in-law Mr George GILBERT a
Builder and Colonist resident there, and at present is prevented by not having adequate
means to provide a passage for himself and family your memorialist has
therefore embraced this method of humbly praying to his Majesty’s Government to
cause passage to be granted to himself and family on a vessel proceeding from
England to Algoa Bay, it being the nearest port to his desired destination.
Your Memorialist humbly trusts that his prayer may be favorably
received and that the recommendation of his friends at
Your Memorialist begs further to state that his
determination of emigrating himself does not arise from fickle materialism but
solely from a sincere desire to proceed thither for the purpose, if possible,
by perseverance and industry to better his condition of life and provide for his
infant family which by your Lordships goodness and the aid of Divine Providence
he feels no doubt of effecting.
And your
Memorialist as in duty bound will ever pray
George HOGBEN
Ashford
[Note
across bottom: Explain to the Memorialist that the
285
We the
undersigned Citizens of Canterbury strenuously support the prayer of the
Memorialist and recommend him as a person worthy of your Lordships charitable
considerations he being a sober industrious and well disposed man.
[43
original signatures]
299
Ashford 25th July 1827
The humble petition
of George HOGBEN
Tailor and
inhabitant of the town of
Humbly sheweth
That your petitioner humble reference to their Lordships for
a free passage to the Cape of Good Hope has by the aid of his friends been
supplied with the means of providing a passage to his wishes for destinations
and your Petitioner therefore with the determination of embarking for the above
Colony in a few days has again intruded on your Lordships much valued time and
goodness in humbly requesting that your Lordships will be pleased to cause directions to be given that a grant
of land may be allotted to your petitioner in the district and neighbourhood of
Grahams town at which place your practitioners brother-in-law Mr George GILBERT a respectable Colonist resides.
That your
petitioner may be able after extending his little fund upon the voyage find an
Asylum for his wife and six children upon his arrival at his distant and future
domicil, which should your Lordships of your great
and goodness be pleased to grant, your petitioner under the guidance of the
Divine Providence, will with arduous desire
endeavour to repay by honest exertion, and ready obedience to his Superiors
the debt of gratitude he will then owe to his King, and Governers
of his native land
And your petitioner in duty bound
Will ever Pray
George HOGBEN
We the undersigned Citizens of Canterbury do strongly
recommend the prayer of the petition to your Lordships most gracious
consideration.
[24 original signatures, including that of the Mayor]
INGRAM, John
312
5th
Oct 1827
Sir,
In
making a special report agreeable to your desire of the Emigrants who
accompanied me to the Cape of Good Hope in 1823, I feel a task imperatively
imposed upon me which I could rather had devolved on another, because it obliges
me to speak of myself, and in doing so I trust it will be borne in mind I shall
do so as little as the nature of the subject will admit of, and shall make the
report of the Com. of Inquiry my principal guide to satisfy you and the Public
of the advantages derived by those poor creatures who accompanied me, all of
who are now in comparative opulence to the state they were in when they left Ireland.
1st part for the report aludes
to those persons who accompanied me in 1820 and would not call at present for
notice were it not that I have a heart felt pleasure in stating the greater
part of them are now good Houskeepers and keeping
their servants and in every way perfectly independent.
2nd part aludes
to numbers mustered by the Agent for Transports, that those people were not
only mustered faithfully, but I greatly feared that there had been a greater
number on board and absolutely refused several though I had ample provisions
for them, and were it not for the interferance of the
Roman Catholic Church I should have taken out the full complement. On a Sunday
morning 283 persons were turned out of the Ship by two priests (notwithstanding
I had been feeding them for three weeks and upwards before) who came on board
and Dr. COPPINGER R.C.
Bishop of Cloyne preached at Cove against them going
with me. The interference of the R.C. Clergy has been
proved by two of my men of that persuasion before HM Com.of
Inquiry subsequent to this report.
3rd part.
This in a great measure must be attributed to the unabated zeal of Dr. DAVY who
had charge and my unremitting exertions to preserve cleanliness every morning
at 8 o’clock I ordered every person with their beding
on the deck except such as were on the Doctors list and proceeded below myself
with fourteen able fellows and washed the ship out fore and aft and issued 20 lb
Soap every week to wash during the voyage. I employed some tailors and the
Women in making up Two Hundred suits of Cloathes to
enable them to disembark as they could not have [done] so unless I had provided
them, which I did gratuitously. As well has having provided every person with a
new blanket, mattress and pillows.
4th part speaks for itself and is
corroborated by the 7th part that I had to do with
as [studious?] a set of fellows as need be but who were urged to it by
those interested in Slavery who well knew that frequent repetitions of the
introduction of free labour would ultimately reduce slavery at altogether.
5th By my indentures I covenanted with each
and every person to allow them the first month after arrival and maintained
them at my expense during that period to look out for masters for themselves
and on compensating me for their services were at liberty to better themselves
of which a number as stated in the 6th part did so, and those who
remained and were sent back to me were of the very worst character, with very
few exceptions all of whom I employed in repairing my Premises which I found in
the most dreadful state of delapidation and in
building a wine store as well as two dwelling houses. The store is allowed to
be the best and most substantial building in the Colony, the whole being built
of excellent stone and lime mortar and not subject to those delapidations
which took place in 1822 from using clay, and capable of holding 2000 pipes of
wine. The two houses let for £50 per annum each. Of those persons who remained
with me 16 then died from the immoderate use of spirituous liquor which I doubt
not would have been the case had they remained in
7th part I have only to
remark I had selected as fine a body of people of good character (but were
deprived of them by the influence of priests) as ever left
8th part I regret to say I am obliged to desist
from altogether for the number of 246 having got Employment in so short a time
speaks for itself. Had I acted otherwise I would not have a servant left to
improve my estate.
9th part I was fully aware of before my
departure from Ireland and made application to the Governor of the Foundling
Hospital at Cork to give me 100 Boys and Girls (which I mentioned to Mr. BIGGE) and on their consulting the Act of Parliament they
found they could not apprentice them to persons going foreign though each and
every one of them could have got trades and this would have enabled them to
provide for a similar number of orphans claiming admittance at the time, which
the Governors regreted very much.
10th part the number of European labourers
that have been introduced into the Colony is the very reason that more are
wanting, because the great Body of those who went out with [me] as well as a
considerable number of those who accompanied me in 1823 are now in a condition
to employ numbers themselves and I do not hesitate to say from Two or Three
Thousand annualy would be absorbed and at wages
sufficient to make a poor Irishman feel he was removed from Poverty to
Affluence.
11th part In corroboration I have only to
state that having some right good tradesmen under me I put as apprentices some
young labourers in number as follows.
9 to masons, 5 to sawyers, 10 to miners and 3 to thatchers all of whom in three years became masters of
their trades and are now enjoying Mechanics wages or did the several trades men
object to teach them for a little gratuity which I paid though in Ireland they
would not dare work with them unless they had served seven years and that to
one of their own body but used to say there is room enough for us all here to
live.
12th part speaks volumes in itself of the necesity of sending
out labourers and mechanics of all kinds to the
13 and 14 part That the supply of labour is deficient
in every part of the Colony but still more so in Albany and as to Prize
Apprentices they have universaly reverted into their
former masters service with the exception of about 150 or 200 who went to live
with persons whose slave women they cohabited with before and on the contrary
of having any effect on European labour,
those who lost their services must now look to European labourers to
supply their place and it was increditable the number
of applications I had in consequence.
15th and 16th part require no
remark from me
17 part I feel myself bound
to say would be attended with the worst of consequences for this reason. Those
persons who entered with me knew the worst they had to contend with and argued
that if I could afford to give them a shilling per day and their Diet and
Lodging, surely they could get more when done with me and I regret very much
the Commissioners of Inquiry should have altogether overlooked over the last
article of my agreement which enabled them to seek the highest wages of the
market on compensating me which ran as follows.
“10 article of agreement. That the first month after
landing of the said AB being for the sole advantage of the said AB for the
purpose of the said AB’s procuring a master for himself in order to better
himself which is authorised to do and on the said AB paying to the said John
INGRAM the sum (as specified by Comm’rs) he have his
freedom from this Indenture as if the same had never been and the whole of the foregoing
articles of agreement to be null and void between the parties, but in case the
said AB shall not have paid the sum of ___ within the said month aforesaid then the said AB shall immediately apply
himself to the work of the said John INGRAM and conform to the articles of this
agreement.”
18th part Allowing
one pound per man as a compensation for the trouble of superintending them. I
doubt not I could procure seven or eight persons in
19th part I am firmly of opinion the apperance of Government in any case at all with respect to
the Cape of Good Hope would be the cause of much [obscured] and extra expence
for the same reason as expressed in the letter I had the honor of addressing
you in 1823 on the same subject.
21st 22nd and 23rd I
most sincerely couinside in as it will be of the
greatest importance that a great number of labourers be introduced into Albany
but by no means do I agree or couinside with finding men
for Five years and at so low wages as the applicants for them have stated
as the gradual Introduction of Labourers every year would cause a great decline
in the exorbitantly high wages which have been paid but be assured in case
of absolute necessity only and not of regular work.
With reference to the letter which accompanies this.
I have the honor to be Sir
Your obedient humble s’t
John INGRAM
318
5 Oct 1827
18 Civil Street
Sir,
In
reference to the conversation I had with you on the 25th ultimo
respecting a further Emigration to the Cape of Good Hope, I trust you will not
deem it intruding on your kindness and precious time in my laying before you
the nature of a Project I have at present to obtain the aid of HM Government
for.
As
the present season would be the most advantageous time for the poor Irish to
leave the Country, more particularly for the Cape of Good Hope, as by avoiding
the winter which is time of their greatest distress and the advantage of fine
potatoes just at this season as well as arriving in summer at the Cape, I doubt
not it will receive at the hands of the Fathers of Emigration (if I may presume
to use the expression) that serious consideration which the nature of the
subject deserves.
I
propose to take out One Thousand persons to the
Men
and Women for 3 years
Children
over 14 years for 5 years
Do
under 14 years for 7 years
I
holding myself bound they do not become a burthen on the Colony, for their
second terms the amount to be repaid back to HM Government without Interest,
say 1/6 in two years and 1/6 every subsequent year till the whole be repaid,
subject however to deductions for remuneration as may please HM Government to
make the men. Such services may be deemed by them [obscured].
Each person to receive a mattress and blanket on going on board.
Every mess of twenty persons to receive daily:
20 lb potatoes
10 lb bread
10 lb beef or pork alternately
2 lb rice
2 lb oatmeal
2 lb sugar
15 gallons water
I propose that each and every person shall have the
first month after landing to look out for a situation for himself in order to
better himself, he being fed and lodged by me gratis during that period, as was
the case with my last people, and that none of them shall have to repay more
than £15 for their services (which will create a fund for the bringing out of
others) and that at not more than £5 per annum.
I am
the more embolden in making this pressing application having rec’d a letter
from my mother in law in Cork stating that notwithstanding it’s well known I am
in England she is obliged to leave town, She has been so harrassed
by the applications of people to go out with me, arising from 173 letters I
brought to Ireland from the Cape advising their friends to join them in the
land where they can live right well in.
To
you who so lately visited
It
has occurred to me that my views may be forwarded by a recommendation from your
Department to the Lord Lieutenant, who has the power of advancing money for the
employment of the poor of
I
hope you will excuse my thus troubling you after the explicit manner you
informed me your department had no funds to command for the purpose, but realy the time and season is of so great importance I doubt
not you will entertain the subject, and if not able to forward it at present
you will take an early opportunity of doing so.
I have the Honor to be Sir, with the greatest respect,
Your obedient humble serv’t
J. INGRAM
321
18 Civil Street
13 Oct 1827
Sir
In reference to the letter I had the honor of
addressing you on the 5th., I omitted to state as the opinion of that
highly respected gentleman Mr. BIGGS in case of my taking out any future body of
settlers it would be advisable to take a Roman Catholic Clergyman who would
have such a assendency over them, that much more good
may be expected from them; for on an arrival, the sudden departure of their
only Priest left them without spiritual guide
or any restriction on their vicious habits,
and added he had no doubt that Government would entertain the subject and make
provision for him. So satisfied am I of the advantage to be derived from it I
should gladly afford him a free table with myself.
It having been suggested to me in
the City by some friends, that my views be forwarded immediately; which would
be so very desirable for the reasons expressed in said letter; that, if your
good self would say the money would be forthcoming three or four months after
my departure from Cork; they would make the necessary arrangements to enable me
to carry my intentions into execution without further loss of time. I by no
means presume to ask such a favour but as the suggestion has been made to me I
submit it to your consideration.
If however you may not
feel yourself warranted to forward my view for the present. I have a
suggestion to make from myself, having left my family at the Cape and my sole
purpose in England has been to procure another body of Irish emigrants and to
lay the foundation of receiving a great number every year at the Cape where I
shall consequently be enabled to employ from Three to Four hundred daily in
Building &c and it may be desirable for you to gather every information on
the subject of Emigration. I offer my humble services in returning to
where I am universally known and where
the letters I brought home have been read. I doubt not in being able to ascertain
what number of persons seek in
of the Magistrates of those counties.
Submitting myself at all times to your orders
and instructions, I have the Honor to be, Sir
Your Ob. Humble St.
J INGRAM
323
14th
Nov 1827
18 Civil Street
Dear Sir
On
reflection it has occurred to me that it might be desirable that His Majesties
Government might instantly see and approve the exact articles of agreement I
intend to enter into with the people I propose to take out to the
not will meet the approbation of His
Majesties Government.
With much respect
I am your Ob.St’
J INGRAM
325
This
Indenture Witnesseth that John INGRAM late of the
City of Cork but now of the Cape of Good Hope and AB of the Cork that’s entered into the
following Articles of Agreement, that is to say:
1st’
That AB hath entered into the service of the said JI – of his own free will and accord and with the concurance of his Father or as the case maybe who is a
subscribing party hereto, to proceed to the Cape of Good Hope there to serve
the said JI as a mason or at such other work as the
said JI or those
empowered
by him, may require to be done in said Colony for and during the space of 3.5. or 7 years from and after the date of one month after the
landing of the said AB in the Colony aforesaid
2nd’
That said JI engaged to take said AB free
of all expenses whatsoever to said Colony and there find him or her Work, Diet,
Lodgings and Medical attendance for said term of 3.5. or
7 years for and at the rate of 6 or 12 pence British Sg..
per Day Wages for every day he or she shall work (the working hours to be
twelve hours per day) and in case he the said
AB shall refuse to work it shall
be lawful for him the said JI – or such person as he may appoint to stop from him the said AB
Wages and Provisions (which Provisions shall be opened at seven o Clock in
the evening of each day.) in case he the said
AB shall not have worked a full
days work or refuse to do so sickness only excepted for Provisions but not wages
paid when sick
3rd’
That the Provisions to be granted of the said
JI – or those he may appoint shall be the same
Quantity and Quality as those issued to the Soldiers their Wives and children
by His Majesties Government.
4th
That it is agreed upon between the parties That no wages shall become payable
from Three months from the date of this Apprenticeship and then only two months
wages to be paid and so to be paid every two months thereby. leaving
one months wages at all times due, which months wages shall be paid up in full on
completing said apprenticeship
5th’ That in case the said AB Shall be found Guilty of any breach of the Laws
of the Colony. By which he forfeits his
6th’ That the said AB agreed and Binds himself to obey, conform
and strictly Observe all such rules and regulations as Shall be made by said
John INGRAM and sanctioned by His Excellency The Governor
of said Colony for the better
observance of morality and good order amongst his and said JI’s apprentices
7th’ That in the case of Death of the said JI before the time of completing of this Agreement
the said AB engages to serve the Heirs Executors
Administrators or Assigns of the said JI under the same Articles
of Association
8th’That the first month after the landing of said AB being for the sole advantage of the said AB for
the
purpose of the said
AB proving a master for himself
which he is hereby authorized to do, and on the said AB
paying to the said JI - the sum of Fifteen
Pounds shall have his Freedom from this Indenture if the same had never been
and the whole of the foregoing Articles of Agreement to be null and void and be
of no affect between the parties (notwithstanding the said JI is bound to provide him the said AB
with Diet, Lodgings and Medical Attendance for the said month Gratis)
but in case he the said AB shall not have paid the sum of Fifteen Pounds
within the said month aforesaid he the said
AB shall immediately apply
himself to the work of the said JI and conform to
these Articles of Association.
9th’ That the said AB
will conform to all orders and regulations made for the better
regulation of the comforts of the parties on board ship and submit himself to
all orders to preserve morality, cleanliness and good fellowship whilst on
board.
In witness whereof both parties have subscribed their names
to these presents in Triplicate
Dated in the City of
This_____ day of
_____ 1827
Notes from the Colonial Office for reply: The Supply of
labour to the Colony is much wanted and the introduction this may make cannot
but be beneficial in the end - I cannot
however recommend, as far as the Cape Governor is concerned, any advances of
money to Mr. INGRAM for the purchase of utensils per man even if the necessary
security were produced (which is not the case so far as I can learn from a
perusal of Mr. INGRAM’s paper) for the due fulfillment
of the contemplated supply of Labourers – or
for the repayment of the advance
Additional note top, left: INGRAM’s
proposal for supplying the
OLIVER, Anne
385
No
Lambeth
December 6th
1827
Sir
Hoping
you will pardon this intrusion I take the liberty of addressing you by the
request and advice of Mr. CAPPERS respecting the death of William OLIVER
otherwise JONES who was placed by government as town surveyor of the
there is a person at the Cape
of Good Hope who represents herself as the widow of William JONES and has
authorised for all debts etc to be paid to her as his widow but she has no
claim right or kith whatever
therefore
I entreat you in the name of humanity and justice to assist me who has a just
and lawful right
sir
if you would be so kind to intervene for me in any way you shall [deem] proper,
I shall feel myself truly grateful for your kind help & condescension
Ann OLIVER
RAWSTORNE, F
398
April 20th 1827
Sir
Being on the point of proceeding to the
Cape of Good Hope with the intention of soliciting a grant of land in the
settlement of Albany, I have the honor to request to be favour’d
with a letter to the Land Governor of that Colony, directing me to be placed on
the footing of the original settlers in that district, with reference to their
gratuitous admissions to the rights and privileges of a Burgher under the
existing laws.
I have the honor to be, Sir
Yr most Obed’t Humb’l Sev’t
F RAWSTORNE
[NB the correspondence that follows from the ROWLES family
cannot refer to the 1820 settlers Thomas and Elizabeth ROWLES.
It is included here so that 1820 settler descendants will be aware that there
was another couple of the same name at the
ROWLES, Henry
400
7
May 1827
Sir,
I
have the honor to enclose you a copy of the Memorial of the widow of my brother
Thomas ROWLES presented to the Rt
Hon. Lord Charles H. Somerset, Governor of the Cape of Good Hope praying for a
Pension for reasons therein set forth and a copy of a memorial presented by my
deceased brother on the subject of his wife from the alterations of the
currency and a copy of his account with Messrs Coutts as evidence of the fact
of his loss as stated in his Memorial.
And I have to request the favor of you to lay them before the Right Honble. Lord Visct. GOODRICH.
I
have nothing to add to the Memorials except that my widow sister mentions that
pensions have been granted to widows of public servants in the Colony, viz
Mrs Henry ALEXANDER - English
Mrs. SHERIDAN - English
Mrs. VAN REYNEVELDT
-
Mrs. Michael GIE
-
I have the honor to be Sir,
Your Most Obedient Hbl Sev’t
Henry ROWLES
ROWLES, Elizabeth
402
Received
May 7, 1827
To His Excellency the Governor in
Councils &c &c
The Memorials of Elizabeth Christina
ROWLES of Cape Town Cape of Good Hope Widow humbly
sheweth unto your Excellency that the Memorialists late husband Thomas ROWLES was appointed to the Office of the Secretary to the
Right Honble The Court of Appeals for civil and
criminal cases in the Colony from the date of its original establishment, viz
29th May 1807, at a salary of £480 sterling per.anm
and continued to hold that situation until the day of his decease which took
place on 20th January last being a period of eighteen years & upwards,
during the whole of which time he discharged the duties of the said office with
the utmost regularity and greatest integrity and without quitting the Colony on
leave of absence or otherwise for a single day.
And Memorialist further sheweth that on the day before mentioned 20th
January now last past her said Husband departed this life almost suddenly by which
lamentable occurrence Memorialist and his two infant children [in margin a
note: both girls] are deprived of those means of comfortable subsistence to the
continuation of which they might have reasonably looked forward, her said
husband being only forty nine years of age at the time of his decease.
And
memorialist craves leave to add that her late Husband was allowed and entitled
to receive certain Fees attached to the office of Secretary to the Right
Honorable Court of Appeals from the date of his appointment until the year 1818
when such Fees were taken from him and carried to the credit of Government but
no compensation was made to him in lieu thereof by increase of salary or by any
other means whatsoever, so that in fact his income was considerably reduced for
the last eight years and your memorialist also begs leave to bring to your Excellencys recollection that her late Husband sustained a
very extensive loss and his severe loss by the reduction of the currency as
fixed by the ordinances of the 6th June last, as will fully appear
from a copy of a memorial herewith annexed, which was addressed to Your
Excellency and containing an explicit statement of the individual hardship he
was obliged to suffer through the adoption of that unexpected measure, and
memorialist humbly and confidently concludes that the combined circumstances of
this extraordinary & unprecedented case are such as will induce Your
Excellency to take it into your favorable consideration and that this may in
consequence of her hate Husbands long & active services and for the reasons
above stated (he being the senior English civil servant in the Colony as
memorialist has been informed every believes) obtain such a pension as Your
Excellency may recommend to be granted to her through the proper authorities, and
of which she so much stands in need, or that Your Excellency be pleased to take
such other steps in the [promises?] as Your Excellency shall deem meet &
the nature of her unfortunate can require.
And
your memorialist as in duty bound shall evr pray
&c &c
(Signed)
E.C. ROWLES
407
August 9th
1827
Sir,
With
reference to Earl BATHURST’s Despatch to the Government of the Cape of Good
Hope under date 23rd August 1821 authorising His Excellency in all
cases in which a Civil Servant of the Colony appointed from Home may die in the
execution of his duties, leaving a Widow or children under age, to make to the
Widow or children on their proceeding to Europe an allowance equal to 3 months
salary of the deceased Civil Servant, I take the liberty to state to you for
the information of Viscount GODERICH that my late
Husband Thomas ROWLES Esq held the office of
Secretary to the Court of Appeals at the Cape ever since the establishment of
that court in the year 1807 with a salary of £480 sterling per annum until the
period of his demise, which took place on the 20th January 1826 he
having died in the execution of his duties.
I beg
leave to request that you will be pleased to move Viscount GODERICH
to direct the Colonial Agent Mr COURTNAY to issue to
me the authorised allowance of 3 months salary of my decesaed
Husband, being £120 sterling.
I have the honor to be Sir
Your most obedient humble servant
(Signed) Widow ROWLES
[Written across page by Colonial Office: this must be
complied with if such an order exists]
409
2nd October 1827
Sir,
I need not I am persuaded attempt to
express my disappointment at the receipt of your letter of the 15th
August notifying to me Lord GODERICH’s refusal to
grant me the small aid afforded to the Widows of Englishmen belonging to the
Government of the Cape of Good Hope, to bring their families to England at
their demise, particularly after the unparalleled losses my late beloved
husband experienced during his long service at the Cape of Good Hope in
consequence of the measure lately adopted of fixing the Rixdollar
at 18 pence sterling and which has been so fully set forth in his memorial. I
do therefore, Sir, trust that you will have the goodness to bring my particular
case again under the consideration of the Secretary of State for the Colonies,
for although my unfortunate case may not come precisely within the letter of
any regulation as no-one will I am sure deny that it is in every point of view
within the spirit of it. The humane intention of Earl BATHURST in his Despatch of the 23rd August 1821 evidently was
to aid the families of English Gentlemen who had served the King in a remote
part of his Dominions in providing a means of returning to the Native Country
of their deceased parent. I cannot therefore abandon the hope that the mere
technical differences of an English Gentleman being nominated to his
appointment in a British Colony by the Governor and of course subsequently
sanctioned by the Secretary of State or nominated originally by the letter
should not be permitted to deprive the Widow & young family of a
meritorious officer dying in the execution of arduous but ill-requested duties
of the benevolent assistance intended by Earl BATHURST’s letter of the 23rd
August 1821.
I have the
honor to be Sir
Your most
obed’t humble servant
E.C. ROWLES
ROWLES, Thomas (memorial
attached to above correspondence)
404
June 15th
1825
To His Excellency
The Governor General the Right
Honourable Lord Charles Henry Somerset
The
memorial of Thomas ROWLES of Cape Town Cape of Good
Hope sets forth that your memorialist having in the year 1811 determined to
become domiciled at the Cape of Good Hope for some years, or so long as his
family affairs might dictate, was induced to withdraw his property from England
for the purpose of investing it in this settlement, that he was induced from
the reputed solidity and credit of the Colonial currency Your memorialist
having twice petitioned Government for a grant of the same uncultivated land in
the Cape district, but which petitions were refused, and the reason assigned
for such refusal that the Lands had been applied for, and denied to former
applicants, being security for the Colonial paper currency.
Your
memorialist was further convinced of the solidity and credit of such currency
from the same having been guaranteed on the surrender of the Colony to the
British arms, as well as by a Proclamation of His
Excellency Sir David BAIRD of the 23rd of Jany 1806
and from the prevailing report that the Paper Money, just created and issued
would be destroyed after the same had returned into the Colonial Treasury.
Your Memorialist having married and
domiciled himself did not hesitate to clear on Messrs Thomas Coutts & Co
for nearly the whole of the funds which they hold belonging to him in Exchequer
Bills to the amount of £9500 in sterling and for which sum he passed his Bills
on that Banking House in favour of Messrs Simpson & Co & Messrs Ebden & Watts and received from them currency at 40 per
cent or Rix dls 55,500 which he invested in this
Colony and the same has ever since so remained.
That your Memorialist by your
Excellency¹s ordinance in Council on the 6th day of June instant has become a
very severe loss by Rixdollars being fixed at
eighteen pence sterling in as much as it will be found when calculation that
he loses upon the aforesaid amount the sum of £3337.10sh.0 sterling if the Rixdollar had been fixed at the same rate as when your
Memorialist drew his funds into this settlement, by this heavy loss which your
Memorialist submits is without parallel in this Colony, your Memorialist is
debarred from ever returning to his native country, or forwarding his children
for education and the maintaining his family connexions.
This loss as before set forth will
evidently appear to your Excellency on referring to the annexed account current
of Major Thos Coutts & Co and the rate of Exchange for the year, the
average of which was 45 per cent. Therefore your Memorialist humbly prays that
your Excellency will be pleased to grant him relief to the amount of his loss
in this singularly severe and unfortunate case, or if such relief be not in the
power of your Excellency to grant without reference to His Majesty¹s Government
at Home, that your Excellency will be graciously pleased to transmit the same
for their consideration with such remarks as your Excellency¹s accustomed
equity may suggest.
And
your Memorialist as in duty bound will ever pray
Signed
Thomas
ROWLES
[Attached
to this is a page of banking account figures]