TURVEY, Edward, 1820 Settler
[Transcriber's Note: See also correspondence of Thomas MAHONY filed under M in CO48/44. “TURVEY (a drawing master) was initially a member of the party led by Thomas MAHONY, whose application to emigrate was accepted on the recommendation of the Dowager Countess of Liverpool, TURVEY's pupil and patron. MAHONY then attempted to drop TURVEY from the party; TURVEY, in high indignation, applied to take out a separate party of his own, again invoking the Dowager Countess's patronage to lend weight to his application.” (Nash, M.D., The Settler Handbook]
National Archives, Kew CO48/46, 157
Wednesday noon [undated, but the content of this letter suggests it would have been the first in the series, i.e. prior to 14 October 1819]
Sir
I had the honor of waiting on you on Monday last with a letter from the Right Honble the Dowager Countess of Liverpool to _ GOLDBURNE Esq and presented to you a letter from Her Ladyship to the Right Hon'ble the Earl BATHURST relative to TURVEY and MAHONY. We have since been favourd with a letter accepting our proposals and a grant to take out 17 men and for which we beg leave to return our most grateful acknowledgements.
At the time I had the honor of seeing you I mentioned that subsequent to our letter of the 20th August two of my sons between 22 and 25 years of age had made arrangements to be of our party and begged to know if they could be included with my brother in law and two able bodied farmers as their assistants making 22 able bodied individuals instead of 17. You mentioned that we could [amend] our list and I again beg permission to do so in their favour.
I need hardly add that to a father this will be a most grateful boon and I should feel particularly happy in being able to acquaint the Countess in Liverpool that this additional favour has been obtained through the letter to _ GOLDBURNE Esq.
The favour of an answer will much oblige Sir
Yours very respectfully
for self and MAHONY
Edward TURVEY
[notation overleaf:] five persons to be added to list of Mr MAHONY
National Archives, Kew CO48/46, 159
32 Southampton Street
Strand
Monday [undated]
Sir
I had the honor of waiting on you Monday last in consequence of a letter from the Dowager Countess of Liverpool to Mr GOLDBURNE and presented to you a letter from the Right Hon'ble the Earl BATHURST to the Countess of Liverpool relative to a grant for TURVEY and MAHONY. Since which period we have been favourd with a letter accepting our proposals and a grant to take out 17 men and for which beg to express our most greatful acknowledgements.
At our interview I begged to state to you that since our first proposal two of my sons aged between 22 and 25 years of age and my brother in law have made arrangements to be of our party. To have all my family with me would be a great comfort to me and you informed that we could amend our list. I again beg permission to do so in their favour: together with two able bodied farmers as their assistants, thusly making 22 able bodied individuals instead of 17. One of my sons is a Sadler and the other a farmer.
You will perceive in going to a foreign country how much happiness a father would attach to the company and assistance of his children and your kind interference to adjust this arrangement will be ever greatfully remembered by Sir
Your obedient and most humble servant
Edward TURVEY
Mr MAHONY being informed that this can be accomplished will forward his list as soon as possible.
National Archives, Kew CO48/46, 161
[Letter from Earl BATHURST, who was the MP for Cirencester, to the Countess of LIVERPOOL]
Cirencester
Sept 2 1819
Dear Madam
I had the honor of receiving yesterday your Ladyship's letter in behalf of Edward TURVEY & Thomas MAHONY, who have applied to be among the number of those who are to proceed to a Colonial Settlement at the Cape of Good Hope. With every disposition to attend your Ladyship's commands, it will not be possible for me to do so in this Instance, unless the individuals in question comply with the conditions on which alone the Government consent to give encouragement and I am afraid by the manner in which your Ladyship represent their individual wishes, that they have not made the necessary arrangements for that purpose.
I do myself the honour of enclosing (what I happen to have by me) copies of the Regulations, & which your Ladyship will be able to judge of their case.
I have the honor [to be]
Your Ladyship's most humble
BATHURST
National Archives, Kew CO48/46, 142/144
32 Southampton Street
Strand
14 October 1819
Sir
I had the honor of receiving your letter yesterday in consequence of which I shall decline any statement of Mr MAHONY's conduct, at the same time I beg leave to say that having had the honor of being recommended to Lord BATHURST by the Right Hon'ble the Dowager Countess of Liverpool to whom I have been known for 12 years, I feel it my duty to repel any insinuation that may have been made to my veracity or integrity. I therefore beg to place my honor in your hands the vindication of which alone will induce me to make any avowal of Mr MAHONY's conduct. I shall feel much obliged by your having the goodness to present the enclosed letter to the Earl of BATHURST. I feel most grateful for your attention to my different applications and have the honor to be Sir
Your obliged and very humble servant
Edward TURVEY
[enclosed letter]
32 Southampton Street
Strand
14 October 1819
My Lord
I beg respectfully to bring to your Lordships recollection of circumstance of the Dowager Countess of Liverpool writing to your Lordship on my behalf in respect to a grant of land at the Cape of good Hope which was applyed for (if I have not been deceived in this as in other matters by Mr MAHONY) on the 20th of August last in the joint names of MAHONY and TURVEY. Since your Lordships consent to the grant has been received in the separate name of MAHONY that gentleman's conduct has been such as leaves the [rest of us] no hope but in your Lordships Justice, he then refusing to comply with any of the agreements entered into prior to its receipt.
A second grant application was then agreed on and your Lordship permitted 5 names more to be added to the 7 then agreed to by Mr MAHONY & me making my part of the grant to consist of 12 families, most of whom have parted with their houses and businesses and Mr MAHONY now a second time refusing to comply with his promises to them they look anxiously to me for your Lordships decision.
Your Lordship will perceive how cruel it was to hold out false hopes to any Men under such a momentous undertaking as emigration and it is impossible to conjecture what his motives could be in so doing. Those persons my Lord are willing to come and declare on oath the hopes which were held out to them, they have all made their arrangements and have purchased fire arms and other articles for the undertaking and as my Lord we are placed in this unheard of situation and as the government do not interfere with the agreements between the settlers and the persons they take out may we my Lord entreat a grant for our party, which consists of
Mr John BURGESS, farmer, Burwash Sussex, whose name was in the first list
Mr Peter DANIEL, jeweller (quitting business) and family
Mr CAMPBELL, surgeon, and family
and myself and sons, and 7 able bodied husbandmen selected at Burwash Sussex and who, though industrious men with large families are now in part a Burden on that Parish.
In presuming my Lord thus to intrude you will perceive that justice to the parties who have been led through me to hope compel an act I would not as an individual think of. I also my Lord feel that I owe it to the recommendation of the Countess of Liverpool to whom I have the honor of being known for 12 years and who has so much interested herself in endeavouring to procure this ground for me and to whom Mr MAHONY is intirely unknown except through me.
Anxiously waiting your Lordships answer
I am my Lord
your Lordship's most obedient and most humble servant
Edward TURVEY
Mr MAHONY refuses to accept the 5 names your Lordship permitted to be added to the list which was requested with his concurrence
National Archives, Kew CO48/46, 150/152
32 Southampton Street
Strand
Tuesday 19th October 1819
Sir
I have the honor to enclose you a list to be presented to the Right Hon'ble the Earl of BATHURST and in addition beg to say that the names and ages of the labourers and families can be sent in in at the utmost in 3 days from the time of his Lordships answer to this proposal.
I have the honor to be Sir
Your most obliged and most humble servant
Edward TURVEY
[enclosed]
32 Southampton Street
Strand
Tuesday 19th October 1819
My Lord
Agreeable to the desire of Mr Richard PENN I beg respectfully to submit to your Lordship the names of myself and friends who formed the party with Mr MAHONY and are desirous my Lord of having our part of the grant separate.
Our Party my Lord consists of
My father, my wife, myself and 8 children
Mr John BURGIS, wife and 6 children
Mr DANIEL, wife and 4 children
Mr William Wright TURVEY*, my eldest son his wife and 4 children
Mr John CAMPBELL*, surgeon aged 37, wife, 2 children
and 7 able bodied husbandmen some with and some without families selected expressly from their knowledge of farming.
My lord I beg to say for myself that I am 38 years of age in full health and strength that I have cultivated a farm of 37 acres which I have at present let, but for the last 10 years have followed commercial pursuits and am a tolerable draughtsman and landscape painter.
Mr John BURGIS, farmer of Burwash Sussex in addition to his knowledge of farming was many years surveyor and measurer of timber under W. PIX, Timber Merchant near Rye in Sussex. He is a very able man 40 years of age.
Mr DANIEL, jeweller has been 18 years in business, has made a few hundred pounds and is quitting business. He is 39 years of age, is a good Smith and in good health and strength.
Mr William Wright TURVEY, my eldest son is a strong able man, 23 years of age is a good farmer and has been for some time in the iron trade.
Mr CAMPBELL is an able man has a good knowledge of farming.
Our intentions are to divide the land into five farms and to take out the 7 farmers or husbandmen for the cultivation together with the assistance of our families, several of our children being strong active lads.
The labourers have been selected at Burwash in Sussex and though industrious men are now in part a burden on that Parish. The principle part of our arrangements prior to emigration are already made.
I have parted my house. Mr CAMPBELL has sold his house in Great Marlborough Street. My eldest son has sold his house and business and on his way to London – and we possess the means of carrying our plans into execution under the direction of Providence.
I am my Lord, respectfully
Your Lordship most obedient and most humble servt
Edward TURVEY
*[Transcriber's Note: The Settler Handbook lists William Wright TURVEY as William WRIGHT, as he was actually Edward TURVEY's stepson. John CAMPBELL is actually Peter CAMPBELL, who changed party on several occasions but eventually emigrated with SEPHTON's Party – see his correspondence under C in CO48/42 and under Thomas MAHONY in CO48/44]
National Archives, Kew CO48/46, 154
Wednesday noon [20 October 1819]
Sir
I had yesterday the honour of receiving your commands to send in my list. Am I to receive printed papers for that purpose to be filled up. I leave London this afternoon for Sussex for the purpose of getting the names and ages of the workmens families and shall send in the list on or before the 25. May I be permitted to ask when it is calculated the expedition will sail and whether is is [sic] as I have heard rumourd to take place in two divisions one in November and the other in January and from whence they sail.
I have the honour to be Sir
Your most obedient and humble servant
Edward TURVEY
[Note on the reverse] You must if you wish to go send in your list without delay
Yours
R. P.
[Transcriber's note: Richard PENN was an official at the Colonial Office]
National Archives, Kew CO48/46, 165
32 Southampton Street
Strand
Wednesday [received October 27, 1819]
Sir
I yesterday had the honor of receiving your letter of the 25th Inst relative to the return of the lists of my Party's names which I beg leave to inform you was transmitted by me to the Colonial office on the evening of the 25th. I would consider it a most particular favor if you could give me any intimation of the latest period it is calculated that the Expedition will sail – and from whence the Embarcation will take place.
I have the honor to be Sir most respectfully
Your obliged and obedient svt
Edward TURVEY
National Archives, Kew CO48/46, 178
32 Southampton Street
Strand
31 Decr 1819
Sir
In effecting my arrangements for emigration I fear I have given much extra trouble and I beg to return my greatful acknowledgement for the different favours I have received. May I who beg you will impute my present inquiries only to my wish of complying as far as I think it my duty to those persons who have placed themselves under my direction, some of them friends wishing now to join this party beg to know if by paying their own passage out to the Cape will they be allowed a grant of land and if that land may be annexed to ours. I also beg to know if my second eldest son aged 22 whose name was in the first list but who declined going out fearing he would not be able to make some pecuniary arrangements but which the extension of time has now enabled him to compleat, can now accompany me by paying in to Mr HILL the amount for his deposit. I am requested by the party to inquire if we are permitted to take out ammunition and to what quantity we will be limited, also to know on the land being divided into separate farms whether any one person defaulting to cultivate his part the whole of the grant to me becomes forfeited.
I am also requested to ask if the Government provided fire arms for the Settlers and also if tents are included in the stores provided by the Government to be purchased by the Settlers with the agricultural implements at prime cost, and lastly if the Settlers will have an opportunity of purchasing any provisions on their landing. I hope those inquiries are not improper and if the [sic] are that you will pardon me.
I have the honor to be Sir
Your most obedient and humble servt
Edward TURVEY
[notation overleaf] Give him the answers which have been given to others making similar enquiries
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