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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.

TAYLOR, John (1) (CLARK's Party), 1820 Settler

Written by Sue Mackay on .

National Archives, Kew CO48/46, 41

Ratcliff Highway

24th July 1819

Sir,

We having seen your printed form and being desirous to go to the Cape of good hope, beg to solicit you to have the goodness to inform us the following questions.

1. Can we three families have our allotments of one hundred acres each near to each other

2. After depositing ten pounds each in your possession are we suffered to take the remainder of our property an[d] utensals or confined to any other regulation

3. You mention we are to go out in November in order to be there in the planting season. Will our government provide us with utensals and sufficient seed or with live stock to enable us to cultivate the land.

4. On our landing at the Cape does government convey us to the place of settlement together with our families and other necessaries that we take out – and are there [huts] or houses provided to keep us from the inclemency of the weather.

Our names and addresses are as follows:

John TAYLOR, 21 Christian Street, St.Georges East, Wife and one Boy 8 years of age

John FELL*, 39 Ratcliff Highway, St.Georges East, Wife 2 Boys 1 Girl under 14 years of age

Henry MARSHALL 13 Walton Place Schoolhouse Lane, Ratcliff, Wife One Boy and One Girl

Sir, your favouring us with an early ans'r will ever oblige

Your most obed't and humble servants

John TAYLOR

Henry MARSHALL

John FELL

*[Transcriber's Note: John FELL is not listed in The Settler Handbook but appears in Hockly's ‘Story of the British Settlers of 1820' as a member of CLARK's Party along with John TAYLOR and Henry MARSHALL. His age is given as 37 with wife Jane FELL (39) and children Jane (11), John (9) and William (6)

 

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National Archives, Kew CO48/46, 63

21 Christian Street

St.Georges East

Aug 4 1819

Sir,

I beg to return you my sincere thanks for the kind attention you paid to my letter of the 24th ultimo, likewise to inform you that I received yours of the 3rd instant, and will feel ever grateful if you have the goodness to lay the enclosed before my Lord BATHURST in order that I may have as much time as possible to arrange my affairs, should I be so fortunate to be suffered by His Lordship and my Government to emigrate to the Cape of Good Hope. Your compliance Sir will ever oblige

Your most obed't humble serv't

John TAYLOR

 

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National Archives, Kew CO48/46, 92

21 Christian Street

St.Georges East

[Received Aug 18 1819]

Sir,

I am fearful there is some mistake respecting my letter to Earl BATHURST I enclosed in one to you of the 4th inst, as you have forwarded me the same circular I answered before.

I beg Sir to inform you that I am fully prepared with every requisite that the Government requires, agreeable to the instructions laid down in the circular, and only waiting for your appointment. You'll perceive as follows the names, addresses, ages and the particulars of each families. Your ansr Sir will ever oblige

Your most obed't humble serv't

John TAYLOR

Names

Residence

Age

Wife
No.
Child'n

Male

Ages

Female

Ages

John FELL

39 Ratcliff Highway

34

34

3

2

6/9

1

12

Henry MARSHALL

13 Warton Place Ratcliff

28

34

2

1

3

1

1

William WHEAT

28 Church Rd, Commercial Rd

34

33

5

1

7

4

1/3/4/13

Thomas WILLIAMS

14 Foxes Lane Shadwell

21

Single

          

John HUBBARD

6 John St, Limehouse Fields

35

37

3

2

1/9

1

12

William ROBINSON

4 Goulston St, White Chaple

39

Single

          

Thomas CHANDLER

4 Bear Ally, Fleet Street

27

24

2

2

2/4

    

Robt Horatio WARDER

Bishopgate Street

21

21

          

John James MORGAN

9 York St, Commercial Road

23

Single

          

William.Fredric POOL

17 Bedford Pl, Commercial Rd

25

21

          

William WENTWORTH

99 Wapping High Street

34

25

2

2

6/13

    

John BAUMSTER

44 High Street Shadwell

34

Single

          

Philip THOMPSON

19 Water Lane, Tower Street

22

Single

          

John Anthony ROWLAND

9 Plum Tree St, Bloomsbury

23

Single

          

John HESELTINE

7 Gun Lane, Limehouse

27

24

2

1

1

1

3

 

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National Archives, Kew CO48/46, 135

21 Christian Street

St.Georges East

4th October 1819

My Lord,

By your Lordships orders I received I received a letter from Henry GOULBURN Esq dated the 30th ult in which your Lordship states its not advisable to accept of my proposal – my Lord in my last letter to your Lordship I stated I was in every respect willing and in sercumstances to conform to your Lordship's and government's directions and comply to everything laid down in the circular.

I am very much inconvenienced in consequence of your Lordship's not accepting me as I have been obliged to assist those persons whome I meant to take out with the means of support – they as well as myself fully dependent upon the appointment.

Therefore I take the liberty to state to your Lordship that if you'll be pleased to grant the land for each I will engage to defray every expence to the place of location – without the least assistance voted by Parliament for the Emigration. The persons I propose taking with me are of the following description – Agriculturalists, Gardeners, Carpenters, Smiths and Millwrights & any other description of person your Lordship thinks requisite for the use of the Colony. Your Lordship's answer will confer a lasting obligation on

Your most obed't humble serv't

John TAYLOR

[Note from GOULBURN]

If he can satisfy Lord B that he has means to cultivate the land Lord B will recommend hom to the Gov'r.

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