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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.

POWELL, John Kynaston, MP for Shropshire

National Archives, Kew CO48/45, 303

Hardwick

Ellesmere

Oct 11 1819

Dear Sir,

I had the honor some time since of addressing you in favor of Edward Webb WILSON to recommend him to your notice & that he might have permission to go out in a proper manner to the Cape of Good Hope: of which letter you were kind enough to take an early & favorable notice: & Mr. WILSON & I were much obliged by it. As he has in consequence engaged Persons to go out with him & has regularly sent in names to your office: But since that he has not been so fortunate as to hear from you again on the subject.

Allow me to request the further favor of you to give him the necessary papers to hasten his departure. I beg leave to repeat that he (Mr. WILSON) is extremely well qualified in every respect for the proper cultivation of a new colony – as I have already experienced your favorable notice of him I will not any [*at] present write to my Lord BATHURST, unless he shall so direct.

The continuance of your favor to Mr. WILSON will [be] esteemed a very high & additional obligation conferred on myself and I assure you on my honor that I would not mention his name to you if I were not perfectly satisfied that he would do ample credit to any patronage that he may [be] honored with.

I have the honor to be Sir

Your most obed't & faithful st.

John Kynaston POWELL

[note from GOULBURN at foot of page]

Has this Mr. WILSON's offer been accepted or what is the state of it

Clerk's reply: Mr.WILSON's proposal is not forthcoming: when he came here with this letter he said that it had been delivered about the beginning of October

 

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National Archives, Kew CO48/45, 334

[to John Kynaston POWELL]

Downing Street

Oct 20th 1819

Dear Sir,

I have had the honor of receiving your letter of the 11th inst in favor of Mr. Edward Webb WILSON who is desirous of proceeding as a settler to the Cape of Good Hope. Immediately upon the receipt of it I caused reference to be made to the accepted proposals and regret to find that a person of the name of Thomas WILSON has been accepted under the idea of his being the person to whom you had given a recommendation and that there is no trace of any regular proposal made by the gentleman in whom you take an interest. As I am unable to discover Mr. WILSON's address in London I take the liberty of requesting that you would have the goodness either to inform me of his direction in order that I may enter into communication with him or to direct him to transmit his proposal to me with as little delay as possible when I will pay every attention in my power to his wishes.

I am extremely sorry for the mistake of which I have been guilty and which has given you the trouble of a further correspondence on the subject and have the honor to subscribe myself, dear Sir

Your most obedient humble servant

Henry GOULBURN

 

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National Archives, Kew CO48/45, 328

[note at top: Accept]

Hardwick

Ellesmere

Oct 23 1819

Dear Sir,

I cannot but think myself highly obliged by your letter of the 20th inst relative to Mr. Edward Webb WILSON & the mistake that had arisen in your office. I write to him by the post & send him a note to deliver to you as instructed & I shall feel very very grateful for your attention to his Petition. He resides No.9 Old Broad Street in the City.

Accept my best thanks & I have the honor to be Sir

Your most obed't & obliged humble serv't

John Kynaston POWELL

 

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National Archives, Kew CO48/45, 330

[note attached to Edward Webb WILSON's proposal]

Hardwick

Ellesmere

Oct 23 1819

Dear Sir,

The gentleman who has the honor of delivering this to your office is the man Mr. Edward Webb WILSON about whom you wrote me a letter sent on the 20th inst to which by the post of today I have sent you an answer. I grieve to give you so much trouble.

I am my dear Sir with great respect

Your most obed't serv't

John Kynaston POWELL

Name and Description of the Person taking out the Settlers:

Edward Webb WILSON of London

Public Notary

9 Old Broad Street, near the Exchange

Names of the Settlers

Profession or Trade

Age

Names of the Women

Age

Male Children

Age

Female Children

Age

John SMITH

Mattress maker

22

           

John FOWLER

Labouring Farmer

34

Elizabeth

24

Philip

3

Elizabeth

Jesse ALLARD

Labouring Farmer

30

Mary

29

   

Mary/Elizabeth

2/3mo

James PACOLLE

Surgeon

30

Jemima

29

James/Henry

2/1

   

Seeba MEHRTENS

Willow Cutter

25

Mary Ann

25

       

Edward HANGER

Carpenter

29

Sophia

26

   

Caroline

6

Henry VOKINS

Shoemaker

37

Mary [sic]*

36

   

Mary

16

Robert STODDARD

White Smith

25

Mary Ann

25

Robert

   

Thomas LEWIS

Labouring Smith

31

Lydia

30

Thomas

2

   

Samuel COLE

Working Goldsmith

23

           

[Transcriber's Note: See Correspondence for Edward Webb WILSON in CO48/46. Seba MEHRTENS and Edward HANGER emigrated in HOWARD's Party. Henry VOKINS eventually emigrated in BAILIE's Party. The Settler Handbook lists his wife's name as Lucy]

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