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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.

WATSON, Robert

Written by Sue Mackay on .

[Transcriber's Note: The layout and handwriting of the following two letters, as well as the fact that they are written from Faversham, suggest that they are by the same R. WATSON as the letter in 1820]

National Archives, Kew CO48/46, 533

Faversham

11 October 1819

My Lord,

I trust I shall receive your Lordship's pardon for the liberty I am taking in addressing myself to you on the subject of emigration to the Cape of Good Hope.

The enquiry I have to make of your Lordship is whether upon my providing five or six able bodied men with their families to accompany me to the Cape and upon laying down the deposit which is necessary I shall be able to obtain from His Majesty's Government a grant of from five to six hundred acres of land.

An answer at your Lordship's convenience together with any other [particulars] will be most thankfully acknowledged, my Lord, by

Your Lordship's most obed't and very hbl serv't

Robert WATSON

 

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National Archives, Kew CO48/46, 617

Faversham

21 Dec 1819

My Lord,

Being now carrying on a correspondence with Major General CAMPBELL for the purpose of joining a Party [obscured]ing under him to go out to the Cape of Good Hope, all at our own expence, and altho' I have no doubt whatsoever of the General's honor, yet as designing men [have] made use of respectable names to cover dishonest purposes and to decoy the unwary to their ruin I feel it a duty which I owe to myself and family and the [individuals] who are willing to place themselves under my care to guard as much as I can against the possibility of disappointment and the distress and misery that will be consequent thereon. I have therefore presumed most respectfully to address your Lordship and humbly to solicit that your Lordship will be humanely pleased to inform me whether a grant of land has been made to General CAMPBELL of Durham Place Lambeth and if it is not encroaching too much on your Lordship's goodness or inconsistent with the regulations of office that your Lordship will further have the kindness to inform me to what extent the grant is made & in what part of the country.

I confidently trust that no apology is necessary to be offered to your Lordship for the trouble I am giving you when I state that the number I purpose taking out with me amount to fifteen persons, making in all five families.

I have the honor to remain my Lord

Your Lordship's grateful and obliged humble servant

Robert WATSON

[Note from GOULBURN]

Acquaint him in reply that Gen'l CAMPBELL having made an application to this office for permission to proceed to the Cape of Good Hope with families was informed in reply that a grant of land would be made to him in the Colony (state the terms) With respect to the particular situation of the grant Lord B cannot give any precise information as that must rest with the Governor of the Colony.

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