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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.

SMITH, Peter

Written by Sue Mackay on .

National Archives, Kew CO48/45, 923

Liverpool

September 7th 1819

My Lord,

Your petitioner taking confidence from the notice issued by you on behalf his Majesty of aiding any that may be induced to emigrate to the Cape of Good Hope we beg leave to state to you the barrier that disables us from accepting of his Majesty's bounty in the manner laid down by your Lordship. I have a list of names of men to the amount of fifty who are very desirous of going to the Cape but cannot on account of a small sum of money, which they are unable to raise and, having no parish to lay claim to, find themselves totally excluded from accepting his majesty's most gracious offer and humbly submit to your Lordships consideration to devise some plan whereby they may be enabled to accept of an offer so much to their wishes, and as they are chiefly stout able bodied men some the greatest part with families I think it would be a valuable acquisition towards colonizing that part of his Majesty's dominions which is in contemplation by our Government. Trusting that your Lordship will give this a patient consideration and return a most gracious answer is the sincere wish of your humble petitioners and they will as in duty bound ever pray

Signed on behalf of 50 individuals

Peter SMITH

At Mr. Samuels Carriers, Byron St, Liverpool

 

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National Archives, Kew CO48/45, 989

Liverpool

Oct 5th 1819

My Lord,

There is a number of familys in my neighbourhood that are wishing to emigrate to the Cape of Good Hope. There are two men as you will see by the enclosed that are professing to have means to convey them over and they extort the sum of 45/- of each family besides the deposit money and a number of us thinks they are no better than swindlers to take in poor people. Will your Lordship be so kind as to say in what manner we are to be conveyed over and wether any person is authorised by you in the name of Government to receive our money for the above purpose in this town & wether any vessel will touch at this port or do we go to London.

Messrs. WHITLEY & Co's office is a public house and they through advertisements have got together about 250 individuals of each of whom they have exacted 45/- per family for their trouble of getting them together. Your Lordship would do us a very great favour if you would be pleased to answer us on the above and we as in duty bound will ever pray

Signed for my neighbours

Peter SMITH

At Edward Samuels Carriers, Byron St.

[Transcriber's note: Michael WHITLEY was a partner of Richard HAYHURST – see the HAYHURST correspondence in CO48/43]

[printed enclosure]

No.3 School Lane, Liverpool

Sir,

In reply to your's the following are the particular regulations with which you are required to comply; viz.

For every Man, his Wife and two Children under 14 years of age £10: 0: 0

For every Child (more than two) under 14 years, each £2: 10: 0

For every Individual above the age of 14 years £5: 0 : 0

The above Deposits will be returned to the individuals on arrival at the Cape, in three distinct payments: one-third on their arrival, one-third one their being located, and the other third in three months from the date of their location. In consideration of the above Deposit, a Passage will be provided at the expense of Government for the Settlers, who will be victualled from the time of their embarkation here until the time of their landing in the Colony. You will also have to make a further Deposit of one Pound each for every person above the age of eighteen: ten Shillings each for all from 14 to 18 years of age: and five Shillings each for all under 14 years of age. These trifling sums are for the purpose of defraying a number of incidental expenses which have already and will be incurred. In order to ensure your passage by the first vessel it will be necessary to transmit your Deposit for Expences immediately, that your names may be registered, Government Deposit on or before the 21st day of September instant, which we place in the hands of a Merchant of the first respectability in this Town, who will transmit the same for us to Government.

We remain your's &c

M. WHITLEY & Co.

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