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.

HUMPHREYS, Thomas

Written by Sue Mackay on .

National Archives, Kew CO48/43, 787

13th September 1819

The Memorial of Thomas HUMPHREYS, late Lieutenant and Riding Master in His Majesties Light Dragoons and Austrian Service upwards of 25 years

Sheweth

Your memorialist having had the honour of being a commissioned officer and Riding Master in His Majesties Light Dragoons and Austrian Service upwards of twenty five years and was the first pupil of the Lte Mons'r SAINT BELL the founder of the Veterinary Colledge of Saint Pancras of which practice he is a proficient, your Memorialist most humbly begs leave to offer himself to your Lordships notice wishing to emigrate to the Cape of good hope in any way your Lordship may be pleased to appoint him, not only as an agriculturist, your Memorialist volunteers to discipline the Boers and all others that may entrusted to bare arms in there deffence, either as infantry, or calvalry on any terms your Lordship may be pleased to appoint him. Your Memorialist begs leave to state that he is perfectly aquainted with the colony and speaks the language having been there at the taking of it and with 21st Light Dragoons your Memorialist begs leave further to state as the state of that country at present wants protection for its inhabitants and there property, which is afforded them by our Army, at a great expence to our government the greatest assistance may be given them by forming them into yeoman corps the same as in our own country, which could be done with dispatch and no expence to this country whatever, excepting about ten Noncommissioned officers and some Riding School Tackle, with these I will undertake to bring 1000 men into the field fit for service and there horses broke, which I have done in same colony, and received by General Sir David BEARD in Ten Weeks. The great assistance your memorialist could afford the inhabitants in the Veterinary Est. would no doubt be a great acquisition to them.

Should your Lordship aprove of your Memorialist's proposition he will think himself highly honoured and will ever pray---

Thomas HUMPHREYS, Riding Master

Gloucester Riding Academy

Near Magdalen Blackfriars Road

  • Hits: 5686