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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.

PLOWMAN, J

Written by Sue Mackay on .

National Archives, Kew CO48/45, 133

King Street, Kensington

Aug, 16th, 1819

To His Majestys Secretary of State for the Foreign Department

Hon.'rd Sir

I am emboldened to address these few lines to you respecting the proposed Emigration to the Cape of Good Hope, and I have taken the liberty to enclose Captain PARKER's note, having wrote to his Royal Highness the Duke of Kent on the subject. I am a native of Kensington and have been for the space of thirty years a Carpenter & Builder during which period I have used the greatest diligence to attention to business but am ultimately unsuccessful in it. My family consists of my wife a daughter & two sons, the elder of whom is endeavouring to get forward as a Carpenter in Kensington and the second, until the conclusion of the Peace, had been brought up as Midshipman in his Majesty's navy, when, his service being no longer required, he became burthensome to me at a time when my domestic concerns, from a number of untoward circumstances were getting into a dire state. However, I afterwards endeavoured to equip him out for South America, whence he was shortly after under the necessity of returning, thus unfortunately he became again burthensome to me and this at a period when my affairs were in a worse state than before. I thank God, however, that about ten months ago he was appointed Midshipman to his Majesty's ship the Ramillies. The object, however, of intruding on your Honor as this is, that as it has ever been my earnest Desire to be an useful and active member of society to solicit your kind patronage in obtaining an appointment for me as a Superintendant in the Building department in the proposed Emigration to the Cape of Good Hope.

From my former experience in concerns of this kind, I may presume to say that I might be found to be successful to the Colony, as I have been engaged in Building in all its branches almost from my infancy. Should your Honor condescend to favour me with an interview I might, perhaps be able to explain matters more fully to your satisfaction, whatever may be the result of this application, I shall remain your Honor's most devoted and humble ser't.

J PLOWMAN

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