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GSSA
The 1820 Settler Correspondence
 as preserved in the National Archives, Kew
 and edited by Sue Mackay

Correspondence 1821 to 1837.

Here only letters by known settlers or their families, or letters of great relevance to the 1820 settlers, have been transcribed, whereas ALL the 1819 correspondence was transcribed (see CO48/41 through CO48/46) whether or not the writers emigrated to the Cape.

Unless otherwise stated letters were written to either the Secretary of State for the Colonies or his deputy.The original correspondence is filed in order of receipt. Here it has been placed in alphabetical order according to the surname of the writer, with letters by the same writer in chronological order, for ease of reading. Original spelling has been maintained. Reference numbers, where given, refer to printed page numbers stamped on the letters and will enable visitors to the National Archives to locate the letter more easily.

HOGBEN, George, 1827

Written by Sue Mackay on .

National Archives, Kew, CO48/114, 284

19th May 1827

To The Right Honourable

The Lords Commissioners

Of His Majesty's Treasury &c &c

The Memorial of George HOGBEN Tailor an inhabitant of the town of Ashford in the County of Kent

Humbly sheweth

That your memorialist with a wife and six children having by the advice of his friends a desire to emigrate to Grahams Town Cape of Good Hope to join his Brother-in-law Mr George GILBERT a Builder and Colonist resident there, and at present is prevented by not having adequate means to provide a passage for himself and family your memorialist has therefore embraced this method of humbly praying to his Majesty's Government to cause passage to be granted to himself and family on a vessel proceeding from England to Algoa Bay, it being the nearest port to his desired destination.

Your Memorialist humbly trusts that his prayer may be favorably received and that the recommendation of his friends at Canterbury will be a sufficient inducement for your Lordships to grant your Memorialist request.

Your Memorialist begs further to state that his determination of emigrating himself does not arise from fickle materialism but solely from a sincere desire to proceed thither for the purpose, if possible, by perseverance and industry to better his condition of life and provide for his infant family which by your Lordships goodness and the aid of Divine Providence he feels no doubt of effecting.

And your Memorialist as in duty bound will ever pray

George HOGBEN

Ashford Kent

[Note across bottom: Explain to the Memorialist that the Colon. Office can do nothing to assist this plan]

 

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National Archives, Kew, CO48/114, 285

We the undersigned Citizens of Canterbury strenuously support the prayer of the Memorialist and recommend him as a person worthy of your Lordships charitable considerations he being a sober industrious and well disposed man.

[43 original signatures]

 

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National Archives, Kew, CO48/114, 299

Ashford 25th July 1827

The humble petition of George HOGBEN

Tailor and inhabitant of the town of Ashford in the county of Kent

Humbly sheweth

That your petitioner humble reference to their Lordships for a free passage to the Cape of Good Hope has by the aid of his friends been supplied with the means of providing a passage to his wishes for destinations and your Petitioner therefore with the determination of embarking for the above Colony in a few days has again intruded on your Lordships much valued time and goodness in humbly requesting that your Lordships will be pleased to cause directions to be given that a grant of land may be allotted to your petitioner in the district and neighbourhood of Grahams town at which place your practitioners brother-in-law Mr George GILBERT a respectable Colonist resides.

That your petitioner may be able after extending his little fund upon the voyage find an Asylum for his wife and six children upon his arrival at his distant and future domicil, which should your Lordships of your great and goodness be pleased to grant, your petitioner under the guidance of the Divine Providence, will with arduous desire endeavour to repay by honest exertion, and ready obedience to his Superiors the debt of gratitude he will then owe to his King, and Governers of his native land

And your petitioner in duty bound

Will ever Pray

George HOGBEN

We the undersigned Citizens of Canterbury do strongly recommend the prayer of the petition to your Lordships most gracious consideration.

[24 original signatures, including that of the Mayor]

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