OSLER, Benjamin, 1820 Settler

[First letter filed under C in CO48/42]

National Archives, Kew CO48/42, 202

Copy

To Andrew YOUNG Esq

Mayor of Falmouth

Falmouth, 25 July 1819

Sir,

I beg leave to inform you I am desirous of availing myself of the late liberal arrangement of government in assisting those who may be disposed to emigrate to the Cape and most respectfully solicit your immediate application on my behalf. I consider you Sir (chief magistrate of the town) the proper channel through which I should apply.

My family consists of a wife and ten children, my own age 44, my wife 45, two children above 18, two between 18 and 14 and the remaining six below that age, all healthy and capable of work. Three or four of the youngest I would leave with their friends at home until I was established, the others would accompany me, for whose passage I would advance the amount required by government agreeably to the regulation and in addition take with me one able husbandman and in like manner advance for him. My means I am concerned to state to your worship allow me to go no further. Our habits are those of industry, sobriety and economy and from the experience I have had in general concerns flatter myself I should be found a useful settler in the new colony, the temperature of which is such as I have been accustomed to. In the event of obtaining permission will be anxious to embrace the first opportunity of embarking. I am most respectfully Sir

Your obedient humble servant

Benjamin OSLER

 

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/44, 963

Falmouth, August 19^th 1819

Sir,

I beg to acknowledge rec't of your esteemed favor through A. YOUNG Esq the worshipful Mayor of this town, with printed circular, relative to the terms on which indulgence will be granted to those desirous of settling at the Cape. In conformity thereto I engage to take with me ten able healthy individuals above the age of eighteen, a proportion of whom shall be husbandmen possessing a general knowledge of agriculture; also two children between the ages of fourteen and eighteen and four below the age of fourteen for the whole of whom I will advance agreeably to the stipulations contained in the said circular.

I beg leave to observe I have been a resident at Cadiz and Gibraltar nearly seven years, have made voyages to Surinam, Trinidad, Marranham, Para [Transcriber's note: the last two are in Brazil] & different ports in Portugal, Spain and Italy in commercial pursuits, am consequently familiar with foreign habits & customs & flatter myself will be found a desirable settler in the new colony. Most respectfully soliciting an early consideration and reply

I am Sir your most obed't serv't

Benj'n OSLER

[on reverse]

I hereby certify that Benjamin OSLER, the person writing the foregoing proposal to emigrate to the Cape of Good Hope, is a native of Falmouth and has always borne a good character. Witness my hand this 20 August 1819

Andrew YOUNG

Mayor of Falmouth

 

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/44, 969

Falmouth, August 30^th 1819

Sir,

I beg to acknowledge rec't of your favor of the 23^rd & to say my party will be compleat in the course of the present week when I will send you the numbers, names age and profession of the whole, together with the declaration required. I presume a man and wife (altho accommodated with their passage & 100 acres of land for the advance of ten pounds) are in point of number considered as two individuals. If I am wrong in this point be so obliging as to correct me, referring you to my next

I am respectfully Sir

Your most obed't serv't

Benj'n OSLER

 

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/44, 978

Falmouth, September 21^st 1819

Sir,

I was unable to forward you a compleat statement of my part earlier as some persons who had engaged to join me either from real or imaginary difficulties afterwards declined it.

I now beg leave to subjoin an account of the party I propose taking under my direction to the Cape of Good Hope, to which I solicit an early consideration & reply, assuring you they are all able healthy persons such as will ultimately benefit themselves & the colony. I shall anxiously await your further instructions respecting them.

The four young men whose names are below the certificate are very desirous of going but have not the means of advancing the sum required, but in lieu thereof have proposed to work for Government two years in such way as would be directed to them, either as labourers or to their profession, claiming only a ration of provisions & an occasional supply of cloathing during that time, at the expiation of which if they give satisfaction [hole in paper] to be entitled to the same grant as the others. I trust [hole in paper] Government where they witness in a party every disposition to ind..[hole in paper] & to be beneficial to the colony will be disposed to encourage them on credit until the first harvest for a proportion of the implements and necessaries that will be required, & I presume wood will be immediately to be had for the erection of temporary dwellings & that Government will cause us to be landed on the spot we are to be located on. I beg to inquire about what time in the month of November the sailing is proposed & whether some of the transports will call at this port. Finally I respectfully solicit we may be accommodated on shipboard with as suitable and convenient indulgences as the nature of the service will admit, more particularly for the females & children, who have all been respectably brought up and educated & I trust a favorable portion of land will be assigned to us that we may early profit by the fruits of our industry. Most respectfully soliciting your consideration & good offices, I am Sir

Your most obed't humble serv't

Benj'n OSLER

Name and Description of the Person taking out the Settlers

Benjamin OSLER, General Trader with knowledge of Agriculture

A native of Falmouth

Married, aged 44

Have more than twenty years been engaged in commercial pursuits, have resided at Lisbon, Cadiz, Gibraltar and occasionally been at different ports in the Mediterranean, the West Indies, Brazil &c

Falmouth Sept 21^st 1819

I Benjamin OSLER on behalf of myself and the above named persons proposing to become settlers at the Cape of Good Hope do declare that I am ready to conform myself to all the conditions upon which His Majesty's Government have offered to grant lands in that colony

John DUNSTONE, Husbandman, 20

John GOSLING, Shoemaker, 20

George TUBB, Do, 18

John GARD, Joiner & Sawyer 20

*[Transcriber's Note: The Muster Roll of the Weymouth (ADM51/3453) says John BRIDGEMAN was ‘left behind at Cape of Good Hope through ill health']

 

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/44, 980

Falmouth Nov 7 1819

Sir,

You favor of the 21^st ult with instructions where to send the amount of deposit for my party duly reaching me, in consequence of the capricious underhand disposition of several who had given the most positive assurance of joining me & who at this critical moment have withdrawn themselves, I am obliged to solicit another sett of returns to make the alterations that have thus arisen. The names of those defaulters I transmit to you with my affidavit in confirmation. In the interim of receiving the returns no doubt I shall be provided with others whom I have invited in lieu. I by this post sending Wm. HILL Esq £52:10:0 on acct & will continue the remittance for others as they deposit. In this emergency having arranged for departure a disappointment will be attended with grievous consequences. I will be happy to be attached to any respectable party to whose salutary regulations I will readily conform myself. I earnestly supplicate the vessel appointed to take us may be diverted to call at this Port.

I am respectfully, Sir

Your most obed't humble serv't

Benj'n OSLER

I, Benjamin OSLER, make oath that the undermentioned persons voluntarily offered to accompany me to the new settlement of the Cape of Good Hope without any solicitation on my part & requested their names to be transmitted to Government accordingly, & now without cause refuse to fulfil their engagement.

George TRENWICK

Henry PRISK

John PENROSE

Henry HOSKING

Gilbert HEAMS

John PASCOE

John DALE

Sworn before me at Falmouth the 30^th day of October 1819

Andrew YOUNG

Mayor

 

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/44, 982

[To Mr. B. OSLER, Falmouth]

Downing Street

London

November 1819

Sir,

I have received your letter of the 21^st inst and acquaint you in reply that it will be necessary in the first instance that you should transmit the whole of your deposit money to Mr. HILL.

You will then report to me the names of the persons you propose to substitute & those who have refused to accompany you, having care always that the former do not exceed the latter in number or age.

I am Sir your ob't sv't

Henry GOULBURN

 

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/44, 984

Falmouth, Nov 9^th 1819

Sir,

Fearful the multiplicity of your present engagements have occupied your time and prevented you sending me the sett of blank returns which I applied for, & desirous of losing no time, I take the liberty of enclosing the present details of a party who in addition to a general knowledge of Agriculture have respectively a serviceable profession. I trust they will meet your approbation and induce you to include us with the first embarkation. They are all respectable able men. I have remitted Wm.HILL Esq on this acct £100:10:0. The small balance will follow before the close of the present week. Most respectfully soliciting your attention to my former request, I am Sir

Your most obed't humble serv't

Benj'n OSLER

[Margin note from GOULBURN: This present deposit money is £117:10:0 instead of the original amt £137:10:0]

 

 

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/44, 988

Portsmouth, December 16^th 1819

Sir,

Pursuant to directions received from the Com'r of HM Navy I proceeded to Portsmouth with my party and understand I am able to have the pleasure of joining the Weymouth . I am again under the necessity of troubling you to allow me to substitute Richard EVA, husbandman & baker, age 24 and Elizabeth his wife Age 22 in lieu of Henry CURTIS & Family. I should not again have troubled you but CURTIS up to the time of my leaving had not paid me his deposit, and I brought Richard EVA & wife with me not doubting you would permit this change, which I solicit you will please approve [to] Lieut. CHEESMAN Agent for Transports at this Port.

I am respectfully

Your most obed't svt

Benj'n OSLER