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

Correspondence 1821 to 1837.

Here only letters by known settlers or their families, or letters of great relevance to the 1820 settlers, have been transcribed, whereas ALL the 1819 correspondence was transcribed (see CO48/41 through CO48/46) whether or not the writers emigrated to the Cape.

Unless otherwise stated letters were written to either the Secretary of State for the Colonies or his deputy.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. 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.

BREEZE, Charles, 1824

Written by Sue Mackay on .

National Archives, Kew, CO48/67, 9

Graham's Town

District of Albany

South Africa

March 19th 1824

The Memorial of Charles BREEZE most humbly sheweth

That your Memorialist impressed with gratitude for your former kindness and for which he cannot sufficiently express his obligation begs leave to lay before you a brief statement of his situation, under a deep impression that your goodness, of which he has so repeatedly experienced, will incline you on the present occasion to relieve him from some of those difficulties under which he is at present labouring.

That your Memorialist was located at the distance of eleven miles from Graham's Town and about two from the Estate of Major PIGOT and in addition to the inconveniences arising from the disposition of the party to which he belongs he (Memorialist) has suffered very seriously in the loss of his cattle by the depredations of those sable enemies, the Caffres, and although you may have probably heard (for we ourselves are astonished at the excessive licentiousness of the press) that “the settlers are fully remunerated for the losses they have thereby sustained” he assures you in the most solemn and deliberate manner that such is unfortunately not the case, and himself and a multitude of British settlers are still suffering under the sad and lamentable effects thereof, in the non increase of their cattle stock, which is of great loss, and the want of milk which in consequence has abounded among them and Memorialist felt it most severely when in addition to this unredressed affliction the frowns of divine providence swept away the prospects of successive harvests and himself and his wife were left in their solitary habitation during the whole of three months with nothing save a small portion of rice.

That your Memorialist is perfectly satisfied with the climate of this colony, together with its general appearance, and is ready to pronounce the highest eloquim on the salutary effects of its atmosphere to European constitutions, but one hundred acres of land here is not sufficient for a grazing farm, if a family is to be supported thereby, and therefore he humbly prays that you will be pleased in your accustomed goodness and clemency to interpose in his behalf for an additional grant and place him in a farm equal in extent to his Dutch neighbours, as near to Graham's Town or the mouth of the Kowie as possible, or an erf in Graham's Town, and your Memorialist as in duty bound will ever pray.

Chas. BREEZE

PS If time and a multiplicity of engagements should have erased the humble name of Memorialist from your memory he begs to state that he has voted for you twice but that if you will please to enquire of William KINNERSLEY Esquire he flatters himself to be soon restored to your recollection.

  • Hits: 5848