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.

LEACH, Charles, 1820 Settler

Written by Sue Mackay on .

National Archives, Kew CO48/44, 291

Cottage Poplar

Near the East India Docks

August 1st 1819

Sir,

Your petitioner Charles LEACH is a native of England born in Reading in Berkshire aged 39, Understands a great part of the Art of Agriculture.

Your petitioner has been near Eighteen years in His Majesty's Naval Service and is a Pensioner of Greenwich Hospitall at eleven pounds a year, have no family, Buried my wife fifteen months ago through which and Other Misfortunes and for want of Employ am Drove to Great Distress.

Sir your petitioner understanding there is an Oportunity open to such Persons as wish to Aply for Leave to Emigrate to the Cape of Good Hope, therefore your petitioner humbly Beggs Leave and hopes he will be allowed to be one. Sir should this meet with your Aprobation your petitioner will ever pray.

Transcriber's Note: Supposedly emigrated as a private settler in NIGHTINGALE's Party on the Amphitrite – but see 1820 correspondence of his brother Richard LEACH, which seems to indicate that he died just before sailing]

  • Hits: 7021