CO48/44
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.
Names in red actually became 1820 settlers to
KAYE, John
172
No.14
Near the
Assylum
July 21st
1819
Sir,
According
to the advertisement in the paper concerning the cultivation of the colony at
the Cape of Good Hope i have a great inclination of going there to settle
should it meet your approbation to give me any encouragement that by my
industry i may maintain a livelyhood for my wife & family which is a young
industrious woman 30 years of age & 3 children 2 girls & one boy the
oldest girl 10 years the boy 5 years & the young one 2 years of age &
myself 35 by trade a carpenter & joiner was brought up as a farmer in the
county of Surry have a brother as rents a share of farm now at the same place
& if you will acquaint me with your proposials I knows a young man &
his wife trade a carpenter no children & a young man a sawyer & his
wife & one child & if you want farming men to go i have no dout but i
can get plenty that would like to go with me & i should like to know what
goods & tools &c we are allowed to take with us & the terms of
support when we land on the colony.
I remain your most your most humble servant
Jesse KAYE
Carpenter
KEARSLEY,
John
234
Parish of
30th
November 1819
My Lord,
Permit
me to enquire whether in the arrangements for conveying persons who wish to
embark voluntarily for the Cape of Good Hope one could be made or permitted for
a number of male individuals (at present fifty nine) that we have burdensome to
the Parish and to which they belong – they are chiefly young men & youths
who have no visible means of obtaining a livelihood beyond the miserable
pittance derived from the Parish by picking oakrum at one penny per pound –
with this they can but barely keep up an existence & after the hours of work
they are left to wander about in the evening & too frequently are induced
to commit depredations, by which some of them have been repeatedly in the House
of Correction – and from the want of friends, connections or trades they are
again let loose upon Society.
This
class is composed of good & bad who can receive no effectual relief from
the Parish, not being proper objects for our House of Industry, which already
contains nearly sixteen hundred, principally composed of the aged, infirm &
children. In addition to these we have about three thousand four hundred and
twenty families who receive weekly relief at their own homes.
It
has occurred to me that the greater number of the before mentioned individuals
might be made useful members in the new colony could employment be marked out
for them when arrived there – and I have little doubt they would readily
embark, by which they would be saved from more vicious habits & perhaps
untimely ends.
Your
Lordship will understand the persons to whom I allude are ignorant of trade or
agriculture & that from various causes & circumstances they are in the
greatest poverty & distress, without a prospect of being otherwise – good
seamen can be obtained at 40/- per month – it naturally follows that these
persons have no chance of employment from the Merchants Service. The Parish
could not object to contribute towards the expence but the certainty of
employment when there will be the object of your Lordships consideration,
combined with the wish, as it must be, of softening human woe. Respecting
females I forbear to outlay beyond the assurance of their being numbers in
great distress from the want of employment. The motive of my troubling your
Lordship I trust will secure me an apology for being [obscured] as I am with
due respect
Your Lordship’s very ob’t hum serv’t
John KEARSLEY
Churchwarden
Draft of GOULBURN’s reply:
I am directed by Lord B to acknowledge rec’t of your
letter requesting to be informed whether a number of underclass? in Liverpool
who are now burdensome to the parish might not be conveyed to the
KEELER, John
196
Lambeth
Surry
August 13
1819
My Lord,
Having
been informed that Government has adopted a plan for the assistance of British
subjects emigrating to the
Your Lordship’s very humble servant
John KEELER
KELLETT,
Alexander
209
Narbeth
Pembrokeshire
30th
August 1819
My Lord,
In
having the honor of addressing your Lordship at this present I beg leave to
inform your Lordship of my having previous to this application addressed His
Royal Highness the Commander in Chief considering it my duty as a military man
to do so. With a hope of obtaining His Royal Highness’s permission in thus
addressing your Lordship on this subject – and which I hold in the greatest
degree of moment in this present, being a military man and unfortunately placed
on the half pay of the peace establishment, having nothing but what I derive
from that half pay to support my family. I would most gladly comply with any
indulgence held out to me that would be the means of removing my present wants,
which I am sorry to say are at present numerous, being now like many others
(after long and anxious worries) with a family to subsist on a small sallary. I
would gladly accept any thing offered me corresponding with my present rank as
an officer in His Majesty’s service.
Having
seen in the public prints a proposition made by your Lordship to establish and colonise
from this country part of the cape of Good Hope and being acquainted with the
country I beg leave to offer myself and services in that line which I trust may
induce your Lordship to appoint or recommend me for as any little indulgence of
this nature held out to us half pay officers with families would be in the
greatest degree a means of removing our present pecuniary circumstances.
To
avoid as much as possible troubling your Lordship with further detail on this
subject I have only to add that during my services in the West Indies and four
years on the Peninsula, five in the East Indies, in the latter place (Ceylon) I
held a distinguished situation in a civil capacity by the appointment of
General Sir Robert BROWNRIGG, Governor and Commander of the Forces, which I now
beg leave to enclose for the information and satisfaction of your Lordship in
my behalf, together with a letter addressed to me on the eve of my departure
from that country from Lieutenant Colonel HOOK, my commanding officer, which I
sincerely hope your Lordship will honor me in giving with this my application
your Lordship’s kind consideration – my means of [movement?] are small and
under these circumstances my proposed arrangement of your Lordship in my behalf
in this case will I hope be considered, and this with any other reference which
may be deemed necessary for your Lordship’s satisfaction I am satisfied in
saying will be produced by me.
I have the honor to be
Your Lordship’s most obedient and very humble servant
Alexander KELLETT
Lieut.H.P late 3rd Ceylon Regt.
KELLY,
Thomas
205
Wheat Sheaf
Ewer Steet
Gravel Lain
Southwark
[Received
August 1819]
Sir,
Pardon
my liberty in being so bold as to solicit your Honour. I understand there are a
number of artificers and labourers about being sent to the
Whatever
the proposals might be I volunteer my services, meeting with your Honour’s aprobation.
I hope and trust your Honour will consider me as being in Hs.M. service twelve
years and twelve days and was discharged without any benefit, with having
undeniable certificates and discharge.
I am Sir your humble solicitor
Thomas KELLY
KENNEDY,
James
218
No.10 Hay
Market
28th
Sept 1819
Hon Sir,
I beg
leave to apply to your Lordship as a person wishing to go out as a settler to
the
I remain with due respect
Your Lordship’s obed’t humble serv’t
James KENNEDY
KENNEDY,
Thomas
178
25th
July 1819
The petition of Thomas KENNEDY, Private in the 97th
Regt. Of Foot
Most humbly sheweth
That petit’r has served one year and 46 days in the
above reg’t and during that period of service petit’r has lost an eye, that
petit’r was admitted a Pensioner of Kilmainham Hospital Dublin at 9d per day
and has no other means of support for a wife and two children. Petit’r most
humbly hopes yr Lordship will be pleased to order him his passage for himself
and family to
KENT, R
186
Somerstown
August 2nd
1819
My Lord,
I am
induced to address your Lordship as I wish to settle at the Cape of Good Hope
in my profession being a Surgeon – and wd wish to know what encouragement I wd
meet with from His Majesty’s Government for that purpose. I am an ass’t surgeon
in the Royal Navy on half pay with a wife and two children and am well
acquainted with the diseases of tropical climates, having served in
I have the honor to be my Lord with much respect
Your Lordship’s obedient humble servant
R.
KENTISH,
Thomas
236
No.7
Bethnall
Green
Dec 4th
1819
Sir,
I
have been informed that there is some wheelwrights wanted to go to the Cape if
so I particular wish to go as it is my particular wish and wifes and families
haveing 5 children the eldest 12 the youngest 2 years old, I was the first that
began to make part of the 50 ploughs at Mr. GABRIEL’s that is going to the
Cape. I understand wheelwright work in all its branches such as carts waggons
ploughs harrows barrows &c serving my apprentice in the country at
St.Albans Harts while apprentice used to go out to harvest work the month of
harvest. All wisheth to go and all in capital good health thank God ready for
embarking at a few hours notice if required.
Your most obedient humble servant
Thomas KENTISH
KERR,
William
194
August 12th
1819
My Lord,
Not
knowing the proper measures to take or mode of proceeding upon the following
occasion I have taken the liberty of addressing your Lordship thereupon. I have
been in business but owing to a change of times have lost a great deal of money
and am considerably reduced in point of circumstances hence I feel disposed to
try some other country. The asylum offered at the
If
your Lordship would be so kind as to order directions to be sent to me how to
proceed in the affair it would indeed be esteemed a very particular favour.
Waiting the pleasure of your Lordship’s direction
I remain your Lordship’s most obedient humble servant
Wm. KERR
My present residence is in the house of Mr. TAYLOR,
198
Aug 16th
1819
Sir,
Yours
of the 14th was duly received in which you refer to a printed
circular letter but where to find that letter I know not. If it were not
intruding too much on your valuable time I would request the favour of a line
to inform where that circular may be found or where I may receive information.
Your compliance will confer an additional favour on, Sir
Your most obd’t and very humble serv’t
Wm. KERR
Mr. A.TAYLOR
No.2
KEY, John
232
Nov 29th
1819
Sir,
In
consequence of settlers proceeding to the
I remain your humble servant
John KEY
KEYSER,
James
176
No.101
Fetter lane
July 24th
1819
Sir,
According
to the advertisement as a middle age man and will pay you the money in three
days notice from Monday next
I am your humble servant
Jas. KEYSER
KINDRED,
Seaman
188
3 Redman Row
Mile End Row
August 3rs
1819
The undersigned being a carpenter out of employ wishes
to emigrate to the
Seaman KINDRED
KING, John
(1) and Thomas DONAHOE
217
Baltinglass
28th
September 1819
The Memorial of John KING, Out Pensioner of the Royal
Hospital Kilmainham from 42nd Foot and Thomas DONAHOE, late of the
97th Foot
Humbly sheweth
That your Lordships memorialists, desirous of proceeding
to His Majesty’s possessions in the Cape of Good Hope as Settlers, memorialised
the Secretary at War for permission and from that department was referred to
your Lordships, and therefore humbly supplicates your Lordship will be
graciously pleased to allow them to proceed to that colony as such, submits the
whole to your favourable consideration and with impatience awaits the result.
All which is humbly submitted
By John KING
Thomas DONAHUE X his mark
KING, John
(2)
220
Bermondsey
Monday 4th
October 1819
My Lord,
Being
desirous of emigrating to the Cape of Good Hope, but as I understand the sum
voted by Parliament will not be sufficient to enable His Majesty’s Government
to send the whole of the applicants I should wish to be informed if the same
protection and grant will be given to such individuals (having the means) as
may chouse to transport themselves and 10 families, upon complying with the
terms contained in the circular. An answer as early as possible will oblige my
Lord
Your Lordships most obed’t and very humble servant
John KING
KING,
Thomas (1)
207
[Trancriber’s
Note: it is difficult to know if this is Thomas Sellom KING the 1820 Settler. Although the
address is from the same area as most of the SEPHTON Party members, Thomas Sellom KING
signed his will with an x, unlike the writer below. CO
48/69 at the National Archives, page 82, may shed some light on this. This
document refers to a visit to
St
James Clerkenwell
27 Aug 1819
Honoured
Sir
Having seen an
Advertisement from your Office respecting an offer being made to those Persons
or families who wish to go to the Cape of Good Hope as
Settlers--------------------- I have made up my mind and have got nine more
Families who wish to go with me and I will Guarantee them as to there going.
Only wait an answer from your Office with the full particulars of the concern
or Articles that we may be subject to.
Any further inquiry that you may
deem necessary to be made with the particulars as to numbers names ages and
property shall be only remitted in return of your answer to this letter.
I remain
Hon Sir
Your humble
and obedient servant
Thomas KING
KING, Thomas (2)
180
August1819
Sir,
I hope your Honner will have the goodness to send me the
circular letter on the Regulations respecting the Colony at the
Will be duly attended to. I remain with the greatest esteem your humble servant
Thomas KING
KING, William (1)
192
No.5
Great East Cheap
5 Aug 1819
Sir,
Having seen the conditions contained
in the circular in which it is proposed to permit persons to emigrate to the
Cape of Good Hope I humbly beg leave to offer myself together with the men
whose names are below, being ten in number, under such directions as it shall
please Government to issue.
We are ready to deposit the required
security and humbly hope we shall be found eligible for the gracious attention
of His Majesty’s Ministers.
I beg leave
to subscribe myself Sir
Your mo
obedt hbl svt
Mr. Wm.
KING
|
Names |
Age |
Place of Abode |
Profession |
Family |
|
Wm. KING |
29 |
No.5 |
Husbandman
farmer |
Wife 1
child |
|
James
GREENHA?? |
20 |
No.5 |
Shoemaker |
Wife 1
child |
|
Thos.
FORSTER |
23? |
No.1
Meadow |
Watchmaker |
1 child |
|
James
GROOM |
30 |
Stepney |
Bricklayer |
Wife 2
children |
|
Henry
HANCOCK |
30 |
|
Chainmaker |
|
|
William
BEWICK |
24 |
|
Husbandman |
Wife 2
children |
|
Wm. BLACK |
34 |
|
Husbandman |
Wife 1
child |
|
John
LANGFORD |
38 |
No.3 |
Joiner |
Wife 1
child |
|
Edward
ROBINSON |
23 |
|
Husbandman |
|
|
John
HERITAGE |
24 |
No.5 |
Husbandman |
|
KING, William (2)
228
11mo 7 1819
Respected
Friend Earl BATHURST
i have a
hope thou wilt excuse the liberty of writing to thee on this wise i am desirous
of going to cape of good hope if a free passage can be obtained for me if it
can be obtained i should be pleased with an answer by return of post as i wish
to know as soon as possible before i engage myself in any situation and if a
free passage can be obtained be please to say where & when i am to apply to
as i am in a situation in life not able to pay my passage over therefore i have
a hope thou wilt do the most thee can for me as i cannot attend personally at
this time
Thy well
wishing Friend
Wm. KING
Direct to
Wm.KING at J & Wm SKEVERY,
230
Rock Lodge
Tunbridge
Wells
18th
November 1819
Sir,
In
taking the liberty of presenting you with the accompanying work upon emigration
I consider it unnecessary to disclaim any idea of its increasing your knowledge
upon the subject. The few suggestions I have presumed to make have, perhaps,
already met your attention, but should it prove otherwise and that they are at
all likely to ameliorate the emigrants condition, I am well aware they need
only be observed by you to be adopted.
I have the honour to be Sir
Your most obedient very humble servant
Will’m KINGDOM Jun.
[Note from GOULBURN: Thank him for his work]
KINGDON,
Richard
182
The Vicarage
Bodmin
July 26th
1819
My Lord,
Allow
me to state to your Lordship that a number of persons in this part of the
country have emigrated to
and ewes sheep &c for the purpose of improving the
breed of those animals in the
How
far distant the port to be colonised is from Cape Town and whether the colony
will be liable to be annoyed by the Hottentots or natives of the Cape and as a
salary has been proposed for a minister for every 100 families whether any
would be granted to medical men who might be selected by a given number of
families, for there cannot exist a doubt but that men of that profession would
be most essential to the prosperity & well being of any colony or state and
I cannot see how they will be adequately remunerated but by salaries from His
Majesty’s Ministers.
An
answer to the above questions will be considered a mark of great condescension
from your Lordship and esteemed a favour. I have the honour to subscribe myself
Your Lordship’s very humb sev’t
Rich’d KINGDON
KINGSTON,
John
226
High Street
Gloucestershire
19th
Oct 1819
May it please your Lordship
My
writing to you is upon the subject of enquiring (that is) my reading in the
newspapers some time ago that there was an opening for emigration to the Cape
of Good Hope and understanding still that the opening still continues I refer
to your Lordships consideration, as I ham a Pensioner, whether I may be allowed
to emigrate or not and if I ham whether I should be allowed to sell my pension
to Government for life or whether I may have so much pension advanced to me or
not, I ham a Pensioner from the 43rd Regt of foot at 6d per day aged
35 years in bodyly health and strength. Can do husbandry but have been out of
work a long time, and I have a wife and one child therefore if your Lordship
will condscend to answer this my humble applycation and to send me the grounds
of emigration it will oblige
Your Lordships most obed’t humble serv’t
John
KINNERSLEY,
W re LIVERSAGE’s Party
211
Staffordshire
Aug 31 1819
My Lord,
A
party of ten men under the guidance of one Sam’l LIVERSAGE all residing in the Parish of
Burslem in the County of Staffordshire have requested me to apply to yr
Lordship for information as to the measures necessary for them to take to go
out as settlers to the Cape of Good Hope. On the other side is a list of them,
their families and occupations. They are all provided with the money necessary
to make the required lodgements and intend also to take out with them a supply
of tools and such necessaries as they are likely to want. From the information
which I have obtained they appear very likely to be desirable colonists.
I have the honor to be
Your Lordship’s mo ob hbl svt
W. KINNERSLEY
Sam’l
LIVERSAGE Farmer Wife and 3 children under 14 years
Rich’d
FORRESTER Wheelwright Wife and 3 children under 14 years
Jas. CLARK Blacksmith Wife and 3 children under 14 years
Thos.
MANDLEY Brickmaker Wife and 7 children under 14 years
George NICKLENSON Labourer Wife and 2 children under 14 years
Thos. ROBINSON Labourer Single
Matt LOWE Labourer Single
Jas, FORRESTER Labourer Single
Philip HARPER Carpenter Wife
Sam’l EARDLEY Labourer Wife and two children under 14 years
Care of W. KINNERSLEY
Staffordhsire
KNOLD,
William
167
10 Lamby
Street
16 July 1819
Sir,
I am
by profession a miller and farmer aged 30 with a wife and two children wishing
to emigrate to the
I am Sir your humble obedient servant
William KNOLD
KNOTT,
Robert Rowe
173
Whitstable
Near
July 22 1819
My Lord,
Having
seen through the medium of newspapers that Government is very desirous of
prosecuting an emigration from this country to the Cape of Good Hope; and
hearing at the same time that clergymen are to be selected to accompany it, I
have taken the liberty of addressing your Lordship, which I trust will be
pardoned when I say that I am entirely ignorant of any other more proper
channel of application to your Lordship.
I am
a young man of twenty three years of age, of St. John’s College Cambridge who
has taken the degree of A.B. last June and being no less anxious of entering
into Holy Orders than to visit a foreign country I humbly offer myself to your
Lordship’s attention for the purpose of obtaining a situation either as a
clergyman at the Cape or in what capacity soever your Lordship may deem me
worthy of. I can provide testimonials of character &c from my college and
from the neighbourhood in which I live signed by the surrounding clergy. If
your Lordship will deign to give me an answer stating whether or no I have any
chance of preferment in my wished for profession at the
Your Lordship’s most respectful, humble & most
obedient servant
Robt. Rowe KNOTT
PS I will take upon me to say that I think myself
prepared at this moment to pass an examination for Orders.
KOLBE,
George Augustus
215
Sept 23 1819
Hon’d Sir,
From
yours of the 28th I understand that 10 individuals must at least
offer themselves to Government. Excuse the liberty I take and the trouble which
I occasion you, but Sir could you inform me my best way of proceeding to the
Your grateful humble & obed’t serv’t
G.A. KOLBE
MACKINNON, N
(filed under K)
165
Sir,
I
have been applied to by a friend of mine, a Mr. McLEOD in the north of
Scotland, to ascertain what encouragement if any was given by Government to
such persons as were inclined to emigrate to the Cape of Good Hope, what
quantity of ground and what pat of the Colony such ground would be granted to
individuals inclined to remove there. I allude only to Gentlemen in private
life, but for my own information I would feel obliged for any distinction if
there is any regarding officers who might wish to go to that country. I called
at the Colonial Office last Saturday and was directed to apply by letter to you
on this subject which I now have the honor of doing and your answer left at the
Bar of the Cannon Coffee House will duly reach me.
I have the honor to be Sir
Your most obt serv’t
N. MACKINNON
Capt. 93rd Regt
McKENZIE,
Archibald (filed under K)
184
Mint Square
Southwark
27th
July 1819
Honoured Sir,
Having
been informed that it is the intention of His Majesty’s Government to give
encouragement to those who wish to emigrate to the
My
family consists of a wife and four children, two sons and two daughters. My age
is thirty six years, my present object is to become cultivator if you will have
the goodness to cause a circular to be sent to the annexed address, I shall
them give the most respectable refferences as to character &c
I am Sir your most obed’t humble serv’t
Arch’d McKENZIE
McKENZIE,
T.H. (filed under K)
202
Kyleakin
By Lochalsh
17th Aug 1819
My Lord,
In
consequence of the encouragement held out by Government to settlers to the
I have the honour to remain
Your Lordship’s most obedient and most humble servant
T.H. McKENZIE