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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.

CAMPBELL, Charles, 1820

National Archives, Kew, CO48/52, 135

Durham Place

7th January 1820

Sir

In addition to the five persons named to you in my letter of the 29th ultimo will you allow me to insert Benjamin GINNER whom I propose to embark tomorrow.

I have the honor to be Sir

Your most obedient humble servant

Charles CAMPBELL

MajGenl

 

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National Archives, Kew, CO48/52, 138

11 January 1820

Sir

I regret troubling you so often; but as persons came up from the country in the expectation of being allowed to embark, I cannot deny them the present opportunity. I have therefore to request the name of John TALBOT to be added to the list of persons sent out by me to the Cape.

I have the honor to be Sir

Your most obedient humble servant

Charles CAMPBELL

Maj.Genl

 

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National Archives, Kew, CO48/52, 140

12 January 1820

Sir

I herewith transmit the Dispatch to Lord Charles SOMERSET in order that the names of Benjamin GINNER and John TALBOT may be inserted therein.

I have the honor to be Sir

Your most obedient humble servant

Charles CAMPBELL

Maj.Genl

[Provisional] list of persons sent to the new Settlement at the Cape of Good Hope by M. Genl Charles CAMPBELL

1.             Cypress MESSER

2.             William WEAD

3.             Thomas STANBOROUGH

4.             William PHILLIPSON

5.             William ANDERSON

NB The first named man Cypress MESSER is appointed by me to obtain in my name and my behalf land in the proportion to the number of men I send.

Charles CAMPBELL

Maj.Genl

 

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National Archives, Kew, CO48/52, 147

18 January 1820

Sir

In consequence of the navigation being impeded I take the opportunity of requesting the name of Henry SHARP to be added to the list of persons embarked by me for the new Settlement at the Cape of Good Hope and I transmit the dispatch to Lord Charles SOMERSET that his name may be therein inserted.

I have the honor to be Sir

Your most obedient humble servant

Charles CAMPBELL

Maj.Genl

 

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National Archives, Kew, CO48/52, 153

3 Durham Place

31 January 1820

Sir

My Effects (which are entirely for private use) sent with the men intended for the new Settlement have been lodged at Galley Wharf London Lodge - the whole is short of a Ton per man, including wearing apparel &c of the men, and consists of a few carpenters tools, two ploughs, harrows, a small flour hand mill and a few such articles - a small Cart (not new) the whole entirely for the use of the Settlers. The total value of the whole, including wearing apparel of the men does not exceed two hundred pounds, the bill of the tools £31.1.4 included.

The Brig Mary Ann Sophia on which ship the articles were to have been shipped this day, leaves the City Canal on Thursday morning next and I am this instant informed that the articles & baggage can not be received on board without a special order as effects of Settlers, unless they are regularly entered & cleared at the Custom house giving in the value of the different articles some of which may be liable to a duty. The whole is intended to be shipped in the name of Cypress MESSER, the person sent by me as the head of the party. Under this embarrassment I take the liberty of addressing you as the ship leaves the River on Thursday morning and the difficulty of giving so precise an account of every article precludes the possibility of my putting them on board.

I have the honor to be Sir

Your most obedient humble servant

Charles CAMPBELL

Maj.Genl

[GOULBURN'S notation]

Acquaint him in reply that Lord B possesses no power of dispensing with the laws which regulate the shipment of articles from this country & is not therefore aware of it being in his power to relieve his difficulty.

 

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National Archives, Kew, CO48/52, 155

1st February 1820

Sir

With reference to my letter of yesterdays date I beg leave to enclose a list of articles to be shipped with Cypress MESSER on board the Mary Ann Sophia Brig lying in the City Canal - by which you will observe the moderation of the equipment for so many persons; and I have to request an early reply as it will be attended with considerable expense to lose the opportunity of shipping in this River.

I have the honor to be Sir

Your most obedient humble servant

Charles CAMPBELL

MajGenl

Inventory of articles, implements of husbandry, some tools and sundries not new to be shipped on board the Mary Ann Sophia Brig for the new settlement under the charge and in the name of Cypress MESSER

viz -

A large Case containing

1 pr Smiths bellows

4 bags small shot - about 100 lbs weight

1 single line harness - not new

Some iron, about 100 lbs weight

Some steel, about 21 lbs weight

Some old lead, about 100 lbs weight

1 bundle containing 2 saws included in price of tools

1 bundle containing 6 spades included in price of tools

1 Soldier's Bell tent, & pole &c

1 Box Flour hand Mill

1 Box Sieves for Mill

1 Saddle, bridles & sundries, not new

Separate

1 Hamper - cuttings seed potatoes

1 Fly wheel for the above flour Mill

1 Hair trunk, mens common apparel (men of the party)

1 ditto

3 boxes, ditto

1 Timber carriage with 4 wheels, old materials

6 Deal planks for sides & bottom to above

1 Paper parcel of packing string

8 beds for men with 8 pr blankets

1 small grinding stone

1 square deal box with tools

1 matted bundle, fruit plants & garden seeds

2 ploughs and 1 pr harrows complete

1 Cask biscuit - 2 cwt

1 Cask flour - 2 cwt

1 Cask pork -2 cwt

[GOULBURN'S notation] Send to the Treasury recommending if they see no objection a compliance with his request but explain to him that the Treasury & not this office have the whole regulation of such subjects.

 

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National Archives, Kew, CO48/52, 162

Durham Place

10 February 1820

Sir

Being most peculiarly situated with regard to the party of Settlers whom I have engaged to proceed to the new Settlement, I trouble you with much reluctance on the occasion. The party have long been engaged by me and have been actually embarked on an engagement that the ship would sail long since & touching at the Cape would proceed and land my people at the new Settlement.

Such repeated delays have taken place, and there being no prospect of the intention of the owners to clear the ship for sea I am now left to pursue legal measures for this serious disappointment - under this unfortunate embarrassment there not being any vessel of any description bound to the new settlement I most earnestly solicit the assistance of Lord BATHURST to enable my people to proceed and which can only be done by a permission to put my party on board one of the Government ships conveying Settlers this season.

I am fully aware I am not entitled to any accommodation at the public expense nor would I take the liberty to make this application was I not driven to the last extremity and left without an alternative. I am prepared, if Lord BATHURST will allow this accommodation, to pay ten pounds for each family; and I shall not embark more than two women & one child amongst the whole number all of whom are of the working class. I distinctly understand that I am not entitled to receive any money back.

I have the honor to be Sir

Your very obedient humble servant

Charles CAMPBELL

Maj.Genl

[GOULBURN'S notation] It is altogether out of Lord B's power to comply with his request

 

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National Archives, Kew, CO48/52, 168

Durham Place

21st February 1820

Sir

I request you will be good enough to cause the names of Messrs Thomas RICHARDS and George WHITE to be added to the list of persons embarked by me for the new Settlement; & to expunge the name of Benjamin GINNER from the list. I enclose the Duplicate dispatch to Lord Charles SOMERSET that the alteration may be made therein.

I have the honor to be Sir

Your most obedient humble servant

Charles CAMPBELL

Maj.Genl

 

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National Archives, Kew, CO48/52, 178

13 March 1820

Sir

May I request to be informed whether young lads of sixteen seventeen and eighteen years of age (accompanying an [illegible] relative) may be engaged by me & proceed with my party to the Cape and be entitled to the usual allotment of 100 acres of land each.

I have the honor to be Sir

Your most obedient humble servant

Charles CAMPBELL

 

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National Archives, Kew, CO48/52, 184

21st March 1820

Sir

Not having any wish to take persons to the Cape who are in any manner disqualified from obtaining grants of land as Settlers, I beg to be informed of the age which such disqualification ceases, and if there are any objections to young men obtaining grants of land although their parents or other relatives may belong to the party to be taken by me to the Cape.

I have the honor to be Sir

Your most obedient humble servant

Charles CAMPBELL

 

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National Archives, Kew, CO48/52, 197

3 Durham Place

7 June 1820

Sir

I beg leave to inform you that the persons named in the margin are embarking for the Settlement at the Cape of Good Hope, & I request you will be good enough to cause their names to be added to the list of those who have already proceeded thither and be notified to the Governor of that Colony.

I have the honor to be Sir

Your very obedient humble servant

Charles CAMPBELL

Messrs

P. LUCAS

William LUCAS

Frederick LUCAS

*C. CAMPBELL

*H. CAMPBELL

Thomas ANGELL

A.G. CAMPBELL

H. LEATH

William POWER

Maurice GARCIA

Ely MILLS

William FISHER

*[Extract from The Settler Handbook: The Colonial Department's list of this party includes General Campbell's two eldest sons, Charles and Henry, but it is not known whether they actually sailed.]

 

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National Archives, Kew, CO48/52, 199

15 June 1820

Sir

I did myself the honor of addressing you on the 7th instant annexing a list of persons who are about to sail to the Cape of Good Hope, and as the ship will sail on Monday next I shall be obliged by your answer to my communication.

I have the honor to be Sir

Your most obedient humble servant

Charles CAMPBELL

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