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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.

FARMER, Walter et al

Written by Sue Mackay on .

National Archives, Kew CO48/43, 181

August 16 1819

My Lord,

From the good encouragement held out by Government to persons wishing to settle in the Cape of Good Hope, we whose names are hereunto subscribed, being Farmers, are induced to become settlers there and would wish to become fully informed (as well for our own guidance as for those persons who will come with us) on the Principles of Settlement there as stated in the public newspapers.

In the first place we would wish to be informed whether settlers will be allowed to bring out their families at the expence of Government and how many persons each family must consist of. Whether we are to be each at the expence of bringing 10 persons to the place of embarkation, whether that is to take place in England or Ireland, where those persons are to be examined & approved of by Government & where we are to lodge the money requisite for each family we bring out.

In the next place we wish to know whether it is here or at the Cape e are to get the grant of the land promised by Government & what part of the Cape it will be situated. Whether Government will give us any assistance for the support of our families and those persons we bring with us from the time we land there till our first crops come round.

Lastly we would wish to know what controul we are to have over those persons we bring with us and in what manner that controul will be established. In all these particulars your Lordship will have the kindness to inform us as we have nothing to delay us here but to be fully informed of these particulars. We beg leave to suggest to your Lordship that it would be greatly to our advantage to embark from & lodge our money in Ireland as the exchange between the countries is so high that we must lose a great deal of our capital by being obliged to go to England. We beg your Lordship will inform us at what period in the year the Government vessels will sail for the Cape.

We have the honour to be your Lordship's obedt hble sevts

William PERRIN Mervill Duplavin County Kildare

John PERRIN Do.

Walter FARMER Ballilore

John EDWARDS Naraghanore

Daniel GOODWIN Ballilore

James GOODWIN Do.

George RYDER Do.

Thos. BUSTER Do.

Joseph WILLIAMS Do.

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