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.

SMITH, George, 1820 Settler

National Archives, Kew CO48/45, 920

No.12 Southern Street

Manchester

4th September 1819

To the Right Honourable Earl BATHURST, One of His Majesty's Principle Secretaries Of State.

May it please your Lordship

Your most humble Petitioners, being His Majesty's most Loyal and most faithful subjects, doth most

Humbly pray that you Lordship will condescend to listen to the prayers of the Petitioners, hoping they may obtain the privilege of the grant of government, in order to Enable us to Emigrate to the Cape of Good Hope, agreeable to the printed circular issued by your Lordships permission, but not knowing which way for to proceed, we should be thankful for your Lordship's instructions, as it is the wish of the Petitioners to conform to the regulations laid down by His Majesty's government, and should we be so favourable as to meet your Lordship's approbation, you will ever have the prayers and hearts of your Lordship's Most Humble And Most Obedient Servants

Names

Number of Family

Age

Age of Wife

Ages of Children

George SMITH

Wife and one Child

34

27

10 months

Israel HOLGATE

 

20

   

John KIRKMAN

Wife and five Children

34

31

1st chd 11, 2nd 7, 3rd 4, 4th 2 years, 5th 2 months

James CUNLIFFE

 

25

   

George BONSALL

Wife and two children

24

21

1st 2, 2nd 1

John BONSALL

 

27

   

Jacob BONSALL

 

29

   

Henry WARNER

Wife and four Children

37

34

1st 13, 2nd 12, 3rd 7, 4th 2

William LOVE

 

26

   

Sam DUCKSBERRY [sic]

Wife and three Children

36

34

 

Thomas BOWKER

 

27

   

William MOTTRAM

Wife

37

39

 

William MOLES

 

27

   

John RADFORD

Wife and four children

35

34

1st 15, 2nd 14, 3rd 11, 4th 5

John BARROW

 

26

   

James HANSON

And Mother }

30

   

George HANSON

Son }

13?

   

John DAVIES

Wife and two Children

38?

36

1st 8, 2nd 4

James MOTTRAM

 

30

   

Thomas BIRCH

Wife and two Children

27

25

1st 3, 2nd 1

James WAINRIGHT

 

28

   

 

article_separator

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/45, 922

12 Southern Str.

Manchester

Sept. 4th 1819

May it Please Your Lordship,

George SMITH Late of the 95th Rifle Brigade My Petition to the Commander in Chief Dated 29th July was Laid before your Lordship and as Individual application can not be Entertained I Beg Leave to Lay before your Lordship the petition of a collective number of families, as I have already Received the Privilege from the Commissioners of the Royal Hospital at Chelsea, to Draw my Pension at the

Cape of Good Hope------Certificates of each family and the Deposits required by Government are in

readiness to be forwarded upon receiving your Lordship's approbation, -- and as having a General Knowledge of the Planting of Vines and making of wine, which I obtained in France, and having been in the Cape.----The Church Wardens and Overseers of the Parish of Manchester, being acquainted with our proceedings and approving of them, have selected me as an Intelligent Individual to proceed with the number of Settlers herein mentioned, should this meet with Your Lordship's approbation, I shall consider it as one of the greatest favors your Lordship can confer upon

Your Lordship's Most Humble and Most Obedient Servant

George SMITH

Out Pensioner of Chelsea late of the 95th Rifle Brigade

No.12 Southern Street

Manchester

October 6th 1819

My Lord

George SMITH late of His Majesty's 95th Foot Rifle --- I return my most sincere thanks for the Honourable Favour your Lordship has conferred upon me, as having Granted me the Privilege of Accompanying 20 Familys from the Town and Vicinity of Manchester To the Cape of Good Hope, and I bind every family to defend the possessions of his Majesty his heirs and successors to the utmost of their power, and every Settlers also Binds himself and his family to conform to the Regulations laid down by His Majesty's Government and am requested to present the vote of thanks of the whole party for the Privileges they have obtained, and they will always consider your Lordship as their Benefactor and patron, and their prayers are that heaven will pour down blessings upon your family and when

it shall please the Almighty to call you hence you may enter into eternal bliss and they pray for the welfare of His Majesty, the Prince Regent and all connected with his Majesty's Government, and I beg leave, my Lord, to subscribe Myself,

Your Lordship's Most Humble and Most Obedient Servant

George SMITH

 

article_separator

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/45, 1007

Manchester 7th October 1819

We – The Churchwardens of Manchester, have received from the parties named in the List of Persons proceeding to the Cape of Good Hope under the direction of Mr. Geo. SMITH of Manchester certificates pledging themselves that no part of their families shall be left chargeable to the Parish neither will they in the event of their return to this Country, ever become burdens to any Parish or Parishes therein: and we believe they have, and will conform to the regulations adopted by his Majesty's Government.

(Signed)

James BRIERLY

William SOWDEN

Richard WARREN

Churchwardens of Manchester

 

article_separator

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/45, 1009

No. 12 Southern Street

Manchester

October 6th 1819

Honoured Sir,

It is with regret that I have Delayed so long in sending back the returns Specified in your honourable letter of the Thirtieth of September, but several of the Individuals having withdrawn their names I have had to replace them with more worthy characters, (the former being unwilling for Political reasons to conform to the rules laid down by His Majesty's Government), which I hope they will meet with your approbation, every individual having signed a certificate that they will not leave any part of their familys behind and that in case of their return to this Country, they Bind themselves that no part of their family shall become chargeable to their Parish or Parishes, which I have delivered to the Church Wardens of Manchester, and I enclose to you a note of thanks to his Lordship, for the many favours he has been pleased to grant, as also the returns and other necessary documents, as also a Copy of my Instructions, and the Instructions of Thomas HEYES, with a copy of a letter I

received from the Commissioners of the Royal Hospital at Chelsea, as having before made application to the Right Honourable the Secretary at War, and I have given the said Thomas HEYES every necessary direction.

Sir, be pleased to receive my most grateful and sincere thanks for the trouble you have taken, is the prayers and wish of ---

Your most Humble and most Obedient Servant

George SMITH

 

article_separator

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/45, 1058

[Received 30 October 1819]

Honourable Sir,

I have enclosed under your directions to Mr. HILL Esq. Commissariat

Department, Five Hundred and forty Seven Pounds ten Shillings Being the total amount of Deposit

money for the twenty families going out under my Directions And as such you will be pleased to

remit to Mr. HILL Esq. --- on receiving your Letter Dated the 21st October my Child was Expiring which has Caused a little delay in regulating the funeral, and Mr. RENSHAW received a wound in the stomach by the Kick of an horse which has rendered him incapable of going out With us, but as I have a number of families in reserve I have replaced Him by John BUCKLEY, Farmer near Manchester, as having the same number of family, as will appear by the following List. be pleased to give us, as Early Information, when we are to Embark and the Port we are to Sail from, and in So Doing, You will much oblige Sir

Your Most Humble and most Obedient Servant

George SMITH

[Note added below]

John BUCKLEY, aged 28, by Trade Farmer

Sarah BUCKLEY, wife 33

Male children John 4 Alfred 3 Edward 7 weeks

Female do, Hannah 8, Jane 6

 

article_separator

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/45, 1094

December 1819

May it please your Lordship,

I enclose to your Lordship a Correct List of the names of the Men Women and Children actually Embarked on board the Stentor at Liverpool which your Lordship has been pleased to appoint me to the Directorship of the party Embarked. But several of the Individuals considers as the(y) paid their own Deposit Money, there is not Respect Due to Me. No more than to the Rest of the Party which without I have the power and Support of your Lordship I can in no Wise Keep Order, and Regularity which is requisite for so long a Voyage, and the Health and Comfort of all parties. They have even told Lieut. CHURCH that Mr. SMITH is no more than themselves. In Condecending to attend to their Grievences Your Lordship will ever have the prayers of

Your Lordship's Host Humble and Most Obedient Servant

George SMITH

On board the Stentor this Day of Dec 1819

 

article_separator

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/45, 1107

Liverpool Dec. 18th 1819

May it please your Lordship,

The dissafection that has taken place at Manchester has caused several Derangements in my party, and has I found out several Deceptions amongst those I have Replaced, which has given me very great uneasiness and your Lordship unnecessary trouble. This last Derangement was utterly without my knowledge as the exchange took place betwixt the parties of which I Enclose you a Letter & written by the parties themselves & has it has turned out a Dissapointment on both sides. I hope your Lordship will Sanction their request, and in so doing Your Lordship Will Confer lasting Obligations on Your Most Humble and Most Obedient Servant

George SMITH

On board the Stentor at Liverpool

[attached letters]

Liverpool Dec. 18th 1819

May it please your Lordship,

The applicant Henry LOMAS Humbly prays that John HOLT may be substituted in his place in the party going out under the Directions of Mr. George SMITH of Manchester as through family Circumstances which are of Importance to me I can't make it Convenient to Emigrate to the Cape of Good Hope. The before mentioned John HOLT is an able Bodied Individual and has a Good Knowledge of the farming Business. In Substituting him for Me your Lordship will Confer lasting obligations on

Your Lordship's Most Humble and most Obd. Servant

John HOLT

Address my Letter by the care of Lieutenant CHURCH

Agent for transports

Liverpool

John HOLT, age 39, trade Farmer.

[Note from GOULBURN] Let this be allowed accordingly

 

article_separator

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/45, 1122

24th December 1819

May it please your Lordship

Several Exchanges having taken place, I replaced them agreeable to the List I have enclosed, a Copy of which I remitted through the Hands of Lieutenant CHURCH, to Henry GOULBURN Esq. Dated

the 11th December 1819 and have this day Recd. a Letter from Henry GOULBURN Esq. Stating that

no such lists have been received at his office with the name of Henry LOMAS in when after I had forwarded the Lists a second Exchange took place between LOMAS, who replaced John BONSALL, and John HOLT. Those in the present List actually Embarked by permission of Lieutenant CHURCH agent for Transports, until his Lordship's pleasure should be known be pleased to agree with my request and in so doing Your Lordship Will greatly Oblige

Your most Humble and Most Obedient Servant

George SMITH

On Board the Stentor 24th Dec. 1819.

[on reverse]

May it please your Lordship

The individuals whose names were in the Other Lists refused to comply with the Regulations laid down by his Majesty's Government and these persons with their families actually Embarked with

the consent of Lieutenant CHURCH R. N. agent for Transports themselves and Baggage until your Lordship's pleasure should be known and the Deposit Money that was Deficient Owing to these Individuals not complying, to prevent delay I paid into the hands of Mr. HILL Esq.

 

article_separator

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/45, 1124

Names of Men

Age

Profession or Trade

Names of Women

Age

Male Children

Age

Female Children

Age

Remarks

George SMITH

34

Shopkeeper

Mary

27

         

Rich'd WALKER

29

Agricul't

Martha

28

Joseph

7

Elizabeth

1

 

Henry WARNER

37

Basket & Brush Maker

E.Caroline

34

Joseph

12

Mary/Rosina/
Caroline
13/7/
2
 

John KIRKMAN

33

Laborer

Mary

31

Albert

7

Hannah/Mary/
Margaret/Martha
11/4/
2/1
 

Samuel DUXBERRY

40

Weaver

Margaret

39

William/John

15/9

Hannah

5

 

Thomas BEARDMORE

47

Black & White Smith

Ann

42

   

Maria/Ann

13/5

 

George BONSALL

24

Schoolmaster

Sarah

21

Henry

2

Ann

1

 

Thomas CAPPER

34

Laborer

Mary

30

         

John BUCKLEY

28

Farmer

Sarah

32

John/Alfred/

Edward

5/2/

1

Hannah/Jane

8/7

 

Chr. WEDDERBURN

45

Tailor

Ann

45

George

10

Ann/Elizabeth/
Esther
16/8/
5
 

John JAMES

26

Well Sinker

Mary

27

   

Ann

10

 

Daniel FLINN

42

Farmer

Catherine

42

John

9

Ann

13

Replaced DEVENPORT

William ELLIOTT

23

Smith & Turner

Ellen

22

   

Jane

5

Replaced BRADSHAW

Thos. HAYES

47

Weaver

             

Joseph WALKER

22

Agricul't

             

Richard NOON

22

Manufacturer & Farmer

           

Replaced HOLGATE

John MITTON

35

Joiner & Builder

Ellen

39

   

Elizabeth

15

 

Jeremiah LONG

40

Gardener

Ann

33

James/Jeremiah

13/11

     

William WEDDERBURN

19

Tailor

             

Ralph FORREST

26

Laborer

           

Replaced Wm. HAYES

John HOLT

38

Farmer

           

Replaced LOMAS

James MANCHESTER

22

Manufacturer

           

Replaces Israel HOLGATE who replaced John BONSALL

  • Hits: 8830