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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.

FRASER, John

Written by Sue Mackay on .

National Archives, Kew CO48/43, 171

No.2 George Street

Portman Square

London

August 9th 1819

My Lord,

Observing by the Public Prints that it is the intention of His Majesty's Government to permit any of His Majesty's Subjects to emigrate under certain conditions to Southern Africa where land will be given to them on their arrival to locate themselves, I have taken the freedom of writing to your Lordship respectfully to enquire whether a half-pay officer with a wife & family who had procured leave of absence would be permitted to proceed to settle at the Cape under more favourable conditions than those promised to others of His Majesty's Subjects who may not have served their country & whether the carrying out of “Ten able bodied individuals above the age of 18 years” would be dispensed with. Such H Pay officer having merely wherewith to enable him to purchase a few necessary implements of husbandry & to maintain his family & one servant as labourer until the period had arrived for the gathering of the first crop raised by his exertions.

I humbly beg your Lordship's pardon for this intrusion & have the honour to remain my Lord

Your Lordship's most obed't humble sev't

John FRASER

1st Lieut Royal Marines

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