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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.

DAY, George

National Archives, Kew CO48/42, 578

4 Church Row

Stepney

17th July 1819

My Lord,

It is with humble submission and respect I beg leave to submit to your Lordship a question relative to the emigration of subjects from this country to the Cape of Good Hope. Should I have erred in the medium of my application permit me to assure your Lordship it is from my being ignorant of the proper channel I should have chosen that I have so done, and I rely on your Lordship's candour to pardon the liberty I have taken in improperly intruding myself on your notice,

Permit me my Lord briefly to submit that I early imbibed an anxious desire for a military life and that I had the honour to serve his Majesty fourteen years in the 1st and 7th Regiments of the line through the interest and under the patronage of His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent and accompanied the Peninsula Army during the late campaign in Portugal, Spain &c.

Since I have been engaged in a civil line of life my endeavours have been most ardent to procure for myself and [family] a respectable livelihood but it is a lamentable fact my Lord that all my efforts hitherto have proved unavailing and I find it impossible to procure such an employment [or] business as will enable me to provide for [obscured] a necessary maintenance.

Thus situated therefore, my Lord, I am induced to ask the question which in reference to the address lately voted in the House of Commons, my service in the superintendence of any department in that part of the colony in which this settlement is to take would be accepted by Government provided I procure satisfactory testimonials of my talents, respectability and character, which I flatter myself I am able to do from His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent [obscured] and my friend.

My Lord, although it has not been my lot to be brought up to land labour, [so] as to answer the description of the persons to be sent out for improving the agriculture of the settlement in question, still I [obscured] that Government will send out certain individuals to superintend the various arrangements and carry on the plan to be adopted and it is equally hard, my Lord, on me as it is with a labourer out of employment that possessing abilities rather beyond mediocrity it should not be in my power to employ them in this country so as to procure the bare necessaries of life for myself and family.

I am my Lord with every mark of esteem and respect

Your Lordship's devoted and obedient humble servant

Geo. DAY

Age 32

Wife and 3 children

Profession: The Law (with the exception of Military Services

 

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National Archives, Kew CO48/42, 596

4 Church Row

Stepney

22nd July 1819

Sir,

I was honoured with your printed circular of the 20th instant in reply to my letter of the 17th. Permit me Sir to submit to you the accompanying questions, to which I beg the favour of your reply, not only for my own but for the information of several other persons.

I have the honour to be Sir your most obedient servant

Geo. DAY

[no list of questions attached]

 

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National Archives, Kew CO48/42, 787

4 Church Row

Stepney

8th Oct 1819

Sir,

Having a desire to emigrate to the Cape I beg the favour of your forwarding me the several printed circulars, also any instructions you can favour me with, information as to the precise period when the Embarcation takes place also the printed form of application I must make to Government & you will greatly oblige Sir

Your obed't servt

Geo. DAY

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