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.

LINDSTEDT, John

Written by Sue Mackay on .

National Archives, Kew CO48/44, 377

No.9 Whitmore Row

Hoxton

London

2nd September 1819

My Lord,

Your Lordship will permit me to enquire if a Foreigner under the Act of Parliament lately passed to encourage emigration from this country to the Cape of Good Hope is entitled to the same privileges and rights as every other Englishman.

Being a native of Emden, now attached to His Majesty's Kingdom of Hanover, and having been in England for upwards of twenty seven years in mercantile pursuits but of late very much distressed for want of employ in consequence of the badness of trade in general: I have partly determined to avail myself of the prospect held out to every person who intends to emigrate to the Cape of Good Hope to apply for a free passage and for the grant of land allowed under the Act of Parliament lately passed.

Not having observed anything mentioned with regard to foreigners and wishing to go upon safe grounds induced me humbly to request of your Lordship to be informed if I, as a foreigner, may enjoy the very same privileges and grants also a free passage &c as any other Englishman, and if in case I might meet with an advantageous situation at cape Town on my arrival I may be allowed to remain there and retain my quantum of land allotted to me the same as if I actually was on the spot.

Your Lordship will please to pardon my taking this opportunity of offering my services in a public capacity in that part of the world, as it would suit my ardent wishes and being able to correspond in the Dutch German and French languages and having been in Government Service in the Commissariat on the Expedition to Swedish Pomerania and Zeeland I should feel very happy of making myself again useful to the Public in whatever capacity your Lordship should deem it proper to employ me, for which purpose i throw myself under your Lordship's protection and support.

I am my Lord

Your Lordship's most obedient and very humble servant

John LINDSTEDT

[note from GOULBURN in margin: Acquaint him that the encouragement held out in the circular letter applies solely to British subjects]

  • Hits: 6584