GRIFFITH, Valentine, 1820 Settler

National Archives, Kew CO48/43, 373

[To the Rev.G.A.EVANS

Magistrate for the County of Montgomery]

Newtown

August 19^th 1819

Sir,

Wishing to avail myself of the encouragement given by Government to emigrate to the Cape of Good Hope I beg leave to acquaint you that there are twenty able bodied individuals anxious to emigrate to the Cape of Good Hope and that I am willing to deposit ten pounds per man agreeable to the circular of July 1819. I have therefore to request that you will have the goodness to make such necessary application to the Right Honourable Lord BATHURST as may obtain for us the indulgence of being permitted a free passage to such part of the Cape as is intended to be colonized.

I have further to add that I have been engaged in practical agriculture for these last two years and possess for the purpose of emigration the sum of one thousand pounds and that I and twenty individuals are willing to conform to such regulations and conditions as the Government may require.

I am Sir your most obedient humble servant

Valentine GRIFFITH

1^st Lieut. R. Marines Half Pay

National Archives, Kew CO48/43, 375

[from G.A.EVANS to Lord BATHURST]

Newtown

19 August 1819

My Lord.

I beg leave to forward to your Lordship the application of an individual of character and merit, whose father after forty years service in the Royal Marines died in October last, leaving a large family unprovided for; and I have to solicit your Lordship's compliance with the request contained therein, which should your Lordship be pleased to grant will afford a reasonable prospect of support to a numerous and deserving family.

I have the honour to be my Lord

Your most obed't serv't

G.A.EVANS

One of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the County of Montgomery

National Archives, Kew CO48/43, 445

Ty'n y Coed Cottage

Near Newtown

Montgomeryshire

Oct 6^th 1819

Sir,

I and my brother being subalterns in the Royal Marines and accompanied by one army pensioner and a naval female pensioner included in the twenty able bodied individuals permitted to proceed to the Cape of Good Hope, I have to request you will be pleased to transmit to me a fourth list agreeable to the instructions contained in Lord BATHURST's letter accepting our offer, and have the honor to be Sir

Your most obedient humble servant

Valentine GRIFFITH

National Archives, Kew CO48/43, 465

Newtown

Montgomeryshire

October 13 1819

Sir,

I have enclosed you my lists agreeable to the printed particulars. The names of my family of three orphan sisters are inserted as well as well as that of my youngest brother as a surgeon attached to the Navy. I rely upon your kindnesses given by directing every accommodation that the circumstances will admit for the reception of my family on board the transport when we embark from Liverpool. Permit me further to solicit the honor that you will place before Lord BATHURST for his indulgent consideration that my late father devoted 40 years in His Majesty's Service, that his two eldest sons have served 12 and 16 years each as subaltern officers and bear the highest testimonials as to character and a devoted loyalty to their King and country. They hope to be found individuals to merit the confidence of his Lordship by recommending them to the notice of the Governor of the Colony for their future advantage by any military or civil appointments to be conferred in the new settlements.

I have the honor to be Sir

Your most obedient humble servant

V. GRIFFITH

National Archives, Kew CO48/43, 522

Liverpool

December 21^st 1819

Sir,

I have the honor to transmit to you the letter and report to General Lord SOMERSET in compliance with your directions received yesterday.

I regret extremely that I am under the necessity of again presenting the lists accompanied with an unavoidable alteration, and I must therefore solicit your indulgence for this additional trouble, as it has originated chiefly from the situation of the ‘Stentor' lying in the Docks until this day and there not being accommodation for the people to be on board, in consequence of the regulations of the fleet not permitting [tie?] or lights and the ship's deck being camp for them to sleep in on board.

The circumstances have [resolved?] five to withdraw, but I have supplied their places by five equally eligible and conformable to the regulation prescribed by the number of the former list.

I request you will be pleased to obtain Lord BATHURST's permission for my brother & self to embark on board the ‘Stentor' a brace of valuable dogs each, having conveyed them to this port at considerable expence, and their water & provisions we will provide for during the voyage.

I have the honor to be Sir

Your most obedient humble servant

Valentine GRIFFITH

National Archives, Kew CO48/43, 526

31 December 1819

Sir,

I had the honor to receive today the communication of Lord BATHURST's sanction to the corrected lists and the letter to General Lord SOMERSET.

I request that you will be pleased to obtain my Lord BATHURST's direction that I may be allowed to embark on board the Stentor fifteen riffles and one hundred pounds of gunpowder from this port for the use of the settlers under my direction.

And I hope you will pardon my again trespassing upon your indulgence in drawing your attention to the subject of the embarkation of dogs, as I beg leave to represent there is only one Director besides myself on board the ship who seems desirous to avail himself of a similar indulgence and we will with the greatest pleasure find water & provision for their voyage; at the same time I humbly submit a copy of a letter from the Agent of Transport communicating the Navy Board instruction on that head, being an answer to a letter on that subject.

I have the honor to be Sir

Your most obedient humble servant

Valentine GRIFFITH

NB it is not the intention of myself or the settlers to take out livestock of any kind as the Captain provides a ship for the Directors.

[enclosed letter]

Liverpool

December 28^th 1819

Gentlemen,

In reply to your letter of the 12^th inst I beg leave to copy an abstract of a letter I have this day received from the Navy Board, dated Navy Office 18 Decr.

“The settlers are not to be allowed to embark arms or gunpowder without an order from the Secretary of State for which it is requisite that they should apply. No dogs are to be allowed to be embarked unless the parties obtain an order from the Secretary of State for the purpose and in that case they must put on board water for them for 84 days at their own expence.”

By making proper application I have not the least doubt but your wish will be accomplished. I have the honor to be Gentlemen

Your obedient humble servant

Charles CHURCH

Lt RN, Agent for Transport