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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.

BASKER, Edward

Written by Sue Mackay on .

National Archives, Kew CO48/41, 342/343

Bristol 10th August 1819

Sir,

Understanding that Government has in view a project for encouraging the emigration of our industrious but necessitous countrymen to the Cape of Good Hope, and having learnt that all applications from individuals wishing to take advantage of this laudable offer should be made to you, I take the liberty therefore of thus applying for instructions as to the manner in which I might obtain a passage to the above mentioned place of settlement and I most earnestly hope that altho' a stranger to you my name may be included in the list of those whom you have already selected.

It may be necessary to state that I am a young single man extremely anxious to obtain my livelihood by industry, have a good constitution and having resided for some months at a farm house am enabled pretty well to undertake the duties of husbandry.

I take the liberty of requesting an early answer and have the honour to be Sir

Your very obt hum svt

Edward BASKER

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