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GSSA
The 1820 Settler Correspondence
 as preserved in the National Archives, Kew
 and edited by Sue Mackay

Additonal Information

This is pre 1820 information mainly taken from actual images of UK parish registers and other primary sources which I have personally researched. Further information about the settlers and their families once they reached the Cape can be found at https://www.1820settlers.com/

Sue Mackay

WRIGHT, William and Benjamin - Extra Data

Written by Sue Mackay on .

 

(member's of TURVEY's Party)

 

Death Notice (Cape Archives) for William says that he was born in Dublin, the son of Benjamin and Julia WRIGHT.

 

His mother Julia  later married Edward TURVEY, leader of TURVEY's Party.

From original image at http://churchrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/

Edward TURVEY married Julia WRIGHT, widow, 4 February 1805 in St.Mary's, Dublin

["Alias BOLTON" has been written in ink in the margin of the marriage record. Many sources in South Africa say that Julia's maiden name was DANIEL, and that she was the sister of Peter Clarke and Sampson DANIEL, who also emigrated in TURVEY's Party. Research by Dr. David GREATHEAD, however, says that Julia's maiden name was BOLTON, and she married Benjamin WRIGHT, a Quaker, at the age of 15.

 

Irish Marriage Licence Index [orginal marriage entry can be viewed in Betham Genealogical Extracts on Findmypast]

 

Benjamin WRIGHT of the City of Dublin, merchant, married Julia BOLTON, of the parish of St.Bridget, Dublin, 20 Feb'y 1792.

 

Proof that Julia TURVEY was formerly the wife of Benjamin WRIGHT and the daughter of William BOLTON of Ballinvalley and his wife Mary LYNDON, can be found in property deeds housed at the Irish Deeds Registry, Henrietta Street, Dublin. Further information on the BOLTON family can be found in "The BOLTON Family of County Wexford, Ireland" by Adrian CARDELL and Elizabeth NICHOLLS, or see page on Edward TURVEY.

 

Benjamin WRIGHT was the son of John WRIGHT and Abigail SMITHSON. Irish Quaker records say Abigail SMITHSON was baptised on 30 November 1733, the daughter of Joseph SMITHSON of Ballintore, County Wexford, and Abigail THOMPSON, of Castletown, County Carlow. This seems a plausible line of descent as SMITHSON was given as a middle name to Benjamin and Julia's son, John Smithson WRIGHT (brother to settlers William and Benjamin). The settler Benjamin WRIGHT and his wife Eleanor BRADFIELD also had a son, John Smithson WRIGHT, born at the Cape in 1826, as well as a daughter Abigail in 1825. 

Quaker records also show that Benjamin WRIGHT was born on the 9th December 1769, the eighth of twelve children born to John WRIGHT (son of John WRIGHT of Ballinclay) and Abigail SMITHSON. John WRIGHT of Ballinclay (son of Thos. WRIGHT) married Margaret HILL of Ballinclay and their son John (Benjamin's father) was born on 23rd February 1731.

 

Somerset Archives

 

William WRIGHT, bachelor, married Rosa AYLIFFE, widow, on 8 April 1816 in St.Swithin's, Walcot, Somerset

Both signed

Witnesses: Edw. and Julia TURVEY 

 [Walcot is a suburb of the City of Bath]

 

Rosa's Death Notice (Cape Archives) shows that her maiden name was STRATFORD and that she was born in Cork, Ireland.

Her first husband was James AYLIFFE, by whom she had a daughter Emily, baptised in St.Swithin, Walcot on 17th April 1814, and buried on 30 April 1818 in St.Mary's, Bathwick, Somerset. James AYLIFFE was buried in St.Mary's, Bathwick on 22 September 1814, aged 22.

 

Lancashire Archives

 

Martha, daughter of William and Rosa WRIGHT, late STRATFORD, was born on the 2nd day of April 1817 in the Parish of Liverpool in the County of Lancaster; baptized on the 4th day of May 1817 in Brunswick Wesleyan Chapel, Moss Street, Liverpool.

 

 

 

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