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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.

CHAMPION, Frederic

Written by Sue Mackay on .

National Archives, Kew CO48/42, 430

62 Old Broad Street

City

16th October 1819

Sir,

I beg to apologise for the liberty I take in addressing you, but being desirous of obtaining information respecting the proposed settlement at the Cape of Good Hope I presume you are the channel through which the most correct information is to be procured.

I am a young man in the prime of life without encumbrance – have been brought up to mercantile pursuits but having been disappointed in my prospects owing to the commercial distress of the country and conceiving that a field fro enterprize and exertion is opened by the intended colonization of Southern Africa, I am solicitous to become one of the emigrants thither, and although my pursuits have been hitherto of a mercantile nature I am capable and willing to turn my mind to such as are more congenial to the situation of a settler in a new colony and also should feel no hesitation giving my personal support to any measures necessary for the defence of the settlement against the incursions of the neighbouring tribes of Africans. I should therefore esteem myself honoured by your condescension to give me the necessary information and in case of my application to you being improper I hope you will excuse it (being the consequence of my ignorance) and that you will further condescend to inform me where I am to direct my application; and if any further explanation is necessary on my part I shall be most ready to give it; at present I have nothing further to add except that I can give the most unexceptionable references for character &c and to humbly request that you will pardon my boldness in troubling you, and am Sir

Your most obedient servant

Frederic CHAMPION

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