HOWARD, William, 1820 Settler

National Archives, Kew CO48/43, 630

The Humble petition of Wm. HOWARD of Blucher Street, Chesham Bucks, Schoolmaster.

Sheweth

That your Lordship's petitioner is deeply sensitive of the numerous advantages he enjoys (both civil and religious) from the incomparable Laws and constitution of this (his native) country and to which he cannot but express his unshaken attachment, as well as to the person and government of his beloved Sovereign and his illustrious House. Yet in consequence of the increasing difficulties arising out of the depression of Trade he is anxious to avail himself of the privileges held out by His Majesty's ministers to persons desirous of emigrating to the “Cape of Good Hope” but as it is not in his power to take out “Ten able bodied men” on his own account he most humbly prays to know if he may be permitted with his wife and family to associate with a party of that number provided they are willing to admit him amongst them on his paying the required deposit.

That if your Lordship should be pleased in the plenitude of your goodness and clemency to grant the prayers of your petitioner he will ever in duty bound pray for your Lordship

National Archives, Kew CO48/43,723

Blucher Street

Chesham

Bucks

Aug 16 1819

Sir,

It is extremely painful to my feelings to add (in the slightest degree) to those extensive labours which already occupy your attention, but as I wish to conform to the regulations of His Majesty's Government so far as I understand them in reference to the settlers at the new Colony in Africa, and as I shall shortly be ready with the number of “able bodied men” of good character, and the sum required as a deposit, would you be pleased in your wonted clemency to inform me, if they, with their wives and children, are to be personally inspected at your office? or whether affidavits are necessary as to the age of the children &c. and when the sum specified is to be deposited ? and should anything be necessary on my part in order to render my application successful of which you perceive me to be unacquainted I shall feel the utmost gratitude if you would be pleased to state it, to, Sir,

Your most obt humble Servt.

Wm. HOWARD

National Archives, Kew CO48/43, 770

Blucher Street

Chesham

Bucks

Septr. 4^th 1819

Sir,

Your letter under date of 17^th ulto was duly received, and agreeable to the suggestions it contains, I have the honour to hand you a detailed statement of all the persons whom I propose to take out under my direction to the Cape of Good Hope, and assure you that I am now ready to conform myself to all the regulations of His Majesty's Government in reference to the Settlers in that Colony, and should I be allowed by Earl BATHURST to proceed thither it will be my ambition to manifest the same spirit of loyalty and attachment to my beloved Sovereign and his illustrious family which has ever marked my conduct through life, and with an ardent love for my native country, I will seek her interest in every possible way, and prove myself a faithful servant of the British Crown, and am Sir

Your most obt. Servant

Wm. HOWARD

A line not filled up is intended to denote an expected increase in this family.

PS Should a testimony to my moral character &c be required by His Majesty's Government, I will transmit such a document to your office immediately on my being favoured with your command, as I have it in readiness signed by the following respectable inhabitants of this place.

The Rev'd Thomas HEWITT, Curate of Chesham.

The Church Wardens and Overseers

Mr. LOWNDES Esq Magistrate

Henry RUMSEY Esq

Rev'd. John FULLER

Rev'd. John HALL

Rev'd Wm. TOMLINSON &c &c

National Archives, Kew CO48/43, 785

Blucher Street

Chesham

Bucks

Septr 13th 1819

Sir

I beg leave most sincerely to apologise for the additional trouble which I am now giving you, but if there is no particular objection I shall feel much obliged if you will have the goodness to allow the names of the following persons to be added to my list which was transmitted to you under date of the 4^th inst. and which you may be assured will be the last communication of this nature from, Sir

Your obdt humble svt.

Wm HOWARD

Wm. DELL aged 25 years

Ann his wife 25

George DELL 4

£10 – 0 – 0

Samuel SCOTT? 21

10 – 0 – 0

Charles HOWARD aged 33 years

Dinah his wife 25

Philip HOWARD 8

Ann HOWARD 4

Amelia HOWARD 11 months

£12 10 – 0

When I hinted in my last letter that there was an expected increase expected in several of the nominated families, you will please to understand me that the confinement of the Females is hourly expected and therefore under such circumstances there is no obstacle to their embarkation in November.

National Archives, Kew CO48/43, 825

2 Oct 1819

The humble petition of Wm. HOWARD of the Parish of Chesham in the County of Buckingham most humbly Sheweth

That you Petitioner who has applied to your Lordship for permission to proceed as a Settler to the Cape of Good Hope, had entertained the pleasing expectation, that as he had expressed his willingness to conform himself to all the regulations of His Majesty's Government, that he should have been so fortunate as to have obtained your Lordship's approbation.

That in consequence of this impression your petitioner had made every necessary arrangement for the voyage and had actually received the kind and generous offer of a recommendation to His Excellency the Right Honourable Lord Charles SOMERSET, the Governor of the Colony, from an amiable and virtuous Nobleman, from an ancient and illustrious family, to whom your petitioner is known; had also procured a variety of seeds to fertilize the land he hoped to occupy, & disposed of his little property at less than half its real value, to be in readiness to obey with promptitude your Lordship's mandate, and therefore under these painful circumstances he is deeply convinced that unless you Lordship should be disposed in your wonted goodness to favour him, the ruin of himself and family must inevitably follow, as the spontaneous and unavoidable effects of his application.

That you Lordship's petitioner most humbly and earnestly implores that you would be graciously pleased to cause him to be informed of the particular ground of your Lordship's objections, that if they have arisen from any informality on the part of your Petitioner, he may apologise to your Lordship and correct his errors.

That your Petitioner is prepared to conflict with any difficulties of any description, and fears no dangers whatever, in order that by the most unwearied industry, he might be enabled to provide for himself and family, and therefore most humbly prays that your Lordship would take his case into your most serious consideration, and should you be pleased to allow him, and the persons with whom he had engaged to embark for Algoa Bay he will ever feel himself as in duty bound to pray for your Lordship and your illustrious House.

National Archives, Kew CO48/43, 827

Chesham

Bucks

Oct 2 1819

We, the Minister, Churchwardens, Overseers and other principal inhabitants of the Town and Parish of Chesham in the County of Buckingham, humbly beg leave to recommend Wm. HOWARD of this place to your Lordship's notice as a person of good moral character, and in every respect well qualified for the situation to which he earnestly aspires in His Majesty's uncultivated foreign possessions, and while we take the liberty to solicit, that with your accustomed goodness you will be pleased to allow him to proceed as a Settler to the Cape of Good Hope (where we have no doubt of his being active and industrious in the performance of the duties of his station) we venture to hope your Lordship's clemency towards him.

(Signed)

Thomas HEWITT, Curate of Chesham

John BAILEY, Joseph BIRCH : Church Wardens

Geo. SOUTHEY, Wm. ABBOTT, Jno. WRIGHT : Overseers

Wm. LOWNDES, J.P., Foster NAS, Henry RUMSEY, John GARRETT, J.JACOB?, Wm. TOMLIN, Wm. FORD, Geo. ALLAN, John FULLER, Wm. SOUTHEY, W. H. MARSHALL, George HEPBURN, Edward PAXTON, Chas. PAYNE, Benj'n. PAYNE jnr, Geo. PAYNE.

National Archives, Kew CO48/43, 904

November 8^th 1819

Sir,

Having moved with my family from Chesham to a village near town in order to be ready for embarkation I take the liberty to request that you will be pleased to direct that all future communications respecting this subject from your office may be addressed to me at the Post Office Wandsworth, Surrey, and am Sir

Your most obt hu'ble svt

Wm. HOWARD