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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.

EGLINGTON, John

Written by Sue Mackay on .

National Archives, Kew CO48/43, 19

No. 12 Contentment Place

Turner Square

Hoxton Old Town

July 20th 1819

Sir,

Having applied at the Secretary of State's office for information respecting the emigration of persons from England to the Cape of Good Hope, and being referred to you, I have taken the liberty to address you on the subject.

I am a young man, and have hitherto been employed in the printing business as compositor, but, from the later introduction of the steam engines and stereotype, the employment has so much decreased as not at present to furnish sufficient for much more than half of the persons now in the profession; under these circumstances, I have lately been endeavouring to find some way of ensuring a more certain livelihood, and seeing an account of the offer of Government to enable persons to settle at the Cape of Good Hope, I should be glad to be informed of the particulars and terms, that I might, if the plan should suit me, embrace it in order to provide for the future.

An answer directed as above will confer a particular obligation on Sir Your humble servant

John EGLINGTON

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