SHEPHERD, William, 1825

Written by Sue Mackay on .

National Archives, Kew, CO48/74, 379

My Lord,

Permit me to address your Lordship on behalf of ninety three persons whose petition I presented to your Lordship through the medium of the Colonial Office sent from the Rt. Hon'ble Lord Charles SOMERSET. In an interview I have had with Mr. HAY I was informed that the petitioners' request would not be complied with except some engagement was entered into on the part of the settlers, or some portion of the large wages his Lordship speaks of in his dispatches was set aside for the reimbursing of Government for the expence.

Permit me my Lord to say (as one whom they have appointed to speak in their behalf; and one who from my long residence and sufferings amongst them speak feelingly) that I am not prepared to make any offer in their behalf; & few of them are in a condition to make it; give me leave to state to your Lordship that the settlers of South Africa are not on a level with the settlers of other colonies owing to the visitations of Providence which blasted the crops the first four years, added to the loss of cattle by the depredations of the Caffres which reduced many to beggary; also the flood which happened in the year 1823 which swept away the hopes of many more: from this low estate your Lordship will perceive they have had but the last year & present of prosperity and that their savings must have been wholly [employed] & will be for some time in recovering their losses and providing houses to receive their families in, in hopes your Lordship's liberal government will again unite them to their long absent wives & children.

In testimony of these facts my Lord allow me to inclose for your perusal the “Report of the Committee at Cape Town for the Relief of the Distresses Settlers” * and the annexed list with the names of the petitioners, with their families and [employees], by which your Lordship will perceive that the bulk of them are of that class most calculated to increase the prosperity of the Colony, & in recommendation of which your Lordship has the signatures of the Landrosts & gentlemen of the District.

The petitioners feel grateful for all the kindness & attention your Lordship's government has bestowed on them, but still feel that anxious [solicitude?] for their families rejoining them (many of whom are a burthen to the public here & in Ireland & that the selling of their little all would be insufficient to pay the expence of their transport) which makes them thus appeal to the humanity of the Home Government for the accomplishment of their wishes, without which the good intentions of Government in sending them out will be frustrated.

I am my Lord

Your Lordship's most obed't humble serv't

Wm. SHEPHERD

*[Transcriber's Note: Distressed Settlers Report for 1825 attached to this correspondence - transcribed separately, and found under D, post 1825]

[enclosed]

Copy of Signatories to a Memorial of Settlers praying for their Wives, Children and Relatives

to be sent to them in South Africa

Names

Wives

Sons

Daughters

Brothers

Sisters

Son's & Daughter's Children & Relatives

Handicraft or Imployment

Anthony HARPUR

   

1

     

Labourer

Stephen BROWN

 

1

2

     

Farming

Geo. GATEHOUSE

1

1

2

     

Gunsmith

Rob't BRADY

1

3

       

Carpenter

Will MILLER

 

1

       

Labourer

John BIGGS

   

2

     

Mason

Rich'd BRADSHAW

1

4

2

     

Farming & endeavouring to build a mill

Rob't ROE

1

1

2

     

Carpenting & Farming

James NIELAND

 

1

       

Farming

Will VERITY

 

2

       

Tailor

Will HUNT

   

2

     

Tailor

James PAXTON

   

1

     

Labourer

Geo. MARSDEN

 

1

       

Farming

Thos. KEMPSTER

1

 

4

     

Farming

Chas. CROFT

     

1

1

2

Farming

Will'm PIKE

 

1

 

2

2

4

Farming

Wm. BRADSHAW

     

1

1

4

Farming

Rich NEWTON

1

1

       

Farming

Will'm GODDARD

 

1

       

Labourer

John BROWN

     

1

   

Farming

James KIDD

     

2

1

6

Farming

Wm. STANTON

     

3

1

 

Farming

Geo. FOOTTER

       

2

 

Shoemaker

John HANNAM

       

1

 

Labourer

Henry BROOKS

     

2

1

 

Labourer

Will'm MATHEWS

     

1

1

 

School Master

Geo. HODKINSON

     

1

   

Farming

James J. EVA

 

1

       

Farming

Rich'd BOWLES

     

1

1

2

Farming

Eames BOWSHER

1

3

       

Labourer

Thos. KING

 

1

       

Carpenter

Malachy CROWLY

1

1

2

     

Labourer

Humphry CROWLY

1

 

2

     

Labourer

David GOULDING

1

1

2

     

Labourer

Christopher DALE

 

1

       

Labourer

Peter VALENTINE

 

1

       

Farming

Rich ATWELL

 

1

1

   

2

Farming

John MOODY

1

         

Farming

Rob't WICKS

 

1

       

-

Rich'd PICKSTOCK

 

1

2

   

5

Farming

Thos. SLATER

 

1

1

     

Farming

Benj'n PARTRICK

 

1

1

     

Farming

John GITTINS

     

2

   

-

Sam SCROOBY

         

1

Carpenter

James HOOLE

     

1

1

4

Labourer

Alexander KIDWELL

     

1

2

4

Labourer

Will'm SHEPHERD

     

1

1

1

Labourer

M. THOMAS

   

1

     

House Helper

John McKENNY

     

1

   

Tanner

James GREATHEAD

     

1

   

Grazier

James RATHBONE

     

1

2

 

Carpenter

John AUSTIN

       

2

 

Baker

Sam'l FIELD

     

2

2

 

Labourer

Will'm SARJENT

     

2

2

 

Labourer

Chas. GRUBB

     

1

   

Labourer

Will'm LUCAS

     

1

1

 

-

Chas. HYMAN

     

1

 

2

Farming

Thos. YOUNG

     

1

1

7

Shoemaker

Benj'n NORDEN

     

1

   

Inn Keeper

Dennis HOLLAND

 

1

       

Cooper

James HOWSE

     

2

2

6

Farming

John PARKHURST

     

1

1

 

Farming

John MARSHALL

     

1

1

2

Farming

Jeremiah HONEY

     

1

 

2

Farming

James DEDMAN

     

2

2

6

Farming

Jeremiah GOLDSWAIN

         

1

Farming

Geo. BAGER

 

1

 

1

1

3

Shoemaker

Rob't PITT

     

1

 

2

Farming

Sam'l PRIM

       

1

 

Farming

Will WATSON

     

1

 

2

Labourer

James KEMP

     

1

   

Labourer

Edward TURVEY

 

1

       

-

Will'm HOWARD

     

5

2

1

Clerk & School Master

Wm. TARR

     

1

1

2

Farming

Rob't ROBERTS

     

2

2

4

Farming

Benj'n FORD

 

1

1

     

Farming

? DUDLEY

 

1

1

     

Farming

Wm. DIVINE

     

1

1

 

Farming

Peter ELEVAND

   

1

     

Farming

Chris. ADCOCK

 

1

       

Chandler

Will'm THACKWRAY

     

1

1

10

Farming

Henry ADAMS

1

3

3

     

Bricklayer

John WYATT

     

1

1

3

Grazier

Will OGILVIE

         

1

Gunsmith

Patrick O'DONALD

     

1

 

2

Farming

John PARKINS

   

1

     

Sawyer

John CARTER

1

3

4

     

-

John NEWMAN

1

2

1

     

Stone Mason