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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.

BACKHOUSE, Rev. J.R. re Charles GURNEY , 1820 Settler

Written by Sue Mackay on .

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/41, 530

The Rectory, Deal

Sept 24th 1819

My Lord,

I take the liberty of troubling you with this letter at the particular request of Mr. Charles GURNEY, who, I understand your Lordship has been informed, wishes to emigrate to the Cape of Good Hope. The party he has formed to proceed with him to that Colony is chiefly composed of young men resident here. They all bear respectable characters, are each of them, I believe, possessed of some small capital, & from every information I can procure are inclined to be industrious. The distress which is so unhappily prevalent in this place & the consequent difficulty of procuring a subsistence, has prompted them to embrace the opportunity which now offers of endeavouring to better their condition, & will, I humbly hope, be an inducement with your Lordship to forward their plan, as far as the same may be deemed consistent with the views of His Majesty's Government.

I have the honour to be My Lord

Your Lordship's most obedt hum sevt

Rev. J.R. BACKHOUSE, Rector of Deal

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