Skip to main content
GSSA
The 1820 Settler Correspondence
 as preserved in the National Archives, Kew
 and edited by Sue Mackay

Correspondence 1821 to 1837.

Here only letters by known settlers or their families, or letters of great relevance to the 1820 settlers, have been transcribed, whereas ALL the 1819 correspondence was transcribed (see CO48/41 through CO48/46) whether or not the writers emigrated to the Cape.

Unless otherwise stated letters were written to either the Secretary of State for the Colonies or his deputy.The original correspondence is filed in order of receipt. Here it has been placed in alphabetical order according to the surname of the writer, with letters by the same writer in chronological order, for ease of reading. Original spelling has been maintained. Reference numbers, where given, refer to printed page numbers stamped on the letters and will enable visitors to the National Archives to locate the letter more easily.

CLARINGBOULD, Richard and John DARBY, 1821

National Archives, Kew, CO48/56, 52

Deal, 17 March 1821

My Lord

Having been permitted by His Excellency Governor DONKIN to return to this country for the purpose of procuring various articles necessary for our establishment at Algoa Bay, we seize the first moment of our arrival for the purpose of transmitting the inclosed letter from our party detailing our views and wishes and humbly soliciting the aid of your Lordship towards carrying them into effect by granting us a passage for ourselves, and the articles we may purchase, to the Cape of Good Hope in any of His Majestys Store Ships or Vessels of War bound to that Colony. The inclosed letter fully developing our objects, we forbear to trouble your Lordship at greater length, than to add our most humble but earnest request that your Lordship will be pleased to comply therewith, but the benefit we have already received at your Lordships hands from the commencement of our undertaking and the favorable and indeed friendly reception we have experienced from the Officers of Government at the Colony from the moment of our debarkation call for the most grateful acknowledgement, and we now beg leave most respectfully, but most sincerely, to offer them, on behalf of ourselves and our whole party.

We left Algoa Bay on the 18 December last at which time our own Establishment and all in the Vicinity were progressing beyond our most sanguine expectations, we had previously taken a journey of 7 days up the Country, which we found indescribably delightful & the New Settlers quite as comfortable as from their recent location could be expected. Holding ourselves at the command of your Lordship we have the honor to be with the greatest respect & deference, My Lord

Your Lordship's most obliged & obedient servants

Richard CLARINGBOULD

John DARBY

at Mr Edward DARBYS

Deal

[Enclosed letter]

Deal 30 March 1821

To the Right Honorable the Earl of Liverpool

May it please your Lordship

We the undersigned being the persons permitted by a letter of leave from his Excellency the Governor of the Cape of Good Hope to return to England for the purpose of procuring articles necessary for the better establishment of a Fishery by the Deal Party of Settlers located at Algoa Bay under Mr Charles GURNEY and respecting which we had the honor of addressing your Lordship a few days ago through the medium of the Reverend Mr PENNINGTON, having understood that the ship "Sappho" Capt LAMB is taken up by government as a transport for the purpose of conveying Stores and Passengers to the Cape of Good Hope and is now loading at Deptford Dock yard and expected to sail in about twelve days, beg leave to solicit through your Lordship the favor of a passage for ourselves and the Boats and articles we have purchased for our Fishery by the said ship Free of Freight.

We beg leave most respectfully to represent to your Lordship that in purchasing the articles we came to England for we have expended the greater part of our Capital and that we should consequently feel most severely the additional expence to which we should be subject were we to convey them and ourselves to the Cape in a Merchant Ship [obscured] to freight, and as our object has the approval of his Excellency the Governor and we trust will be deemed by your Lordship to be a truly laudable one we humbly presume to hope that your Lordship will be pleased to enable us to carry it into effect by granting us permission to proceed with our said articles in the manner before requested and as in duty bound

We will ever pray

Richard CLARINGBOULD

John DARBY

at Mr Edw DARBYS, Deal

 

article_separator

 

National Archives, Kew, CO48/56, 162

St Dunstan's Hill

Tower St

[obscured] April 1821

Sir!

The annexed letters relate to the application made to Earl BATHURST (left at this office at the Colonial Office on Saturday last) for a free passage to the Cape of Good Hope per the "Sappho" for

John DARBY & Richard CLARINGBOULD. We submit them to you that they may strengthen as we hope they will, the reasons urged for the grant in question:-

And we take the liberty of adding that if the parties cannot be allowed to proceed in the "Sappho", it would be considered an equal favour if they were permitted to proceed free (with their three whale boats) on board the first vessel belonging to, or provided by, Government to the colony proposed.

I remain Sir respectfully

Yr very ob st

[??] SENTANCE

[Enclosed]

At Mr Edward DARBYS, Deal

30 March 1821

To the Right Honble the Earl BATHURST His Majestys Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies.

May it please your Lordship

We the undersigned being the persons permitted by a letter of leave from his Excellency the Governor of the Cape of good Hope (a copy of which we beg leave to annex) to return to England for the purpose of procuring articles necessary for the better establishment of a Fishery by the Deal Party of Settlers located at Port Elizabeth Algoa Bay under Mr Charles GURNEY and respecting which we had the honor of addressing your Lordship through the medium of S R LUSHINGTON Esq the 17th instant, having understood that the ship Sappho Capt LAMB is taken up by Government as a Transport for the purpose of conveying Stores and Passengers to the Cape of good Hope and is now loading at his Majestys yard at Deptford and expected to sail in about twelve days beg leave to solicit at the hands of your Lordship a passage for ourselves and the Boats and articles we have purchased for our Fishery by the said ship Free of Freight. A favor with the many others we have received since the [commencement] of our undertaking will remain indellibly impressed on our minds and on those of Mr GURNEY and all connected with us and will ever stimulate us to evince our gratitude by every means which our peculiar location in Algoa Bay, the nature of our pursuits and the possession of means of assisting vessels in distress may afford us.

We beg leave further to represent to your Lordship that in purchasing the articles we came home for we have expended the greater part of our capital and that we should consequently feel most severely the additional expence to which we should be subject were we to convey them and ourselves to the Cape in a merchant ship liable to Freight, and as our object has the approval of his Excellency the Governor and we trust will be deemed a truly laudable one by your Lordship we humbly presume to Hope that your Lordship will preserve to us the means of carrying it on with the necessary Capital, activity and Spirit by granting us permission to proceed with our said articles in the manner before requested.

We have the honor to subscribe ourselves with the greatest deference and respect, My Lord

Your Lordship's obliged obedient and very humble servants

Richard CLARINGBOULD

John DARBY

Copy of the Authority alluded to in the within letter from Col CUYLER to Mr GURNEY

Copy

Colonial Office

9 November 1820

Sir

I am directed by his Excellency the acting governor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 21 ulto [giving cause] to an application for Mr C. GURNEY and I have it in command to inform you that his Excellency has been pleased to permit Richard CLARINGBOULD and J DARBY to proceed to England for the purpose of procuring sundry articles and assistance necessary for the better conduct of the Fishery at Port Elizabeth.

I have the honor to be Sir

Your obed servant

Signed H. ELLIS

D.S.

A True Copy

Signed J. S. CUYLER

Lt. Col CUYLER

Landrost of Uitenhage

 

article_separator

 

National Archives, Kew, CO48/56, 168

Deal

30 March 1821

Dear Sir

Thank you for your favor of yesterday and now inclose a letter for Earl BATHURST praying leave for the 2 Colonists to proceed to the Cape in the Sappho with their Boats & other articles purchased by them for their fishery. As this permission is an object of great importance to them I beg leave to recommend it to your best attention and request the exertion of your interest and abilities which I shall be happy to acknowledge. If you find we have asked for too much pray modify our demand and get leave for the 2 young men and their 3 Whale Boats only - and the other things such as Bailers, Casks, Ropes &c we must then send by a merchant ship upon freight. It is indispensable for them to go with the Boats to take care of them and prevent their being used on the voyage & stove or broke to pieces. Pray let me hear from you by return of post as our things will require some days preparation. Before presenting the petition to Lord BATHURST please ascertain that the Sappho is engaged by Government or else we shall be asking for what we cannot obtain. I think as I said before that Mr COURTENAY has the Cape Department at Lord BATHURST'S office.

Yrs truly

E. DARBY

 

article_separator

 

National Archives, Kew, CO48/56, 170

Deal

7 April 1821

Dear Sir

I am favored with your letter of yesterday & thank you for the pains you have already taken in the Cape business, & request you will please continue your exertions & I have no doubt you will thereby attain my object of a free passage for the young men & their goods to the Cape.

I shall endeavour to run up to London one day this week & in the meantime remain

Dear Sir

Yours very truly

E. DARBY

The purchases will amount to 400£ British manufactured goods & if they are successfull then demand will increase every year which in these times is an object [3 illegible scrawled words]

 

  • Hits: 6429