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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.

MACKAY, William

Written by Sue Mackay on .

National Archives, Kew CO48/44, 498

4 Bedford Court

Chandos Street

22 July 1819

The memorial of William MACKAY Ensign on half pay of the Cape Regiment

Most respectfully sheweth

That memorialist served in the 93rd Regiment at the capture of the Cape of Good Hope in 1806 and was appointed to the Cape Regiment at its first formation and served in it until its reduction in September 1817. Was on the command under Colonel GRAHAM in 1812 which recovered the Frontier District (or Zuurveldt) from the Caffres and on all commands of importance formed on the Frontier during six years doing duty on the Great Fish River.

The reduction of the Cape Regiment obliged memorialist to retire on the half pay of his Regt. without any other means of improving his income and without any employment intends going out to the Cape to settle on the Frontier and in consequence of his long service in that colony hopes your Lordship will be pleased to grant him a free passage in the first ship going out to the Cape in the employment of the Government.

Memorialist applied to your Lordship in August last praying for a passage to the Cape, to which application your Lordship replied that you had no means at your disposal which could enable your Lordship to comply with the request.

Should your Lordship have any occasion for the service of the memorialist in any capacity at the Cape or at any part of the Interior he shall be very happy to be employed.

Memorialist as in duty bound shall ever pray

Wm. MACKAY

Ensign HP Cape Regt

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