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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.

KNOTT, Robert Rowe

Written by Sue Mackay on .

National Archives, Kew CO48/44, 173

Whitstable

Near Canterbury

July 22 1819

My Lord,

Having seen through the medium of newspapers that Government is very desirous of prosecuting an emigration from this country to the Cape of Good Hope; and hearing at the same time that clergymen are to be selected to accompany it, I have taken the liberty of addressing your Lordship, which I trust will be pardoned when I say that I am entirely ignorant of any other more proper channel of application to your Lordship.

I am a young man of twenty three years of age, of St. John's College Cambridge who has taken the degree of A.B. last June and being no less anxious of entering into Holy Orders than to visit a foreign country I humbly offer myself to your Lordship's attention for the purpose of obtaining a situation either as a clergyman at the Cape or in what capacity soever your Lordship may deem me worthy of. I can provide testimonials of character &c from my college and from the neighbourhood in which I live signed by the surrounding clergy. If your Lordship will deign to give me an answer stating whether or no I have any chance of preferment in my wished for profession at the Cape of Good Hope your Lordship will infinitely oblige

Your Lordship's most respectful, humble & most obedient servant

Robt. Rowe KNOTT

PS I will take upon me to say that I think myself prepared at this moment to pass an examination for Orders.

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