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.

MOORHOUSE, Michael

Written by Sue Mackay on .

National Archives, Kew CO48/44, 782

Pontefract

10th Nov 1819

My Lord,

Influenced by a desire to leave this country I take the liberty of writing to request the favour of your Lordship giving me some information respecting the new settlement about to be established at the Cape of Good Hope. First the manner in which it is to be governed, the terms on which settlers and their property are to be conveyed, the manner in which they are to be settled when they arrive there, the most usefull commodity a settler may take along with him, with a rough sketch of the measures Government propose to those inclined to emigrate, and as it will require some time to arrainge my affairs shall feel greatly obliged in your Lordship answering this as early as possible, at the same time informing me when there will be a conveyance for settlers to the Cape.

I remain my Lord

Your Lordships most ob't hum sev't

Michael MOORHOUSE

NB I am now 38 years of age, have a wife and three children, capital about eight hundred pounds

My address

M. MOORHOUSE, Mercer, Pontefract Yorkshire

 

article_separator

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/44, 798

Pontefract

24th Nov 1819

My Lord,

I have received your Lordship's letter of the 12th inst informing me that the whole number of persons intended to be sent to the Cape of Good Hope this year is already compleat; but noticing that in this days paper an advertisement of Government intention to send out a further number of five thousand more setlers to the Cape I take the liberty of making this early aplication to your Lordship on that account and refer your Lordship to my letter of the 10th inst.

I am your Lordship's most obd't hum sev't

Michael MOORHOUSE

  • Hits: 6235