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.

EMSLIE, Robert, 1820 Settler

Written by Sue Mackay on .

National Archives, Kew CO48/43, 57

Gibsens Street

Foundry

Hull

30th August 1819

The Humble Petion of Robert EMSLIE, an out Pensioner of Chelsea at 2/3 d pr Diem

Humbly sheweth

That your petioner hath aplyed to the Board of Chelsea for permission to receive his pension at the Cape of Good Hope and hath received permission accordingly, Should your Lordship be pleased to grant permission to your Petitioner to Emigrate to that place with his familie, viz Wife and 4 Children under 8 years of age – 2 Sons and 2 Daughters, your humble petitioner prays for free passage for self and family – as also such further allowances as your Lordship may think proper to grant, to him, your petioner having Served H.M. 31 Years and upwards 21 of which he was a noncommissioned officer in the 75th & 76th Regiment of foot your petioner having a pension as above, which will be paid by the Company General at the Cape. Shall he be oblidged to Deposit same as thoes who are not pensioners also will aney Transport be sent to this port as ther is others, similary Circumstanced, praying also for your Lordships permission: an answer to this will answer all other Enquirers and be thankfully received by an old Soldier who for the welfare of His Majestys Government will Ever pray as in Duty bound

Robert EMSLIE

late Serjeant 75th and 76th Regt of Foot

[attached to this letter]

Copy of a leter from Joseph LYNN Esq.

Royal Hospital Chelsea 26 Augt 1819

In Reply to your petion of the 9th Inst praying to be alowed to receive your pension at the Cape of good hope, I am to inform you that the Commission of this Hospital have been pleased to grant you ther permission and that your transmitting to this office the particulays of having procured a passage stating the time when you are to Embark with the place at which you intend to reside, the necessary directions will be forwarded to the Commissary General at the Station, to whom you must apply on your arrival, for the payment of your pension accordingly &c &c signed Joseph LYNN

Extract, from Major Genl GORDON's letter Cork 1st Augt 1819

EMSLIE, you say that £15 will be asked as a Deposite for your familie to be returned at or soon after your Landing at the Cape I will advance the money when I know to where it is to be paid.

Signed Ben GORDON

PS Could I be permitted to proceed without Depositing this money, I would not wish to put the General to such expense as I think my pension would be sufficient to help me.

Robert EMSLIE

 

article_separator

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/43, 72

Gibsons Street, Foundry, Hull

16th Augt 1819

Hon Sir,

I humbly ask your forgiveness for my freedome in thus addressing a Gentleman to whom I am a stranger - when you will have consiedred my case, which I trust you will have the goodness to do. I hope you will favour us with your advice having petioned Earle BATHURST on 30th Inst as you have seen and received his answer thro your honor. - I endavoured to fiend 9 mor families wanting to Emigrate to the Cape, but only one could I fiend that could pay the deposit money and were I again to petition his Lordship with only two or three families would I am afraid incur his displeasure, and for us to come to London, and break up our homes, and not be permitted to proceed, would be certain ruin to our small families. in concidring the above I have taken the liberty of praying for your kiend assistance, by letting me know if it would be proper for us to com or not, and whatever you think would tend must likely to favour our obtaining liberty of proceeding this present season to the Cape of Good Hope. Your favourable answer will be thankfully received and add greatly to the happiness of my small familie who joins with me in asking your parden for this freedom.

I am Honored Sir

Your very humble Servant

Robert EMSLIE

Late Serjeant 76 Regt

 

article_separator

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/43, 81

Foundry Hull Yorkshire

10th Octr 1819

My Lord,

We - The undersigned most humbly pray your forgivness for thus troubling you but having seen an advertisement in the Liverpool paper of a Messrs Whitley and Co for pepole willing to Emigrate to the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope stating that the person so advertising hath Governments approbation for so doing as only 3 families from this place (that are known of) are willing to go and pay the deposit money we humbly pray your Lordship to be so good as to accquaint us whether or not we should be acting proper in going to Liverpool and paying the Deposit money required by the Circular for our families in to ther hands. Your answer will be thankfully received by your very humble and obedient Servants.

Robert EMSLIE

Jos'h RHODES

Sam DUGELBY

  • Hits: 7215