Skip to main content
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.

HOWE, J.P.

National Archives, Kew CO48/43, 535

11 Amphitheatre Row

Westm'r Bridge

15th July 1819

My Lord

Having seen by the Papers and the motion of the Rt Honble the Chancellor of the Exchequer that certain portions of land was to be granted by his Majestys Government to persons wishing to proceed to the South East of the Cape of Good Hope. I most humbly beg leave to state to your Lordship that I had the honour to serve his Majesty upwards of seventeen years as an Officer in the Army and was under the necessity of resigning my commission in the year 1814 in consequence of being then in a very bad state of health (which my Col. Sir Harry CALVERT can certify) from which I am some time perfectly recovered and having only forty pounds a year to support myself and wife (we have no family) ever since my resignation which it is impossible to exist on here, I most humbly hope and pray your Lordship will be pleased to grant me a portion of land subject to such regulations as may be thought necessary and if permitted I could take out three or four younger lads under twenty years of age who have bred to a country life and as many more as your Lordship would permit so that I got sufficient land to cultivate. I can produce my Commissions both in the Militia and the Line to prove to your Lordship that I do not wish to impose on your humanity by making false representation.

I have the honor to be

My Lord your ob't hble servant

J. P. HOWE

 

article_separator

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/43, 617/618

11 Amphitheatre Row

Westminster Bridge

29th July 1819

Sir

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Letter of the 20th inst and send you a return of the men who have solicited to accompany me to the Cape of Good Hope, with the number of women and children their families consist of to prevent their being obliged to apply for Parochial Relief and who are chiefly out of employment at present, making a total of 72 persons in less than one week, and have no doubt but in one month I could have 250 able bodied men sufficient to form a small Battalion of Local Militia if Government would afford me the means of taking them out. That is by remitting the deposit (in my case only) which on the word and Honour of a soldier shall never be made known to any other person. I beg leave most humbly to submit that my situation is different from every other person who may offer. A Civilian who never served his country one hour has the same advantage that I have, an Officer on Half Pay or on the retired List has some remuniration for his past services whereas I have never rec'd a Shilling for seventeen years service since January 1814, therefore am no burden whatever on the Country neither am I likely to be so now or at any future period. Every man whom I have engaged asked me two questions the first and most natural is, how are we to be subsisted when the Victualling at the Expence of Government shall cease and how far from the Cape the Colony is to be established. I can give no satisfactory answer to either of these questions which I humbly request Sir you will be pleased to explain to me as I wish to be as explicit as possible on the subject in order to prevent mistakes hereafter. I most humbly beg leave further to submit that it would be very desirable to have a Bible and Prayer Book for the head of each family as I consider the due observance of Religion and Morality as the surest means of establishing a prosperous State or Colony particularly in its infancy.

I have the honor to be

Sir your ob't hble servt

J. P. HOWE

Return of persons proceeding to the Cape of Good Hope under the direction or superindence of J.P. HOWE late Lt 14th Reg't

No., names, age, wife, children, eldest child, total, trade or occupation

1, Andrew HICKEY, 29, 1, 0, , 2, labourer

2, Daniel HICKEY, 21, 0, 0, , 1, do

3, Richard CASEY, 22, 0, 0, , 1, do

4, John SMITH, 31, 1, 2, 14, 3, do

5, Thomas SMITH, 17, 0, 0, , 1, do

6, John EDWARDS, 30, 0, 0, , 1, do

7, John SHUTTLEWORTH, 17, 0, 0, , 1, do

8, William HERING, 16, 0, 0, , 1, do

9, Henry EVERETT, 29, 1, 4, 8, 6, do

10, James KOCK, 33, 0, 0, , 1, do Soyer

11, Henry TAYLOR, 22, 0, 0, , 1, do labourer

12, Ruben LONGLY, 41, 1, 1, , do

13, John EDWARDS, 1, 0, 0, , 2, do

14, Henry EDWARDS, 19, 0, 0, 0, 1, do

15, John GRANT, 36, 0, 0, 0, 1, Soyer

16, Wiliam CLEMENTS, 19, 0, 0, 0, 1, do

17, [Carlos] UPCROFT, 19, 0, 0, 0, 1, Smith

18, Willam THOMAS, 19, 0, 0, 0, 1, labourer

19, Willam JERETT, 39, 0, 0, 0, 1, Soyer

20, Richard CLARKE, 21, 0, 0, 0, 1, lab'r

21, William CLOVERLY, 20, 0, 0, 0, 1, do

22, Wiliam GADNEY, 15, 0, 0, 0, 1, do

23, William ADBROOK, 24, 1, 0, 0, 2, do

24, James SIDONS, 42, 0, 0, 0, 1, carpenter

25, Edward [MIERMON], 34, 1, 4, , 6, do

26, Henry JONES, 39, 0, 0, 0, 1, labourer

27, John WILSON, 29, 0, 0, 0, 1, Soyer

28, Henry WHITE, 25, 1, 0, 0, 2, do

29, William CURMENS, 25, 1, 0, 0, 2, do

30, Michael HEALY, 34, 1, 5, 0, 7, farmer

31, Thomas SIMPSON, 24, 0, 0, 0, 1, labourer

32, Willam CASWELL, 35, 0, 0, 0, 1, do

33, Thomas WOODS, 27, 1, 0, 0, 2, baker

34, David KENEDY, 30, 1, 0, 0, 2, labourer

35, John FLOWER, 35, 1, 1, 0, 3, Smith

36, William GRIFEN, 26, 0, 0, 0, 1, labourer

37, John COOKE, 32, 1, 5, 0, 7, Smith

Total 72

 

article_separator

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/43, 656

11 Amphitheatre Row

Westm'r Bridge

7th Aug't 1819

Sir

Having been informed that another Circular is out respecting the new Colony at the Cape, may I beg you will be pleased to favour me with one, and if it is not taking too great a liberty I should particularly wish to know how far the intended settlement is from the Cape, and whether at Lagoa [Algoa] or Saldannah Bay.

I have the honor to be

Sir your ob't hble servant

J. P. HOWE

 

article_separator

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/43, 838

11 Amphitheatre Row

Westm'r Bridge

7th October 1819

Sir

I had the honor of sending a return of 37 Individuals on the 28th July. (I believe one of the first sent in) and having rec'd no answer I fear that some part of my Letter accompanying the return was misunderstood as I merely stated or rather made the observation from the number of persons applying daily to me for that purpose, that if Governm't afforded me the means of taking them out I could have 250 in less than a month, but by no means wishing it to be understood that I could not take out a few persons on the terms proposed by Governm't. I now most humbly request to know Sir if I get 25 to 30 individuals willing to pay their own passage (if not allowed to go on the same terms as the rest) and have sufficient money to support them for two or three years after paying all Expences, will they get the same grant of Land as those sent out at the expence of Government and will they be accepted.

I have the honor to be

Sir your ob't hble servant

J. P. HOWE

Late Lt. 14th Regt.

 

article_separator

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/43, 933

[This letter has a large ink-blot obliterating some of the text]

11 Amphit[heatre Row]

[West]'r Bridge

15 [obliterated] 1819

Sir

in the event of another Emigration taking place to the Cape of Good Hope next season, I beg you will be pleased to keep me in remembrance as being one of the first who sent in a return last July, as by having only intimations on the subject I should be able to [obliterated] 300 or more respectable persons who would possess the means of paying for themselves and also a Capital to support them for some time after their arrival in the colony on the same terms as Mr BAYLY, Mr PARKER &c. I have thirty of the above description who might have gone out this time but they would prefer going with me early next season if they could be certain of going then.

I have the honor to be

Sir your ob't hble servant

J. P. HOWE

  • Hits: 5576