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.

MATTHEWS, Absalom

Written by Sue Mackay on 04 April 2015.

National Archives, Kew CO48/44, 585

No.5 Cherry Tree Alley

White Horse Court

White Cross St.

St.Luke's

Aug 11^th 1819

Sir,

I have hered several inegents of the cape of good hope and as I have got a great inclinenation of going yet I should wish to know upon what foundation I am to enter on as I have no mony to deposit as I have lernt it is required. I are a lapidary and bead worker by trade I have been out of work some time I have a wife and one child a year and a half old and my wife expect to lay in every day my wife is the age of eight and twenty and my age is four and twenty and in good health and I wish to have an answer that will give me more inteligents wich I hope will prove to my satisfaction.

I remain your most humble servant

Absalom MATTHEWS

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