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

pre 1820 Settler Correspondence before emigration

ALL the 1819 correspondence from CO48/41 through CO48/46 has been transcribed whether or not the writers emigrated to the Cape. Those written by people who did become settlers, as listed in "The Settler Handbook" by M.D. Nash (Chameleon Press 1987), are labelled 1820 Settler and the names of actual settlers in the text appear in red.

BUNN, T (re Frome settlers)

National Archives, Kew CO48/41, 453-457

Frome, Somersetshire

30 Aug 1819

Sir,

I inclose a list of more than fifty persons who desire to be colonists at the Cape of Good Hope if approved by Government. This Town contains about ten thousand inhabitants, many of whom are out of employ, and I apprehend you will approve if the emigration of a part of them in some proportion to the number who emigrate from other places.

The enquirers will be most obliged if you favour them with answers to such of the questions on the other side as you may think proper to reply to. They attend again Monday the sixth of September and if it does not suit your convenience to write so soon they will come again the Monday following.

A very few of those who can advance ten pounds can advance a larger sum. When I am favoured with your answer I shall apply to the parish to advance for others.

I am Sir your humble servant

T. BUNN

Is the person to be placed at the head of ten or more individuals to receive the grant of 1000 or more acres? Or will the acres be granted to each individual?

Will the captain of ten be entitled to any priviledge or authority? Is he to be elected by the parties themselves? Will he be summoned to London to receive instructions?

Will the pensioners continue to receive their pensions? Will any part of this pension be advanced to enable them to go?

Will any provision be made for subsistence on their arrival, besides the return of the ten pounds? Or for taking them from their landing place to their intended residence? Or for furnishing them with seeds and tools?

[hole in paper] are they to attend....to embark?

 

Name
Age
Years
Residence Occupation Wife Children
Age
Years
Money
£:s:d
Remarks
Charles HIGHMAN [sic] 21 Broadway, Frome Labourer wife none   10  
William HICKMAN 18 Chapmanslade, Wilts Carpenter none none   5  
James THATCHER 34 Leys, Fromefield, Frome Labourer wife Susanna THATCHER 8    
          Mary Ann 4 5  
          James 3    
          Eliza 2    
John GOODLAND 27 Vicarage Street, Frome Labourer wife Mary GOODLAND 6    
          Charlotte 3 none belongs to Rodden parish
          James 1    
Charles HIGHMAN   Standerwick Weaver & Bookseller none none   10  
Nathaniel WATTS 28 Trooper Street, Frome Carpenter wife Eliza WATTS 12    
          George

10 

 

5  
          Thomas    
          Joseph    
John CHAPMAN 26 Heyford, Frome Carpenter wife Lucy CHAPMAN 5  
Francis WATTS 27 Vicarage Street, Frome Clothworker wife Charles WATTS 10 none a Pensioner
Joshua HAMMOND 37 Union Street, Frome Clothworker wife Frederick HAMMOND 10 none belongs to Shepton Mallett parish
William POPE 30 New buildings, Frome Sawyer wife Mary Ann POPE 2½  5  
          Elizabeth ½      
John CURTIS 18 Broadway, Frome Weaver none none -    
Joseph WEAKLEY 27 Cox's Hill, Frome Gardener wife Mary WEAKLEY    
          Joseph 10  
          John    
Thomas PAINE 22 Fromefield, Frome Labourer none none - none  
William HIGHMAN [sic] 16 Broadway, Frome Clothworker none none - none belongs to Berkley parish
Joseph JENKINS 19 Vicarage Street, Frome Clothworker none none - none  
James CRADDON 26 Bridge, Frome Cooper & Lath Maker none none - 10  
James COOMBS 22 Morgan's Lane, Frome Clothworker wife James COOMBS 2½  none  
          Henry ½     
William GILBERT 18 Lower Heyford, Frome Weaver none none - none  
Joseph HILL 23 New buildings, Frome Weaver wife James HILL 2½  5  
          Ann 1       
James WALLIS 25 New buildings, Frome Weaver none none - none  
John WEBB 25 New buildings, Frome Clothworker wife Emily WEBB 5  
          Elizabeth Ann    
Daniel FARLEY 28 Cox's Hill, Frome Labourer wife William FARLEY   a Pensioner belongs to Heytesbury Wilts
          Sarah none Pension £11 per year
          Joseph    
James COLLEDGE 35 Long Row, Frome Clothworker wife James COLLEDGE 10  none a Pensioner
          John    
Charles KING 18 Lower Heyford, Frome Mason none none - none  
John SHEENE 19 Long Row, Frome Clothworker none none - none  
Samuel DAINTON 23 King Street, Frome Tinman wife none - 7  
William BURGESS 22 Butts, Frome Weaver wife none - 5  
Thomas WILKINS 16 Blunt Street, Frome Weaver none none - none  
William SPARROW 22 Grope Lane, Frome Weaver wife none - none  
Thomas MADDOX 33 Dilton Marsh, Wilts Labourer wife none - none  
Alexander HILLMAN 26 Naish's Street, Frome Weaver wife none - 5  
Josiah YOUNG 22 Button Street, Frome Weaver none none - none  
James BENNETT 19 New buildings, Frome Weaver [obscured] none - none  
Daniel WATTS 18 Vicarage Street, Frome Clothworker wife none - 5  
Robert WATTS 24 Dilton's Marsh, Wilts Labourer none none - 10  
James FERRIS 38 Dilton's Marsh, Wilts Labourer wife none - 10  
George RICHARDS 40 Vicarage Street, Frome Labourer none none - none  
James BALL 25 Naish's Street, Frome Shoemaker wife John BALL 2 2  
          Thomas BALL ½    
William DICKS 29 New buildings, Frome Weaver none none - none belongs to Shepton Mallett parish
James BAKER 17 Bridge Street, Frome Twine Maker none none - none  
William CLIFFORD 34 Butts, Frome Labourer wife Sarah CLIFFORD 13 7 Greenwich Pensioner £5:8 per year
John COULSTONE 32 Butts, Frome Labourer wife Elizabeth COULSTONE   Pensioner 1/-per day
          Ann 10  
          John    
Caleb LONG 35 Whatley, Somerset Labourer wife none - none Pensioner 9d per day
Henry DENHAM 18 Troopers Street, Frome Clothworker none none - none  
John ELLIOTT 29 Vicarage Street, Frome Clothworker wife none - none  
Charles BLANNING 18 Cottles Oak, Frome Weaver none none - none  
John BISHOP 21 Broadway, Frome Clothworker wife Eliza BISHOP ¼ none  
William JENKINS 17 Vicarage Street, Frome Clothworker none none - none  
Michael PARROTT 18 Feltham, near Frome Labourer none none - none  
Enos HAND 22 Bridge Street, Frome Plaisterer & Tiler none none - 10  
Gilbert PARSONS 22 Broadway, Frome Tailor none none - none  
James STAR 30 Broadway, Frome Weaver wife none - none  
Benjamin PENNY 26 Vicarage Street, Frome Weaver none none - none  
James RUDDOCK 24 Union Street, Frome Clothworker   Jonathan RUDDOCK 2½  none belongs to Shepton Mallett parish
          Joseph ¼      
Richard HILL 19 New buildings, Frome Weaver none none - none  
Stephen BOURNE 39 Keyford, Frome
Baker, Farmer 
& Carpenter
wife Stephen BOURNE 12 15
Has served in King's and parish office and can obtain a recommendation from several Nobles and Gentlemen & should there be a vacancy for any such office would not object to fill it
Benjamin SPAREY 35 Butts, Frome Labourer wife Sealey SPAREY 15    belongs to Sutton parish, Wilts
          Sophia 14     
          Caroline 12  none  
          Eliza 5      
          Elizabeth 3      
          Benjamin 1      
George MAGGS 19 Horningsham, Wilts Labourer none none - 5  
David LEAR 28 Naish's Street, Frome Weaver wife Harriet LEAR 2 3 belongs to the parish of Mary Magdalen, Taunton
William THATCHER 33 Mount Pleasant, Frome Labourer wife Joseph THATCHER 14     
          Mary 12     
          Harriet 10     
          Samuel 8   10  
          John 5      
          James 3      
          William ¼      

[Further details of Charles HYMAN, Daniel FARLEY and Joseph WEAKLEY can be found under HYMAN's Party.]

 

article_separator

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/41, 523

Frome, 23 Sept 1819

Sir,

Mr. BOURNE, whose list of colonists I inclose, has desired me to say that he is ready to conform to all the regulations expressed in the letter with which you favoured me, and respectfully requests to be informed whether his proposal of going to the Cape of Good Hope is accepted? where and when the money is to be deposited? and when and where he and his party are to embark?

I have no connection with these people but have merely assisted them to obtain the aid which the good intentions of Government have provided.

I am Sir your humble servant

T. BUNN

[ BOURNE's return is filed here]

 

article_separator

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/41, 546/548

Frome 27th Sept 1819

Sir,

I enclose a second list of intended colonists at the Cape of Good Hope which has been brought to me that I might transmit it for approbation of Government

I am Sir your humble servant

T. BUNN

Beckington, Somerset 22 September 1819

Name and Description of the Person taking out the Settlers:

Philip PINNOCK, Farmer 32

Elizabeth PINNOCK 26

Henrietta PINNOCK their daughter aged 3

Joseph PINNOCK their son aged 1

Names of the Settlers

Profession or Trade

Age

Names of the Women

Age

Male Children

Age

Female Children

Age

Thomas TAYLOR

Mason

37

[obscured] TAYLOR
his wife
36
 
 
Martha TAYLOR
7

Henry BATFORD

Mason

20

[obscured] BATFORD
his wife
29
 
 
Tobias BATFORD
Sarah BATFORD
4
¼

William TURNER

Mason

24

[obscured] TURNER
his wife
25
Charles TURNER
2
Ann TURNER
4

Daniel FARLEY

Labour

28

Elizabeth FARLEY
his wife
27
Wm FARLEY
James FARLEY
5
2
Sarah FARLEY
3

James JENNINGS

Labour

28

[obscured] JENNINGS
his wife
37
Benjamin JENNINGS
3
 
 

Ambrose NICKLOS

Labour

28

[obscured] NICKLOS
his wife
24
George NICKLOS
3
 
 

John TUCKER

Labour

26

[obscured] TUCKER
his wife
22
John TUCKER
1
 
 

William ADLAM

Labour

19

           

Isaac NICKLOS

Labour

25

[obscured] NICKLOS
his wife
30
Seward NICKLOS
1
Jane NICKLOS
2

John BARRITT

Farmer

34

[obscured] BARRITT
his wife
35
John BARRITT
18
Mary BARRITT
Betty BARRITT

7

3

Thomas WARREN

Gardener

43

Mary WARREN
his wife
39
James WARREN
16
 
 

John HAND

Mason

28

           

We whose names are hereto under scribed do certify that the abovementioned Philip PINNOCK is a proper person to take out the colonists.

William HENDERSON

John BICKFORD

Overseers, Beckington

 

article_separator

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/41, 574

Frome 1 Oct 1819

Sir,

I now inclose a third list of intended colonists to the Cape of Good Hope. These people on the within list are volunteers, but are to have the required payment made by the parish. I beg leave to refer to my letter of the 23rd Sept last for the enquiries which the colonists are desirous to make.

I am Sir your humble servant

T. BUNN

 

article_separator

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/41, 619

Frome, October 1819

Sir,

In the letter in which I inclosed Mr. Stephen BOURNE's list of settlers at the Cape of Good Hope I stated that I had no connection with these people but only assisted them in forwarding their application, or to that effect, otherwise it would have given me more pain to represent what follows.

There are few persons who desire to leave England without having some cause of uneasiness, but it seems Stephen BOURNE was in debt and about ten days ago was arrested and is now in the gaol at Dorchester. He has expressed a willingness that another leader should be chosen, and the men, having families and having disposed of part of their property, are very anxious to proceed. Under the circumstances they have chosen a leader and have inserted some new [names] in the room of some who were unwilling to go and on their behalf I return the list filled up and submit the whole new form to Lord BATHURST

I am Sir your humble servant

T. BUNN

 

article_separator

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/41, 620

Frome, Somersetshire

Those whose names are hereto subscribed do hereby certify that John COLSTON aged 32 years, late serjeant in the sixty sixth Regiment of Foot, is a proper person to take out a party of colonists to the Cape of Good Hope.

Dated this seventh day of October 1819

Richard WILLOUGHBY

Wm. ROSSITER

Churchwardens

J. DUDDEN

Isaac RAWLINGS

Overseers

 

article_separator

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/41, 736

Frome, 3rd December 1819

Sir,

I am obliged for the notice you favoured me with respecting COLSTON's deposit money. BOURNE, the first Captain of this party, was imprisoned for debt. You permitted them to choose another leader and afterwards COLSTON, who is one of the pensioners called out on account of the late disturbances, deserted his party to join his regiment, leaving some of the families who had sold their effects in the greatest wretchedness. After this second failure I became ashamed of continuing the correspondence, lest you should impute any blame to me, though I have only endeavoured to assist the lower classes, who suffer from the failure of trade, in any manner which the Government approved.

I advised the disappointed people to join another party instead of some who had withdrawn themselves, which I believe they have done.

I am Sir your humble servant

T. BUNN

  • Hits: 8055