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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.

FIELDING, Mark Stephen

Written by Sue Mackay on .

National Archives, Kew CO48/43, 144

Sidlesham

near Chichester

Sussex

July 28, 1819

My Lord

I hope no offence but with every due respect I make bold to address you these lines from an advertisement which appeared in newspapers of an encouragement being held out for settlers to emigrate to the Cape of Good Hope.

I am a surgeon who from misfortunes have been reduced, and would be very happy to become a settler if government would allow me a sallery for a certain number of years, as remuneration for my medical services to those of the settlers. Now my lord, with every due submission I beg leave to intrude on your time by giving statement how I have been variously employed. In the year 1802 I was surgeon of the Perseus convict ship with prisoners, troops and settlers to New South Wales, and in the year 1803 I was surgeon of the Coromandel convict ship to the same place, and from the general good state of health, the prisoners were landed, never having any deaths in the two voyages. I received from the late Governor KING two very handsome certificates which enabled me to receive the communication offered me in my instructions which I received from the office of the Secretary of State in the year 1807. I was appointed in Bengal to the medical charge of 200 Chinese as settlers to the island of Trinidad in the West Indies. In the truth of this assertion I can provide the whole of my documents of past services.

I have the honour to be My Lord

most respectfully your very obedient servant

Mark Stephen FIELDING

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