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.

LAWRENCE, P

National Archives, Kew CO48/44, 317

Hammersmith

August 7th 1819

My Lord,

The writer of this, having expressed a wish to avail himself of the offer made by His Majesty's Government to Mechanics out of employ to emigrate to the Cape of Good Hope, I must humbly take the liberty of soliciting you to permit me to be one of the number, as through the badness of trade I have been very much out of employ, and I cannot get employ elsewhere. Although willing to make myself usefull to Society I have not the Opportunity of so doing, unless through your condescension in complying with my request – the Master I now work with I have work for some time and if required I can have a letter of recommendation from him

I remain your ob hbl svt

P. LAWRENCE

Please direct for me at Mr. LAWRENCE

Near the High Bridge

Hammersmith

  • Hits: 6134