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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.

WEIGHTMAN, J

Written by Sue Mackay on .

National Archives, Kew CO48/46, 395

No.9 Market Street

Boro Road

23rd August 1819

Sir,

Having sent in the names of ten persons who wish to proceed to the Cape of Good Hope on the 14th inst who are ready to make the deposit according to the form & regulations required by His Majesty's Government, having since seen a printed circular that the names & ages of all persons women and children are to be inserted I beg leave to address you again on the subject inclosing the names ages & residence & that they are willing to subscribe to the form & regulations proposed by His Majesty's Government hoping that as soon as consequent they may be favor'd with an answer as they are at present out of employ & would wish to be at some certainty before they begin to prepare.

I am Sir

Your most obed't serv't

J. WEIGHTMAN

Names

1 J. WEIGHTMAN 40 years, Mary his wife 41 years, Mary Ann Daughter 13 years

2 Thos. KIMBER 25 years, Eliz. his wife 25 years, Eliz. Child 20 months – Blackheath

3 John Henry PRIOR 45 years at Mr.STEPHENSON's St John Street, Islington Road

4 Wm.BOYDEN 24 years, Sophia his wife 24 years, Richard his child 6 months at Red Cross, Barbican

5 John PRATT 24 years, Mary his wife 27 years, [Ince?] Inn Court, Red Cross Street

6 Timothy DEVINE 33 years, Helena his wife 30, four children viz. John 11 Bridget 6 Jeremiah 4 & Catherine 2 years of age at Willow Court, Seward Street

7 Joseph TASCH 33 years, Eliz. his wife 33 years, george his son 5 years at King & Queen, Foley Street

8 Geo. NOBLOCK 25 years, Ann his wife 25 years, george his son 2 years - Whitechapel

9 Wm. DAY 29 years, No.2 White Rose Alley, White Cross Street

10 Jesse PAXTON 39 years, Sarah his wife 39, six children viz. William 13 Charles 11 George [7] Henry 6 Elizabeth 4 & David 2 years – Batemans Row, Shoreditch

[note attached]

J. WEIGHTMAN removed from No.9 Market Street Boro Road to 79 Long Lane, West Smithfield

 

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National Archives, Kew CO48/46, 518

No.79 Long Lane

West Smithfield

6th October 1819

Sir,

Having sent in proposals to go to the Cape of Good Hope as long back as the 20th July last it is with great concern I hear that the letters of acceptance are out & I have had no notice taken of my application. It will be a serious injury to me as I have been all that time out of employ waiting in anxious expectation of having my proposals accepted. I have carried on business as a Master Carpenter for some eighteen years but from many losses in trade have been obliged to give up my career & should I not succeed now it will be the ruin of all my future prospects in life. The persons that I had engaged to go with me are similarly circumstanced & a refusall will be a dreadful blow to us all this [obscured] In hopes Sir of a favourable answer to this

I am Sir your most obed't serv't

J. WEIGHTMAN

 

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National Archives, Kew CO48/46, 532

No.79 Long Lane

West Smithfield

10th October 1819

Sir,

I was much surprized on reading a notice on Wednesday that my proposals were not accepted after I had for near three months made application & stated that I was ready to conform to all the rules & regulations laid down by His Majesty's Government. They was the proposals I made & they are the proposals you do not think it advisable to comply with. If they was wrong it would have been but an act of Justice to have informed me when my letter of the 23rd August was answered. I stated then we was out of employ & would wish to be at some certainty. Surely my Lord it would have been an act of Charity to have informed us six weeks ago that we would not be accepted. Now others has been & are making a sale of it at Five Pounds per pers'n for every one that choose to go as a free settler with him. I can bring proof of what I have asserted. My Lord I am an unfortunate tradesman having been a housekeeper for eighteen years paying all taxes to His Majesty's Government. Income tax I have been subject to pay when my losses was double my income and during the War I was used as a Volunteer at my own expence in the Bloomsbury & Inns of Court Association. Surely my Lord now I am reduced I have as much claim as those Gentlemen can have that are making a profit.

I am my Lord

Your Lordship's obed't humble serv't

J. WEIGHTMAN

[Transcriber's Note: There does not appear to be a trace of an application prior to his letter of the 23rd August which he claims to have made]

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