BRIDGER, John , 1820 Settler
46?
No.20 Angel Street
St.Martins le Grand
We the undersigned beg leave to state to you the number of our families
BRIDGERs
Wife
1 daughter 18 years
1 son 13 years
2 daughters 12 & 10
ALLEYs
Wife
1 daughter 18 years
2 sons, one 13 one 11 years
2 daughters one 10 one 8 years
We wish to know if any of the above will be included in the number each settler is to take out. We wish also to know if we have the rite to select our own men and beg to know if the vessel will sail from the London River. We wish to know if you could put us in a way how we could secure ourselves to go as great arrangement will be required. Mr. BRIDGER is very well acquainted with agriculture and unders cattle. I understand cattle in the manage in all there stages and also understand the use of medicins and how to treat them in disease. I think I could be of great service to my neighbours on the settlement.
We are Sir your obdt servants
Thos. ALLEY
John BRIDGER
National Archives, Kew CO48/41, 484
Jersey
Sep 9 1819
May it please your Lordship to give me necessary information were I am to pay the deposit money & whether the ship goes from the London River or any of the sea ports & what tonnage is allowed for baggage as it will make a material difference in moving of it. And if the settlement is near any town or village as to get our stock and provisions and how far from the Cape Town or if connectivly with a Bay so as we could get water conveyance as it requires a serious consideration as I shall have to victual the people till the return of our crops which will be a considerable time first. An answer to the Post Office Jersey will greatly oblige
Your very humble servant
John BRIDGER
National Archives, Kew CO48/41, 644
16 Angel Street
St.Martin le Grand
My Lord,
I beg to return you my thanks for the circular I rec'd at Jersey. I beg to offer myself to your Lordship, as a proprietor I am quite competent in property & will conform in every respect to the rules laid down in the circular. Praying your Lordship to accept me as a proprietor
I am your Lordship's obd servant
John BRIDGER
National Archives, Kew CO48/41, 646
Angel St, St.Martins Le Grand, 1819
Sir,
I rec'd your letter this morning acquainting me that the whole number of persons whom it is possible to send to the Cape for the ?present?, for which I am exceedingly sorry for having moved my family from Jersey to London at great expence for the advowed purpose to go out, and having troubled a friend in Hampshire to select my settlers & under the present circumstances it will be a very great disappointment. Sir, I beg pardon for being so troublesome, which I hope your kindness will excuse. Sir, should any proprietor fail in going out I should be happy to fill up the vacancy or if you can inform me of any other plan of going out I should feel greatly obliged as I will be sorry to disappoint the men that my friend has
I am Sir your most obedient servant
John BRIDGER
[Transcriber's Note: John BRIDGER and Thomas ALLEY independent settlers in Hockly's ‘Story of the British Settlers of 1820' –see the correspondence of John LEIGH in CO48/44. John BRIDGER died in 1821 and his widow Ann BRIDGER emigrated to Tasmania with her three youngest children. See http://www.australianbeers.com/pubs/bushin/bush.htm
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