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.

ELDRED, William

Written by Sue Mackay on .

National Archives, Kew CO48/43, 27

Hall Staircase

Middle Temple

27 July 1819

My Lord,

I trust your Lordship will excuse my intrusion on your Lordship's attention, but being desirous of obtaining a law appointment in one of the colonies, I have taken the liberty of soliciting your Lordship to favour my views.

It is not consistent for me to choose either the colony or situation, but my Lord allow me to state that I should prefer either the East Indies (having some knowledge of the Bengalese language) the Cape of Good Hope or the projected settlement near there.

I beg to state that I have been in practice as an attorney and solicitor for 10 years and (should a reference be requisite) I feel confident that Mr Herbert BRACE of the Middle Temple to whom I served my clerkship and whose respectability is well-known to the present Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench, Mr Thos. ABBOTT of the Terrace Inner Temple, the Revd. Dr WILLGRESS of Eltham, Kent or Mr Thos. HOUGH of Percy Street, Rathbone Place will give every satisfaction.

Permit me to add that my father has filled the office of Sub Treasurer to the Hon. Society of the Middle Temple for upwards of 30 years and is known to Sir W. SCOTT, Sir A. PIGGOTT, Mr [Serj't] MAULEY and several other distinguished members of the profession.

I have the honour to subscribe myself

your Lordship's most obedient and very humble servant

Wm. ELDRED Jr.

  • Hits: 6156