Skip to main content
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.

CUMPSTEY, William re William BOARDMAN, 1820 Settler

Written by Sue Mackay on .

National Archives, Kew CO48/42, 474

14 Nov 1819

Honorable Sir:

The humble Petition of Will'm CUMPSTEY, Schoolmaster of Lower Darwen in the Parish of Blackburn and County of Lancashire, humbly sheweth that your Petitioner has been employed in the capacity of instructing youth for fourteen years together. Your humble Petitioner being of the Religion of the established Church of England and a Pupil of the Reverend William BOARDMAN, late head Master of the Grammar School of Blackburn but now under orders for the Cape of Good Hope as Minister for the Emigrants about to be located in those colonies.

Your humble Petitioner most humbly solicits his Majesty's Ministers will be graciously pleased to allow your Petitioner to accompany his old Preceptor in the Capacity of teacher upon the Principles of the British system of Education (or the Madras system) also to assist him as his reading Clerk or otherwise make himself useful to his Majesty's Government by assisting the King's Service in laying out and Measuring such land or lands as may from time to time be required to be measured [or] laid out. Should his Majesty's most honorable Ministers be graciously pleased to grant your humble Petitioner any small Salary or Emolument so as to enable your Petitioner to carry his request into Practice Your humble Petitioner shall ever pray and acknowledge your obliging favor and as in Duty bound always exert his ability in order to meet your worth approbation. Awaiting your kind reply I remain Hon'ble [Sir]

Your Honorable, humble Petitioner

Wm. CUMPSTEY, School Master

Please to favor me with your honour's most gracious letter as soon as is convenient. Direct Mr. William CUMPSTEY, Schoolmaster, at Mr. Richard CLARK's, Darwen Street, Blackburn, Lancashire.

 

article_separator

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/42, 475

We the undersigned humbly beg leave to certify that William CUMPSTEY is a married man; has a wife and two children; that he is twenty nine years of age; has been employed under us for nine years in the capacity of a Schoolmaster; is of regular and sober Habits, good morals, well affected to his Majesty's Government; and in our opinion well qualified as an English and Mathematical Teacher. We there[fore] hereby recommend him to his Majesty's Ministers as a suitable person to accompany the Emigrants to the Colonies of the Cape.

Christ'r HINDLE, high Constable

Joseph COMSTEAD, Churchwarden

  • Hits: 6967