SMITH, William, 1820 Settler

National Archives, Kew CO48/45, 739

3 Barnards Inn, Holburn

[Received July 22 1819]

Sir

On applying at Lord BATHURST's office for information respecting emigration to the Cape of Good Hope I have been directed to make my application to you by letter.

In compliance with that direction I have to request that you will have the goodness to furnish me with as much information as may be in your power respecting the mode of application and the advantages & privileges granted and regulations to be observed by persons wishing to settle there.

I am Sir your most obedient Servant.

Wm SMITH

PS. The favor of a early answer will oblige, or I will wait if it will be convenient to give a verbal answer at once.

 

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/45, 799

3 Barnards Inn

3rd August 1819

Sir

I have the honor to address you on behalf of a Society formed for the purpose of facilitating the means of emigration to the Cape of Good Hope.

This Society consists of a number of respectable and intelligent individuals wishing to embrace the offer of Government and desirous of taking out the requisite number of labouring families.

The object therefore of this application is to ascertain whether Government will sanction the views of the Society - if so we shall feel greatly obliged by an answer to the following questions, namely.

What tools & implements Government furnish? Do they grant Arms and Ammunition? What tonnage will be allowed to each individual & if extra tonnage will be allowed by paying freight for the same? Where the Settlers are to be landed & how far are they to be located from the Coast? & whether they will be at liberty to choose the situation for their location within the district appointed by Government for that purpose? Whether Government will provide a passage for any party wishing to go out before the time specified in the circular if such party consists of a sufficient number for one vessel? Whether the ten pounds deposited for each family is to be returned to the person so depositing the same? An answer to the above questions will greatly oblige, Sir

Your most obedient & humble servant.

Wm SMITH

PS. The favor of a personal interview with the chairman who now waits your answer on the point will confer a still further obligation on the Society.

 

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/45, 831

3 Barnards Inn

Aug 9th 1819

Sir

I have to return thanks on behalf of the persons in whose name I have the honor to address you for your very explicit letter of the 5th Instant in answer to mine of the 3rd. I beg leave to trouble you further by requesting to know; In what manner application is to be made for the furtherance of our intention; on whether we may expect official notice (to be in readiness) from the application which we have already made.

I apprehend our association will consist of about one hundred families or more, but in the course of a short time should be able to give an exact statement as to member, names, sex and age.

An answer to the above will be an additional obligation on your most obedient humble servant.

Wm SMITH

 

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/45, 863

3 Barnards Inn

Aug 16th 1819

Sir

I have again to thank you for your very polite attention to my letter of the 9th instant, & in compliance with the conditions of your answer, I have the honor to submit the statement for the necessary consideration.

I am, Sir, Your most Obedient & Humble Servant

Wm SMITH

The number of individual families belonging to this Society & wishing to avail themselves of the offer of Government are - 120.

The number of acres of land for such individuals & families conformable (?) to the Circular - 12000.

NB. We wish to avail ourselves of the offer of Government in allowing us to take a minister. We anxiously wait the approval of the Earl BATHURST and when requisite the deposit and what other statement necessary will be in readiness.

[Comment by GOULBURN written overleaf] The persons & families must be particularly expressed.

 

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/45, 884

3 Barnards Inn

25th Aug 1819

Sir

By your last letter I was given to understand that my application could not be attended to unless a statement of the names and ages of the men women and children, I intended to take with me were sent in for your consideration from which notice I am obliged to defer my application for a few days. You would confer a great obligation if you would inform me if there is any danger of my application being too late should I not be able to send it in before the next seven or eight days or when will be the latest that can be attended to as I am extremely anxious to proceed to the Cape of Good Hope. An answer to the above will confer another obligation on me.

Your Obedient Servant

Wm SMITH

 

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/45, 915

3 Barnards Inn

Sept 2nd 1819

Sir

Conformable to your favour of the 17th of August I have the honour to transmit to you for the consideration of Earl BATHURST the accompanying statement of the individuals wishing to emigrate to the Cape of Good Hope under my direction - And have further to state that I am ready to conform myself to all the conditions upon which his Majesty's Government have offered to grant lands in the Colony.

Remain Sir

Your most obedient servant

Wm SMITH

Statement of the number, names, & age of persons wishing to emigrate to the Cape under the direction of Mr W SMITH.

Names & description of persons taking out the Settlers:

William SMITH

*[Transcriber's Note: Thomas EDKINS is not listed in The Settler Handbook but is listed in Hockly's ‘Story of the British Settlers of 1820']

 

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/45, 996

3 Barnards Inn

Holburn

Sir

Being fully aware that it is in general of little or no avail to make use of any thing like remonstrance after a decision made by so high an authority I have to apologize for troubling you with this letter the purpose of which is to state my disappointment in not having received a favourable answer respecting permission to emigrate to the Cape of Good Hope.

I beg leave to say that I think that my application was one of the first and from the many communications I was favoured with I though I had just reason to expect success. I would further state that I am a young man with not any business in my Mother Country (England) having been used from a boy to the sea service in India, and laterly in commercial pursuits abroad & at this time from the state of Commerce not having any employment I would wish to embark on the enterprise alluded to above. being posessed of about 400£ & joining my self with other persons of the same description whose Collective Capital would amount to about 2000£ I supposed that I should have been considered eligible in the estimation of Earl BATHURST and had I been aware that such a statement as the above was necessary to insure success I should not have failed to have made it.

The favor I have to ask is that in consideration of the above (if it is possible) Earl BATHURST will include [us] in the present grant allowing me to proceed with ten families. In reference to my respectability and a person adapted for this kind of enterprise I beg to refer his Lordship to Mr Ben'n SHAW late member of parliament, and subscribe my self.

Your Obedient humble Servant

Wm SMITH

PS. I beg to refer you to my list which has been sent in but from my disappointment would now wish to select only 10 of them should I obtain permission to proceed.

 

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/45, 1019

3 Barnards Inn

Oct 11th 1819

Sir

From the information I received this morning from Mr SMITH, I have the honor to transmit to you the following statement.

Viz: That it is my desire to proceed to the Cape of Good Hope as a settler under the restrictions and regulations which Government have determined to grant lands in that Colony, taking with me under my direction ten families.

That in consequence of the above intimation you were pleased to favor me with, I have written into Northamptonshire to inform the parties of my ability to take them out, (having informed them that I had met with a refusal in my former application) & by Thursday morning I shall be able to send in a statement of their names, sex, & age &c &c.

I further beg to enclose, in compliance with your desire a letter from a Gentleman of respectability, as to my eligibility &c &c.

I am Sir

Your most Obedient Humble Servant

Wm SMITH

[enclosed]

New Street Spring Garden

10th October 1819

Sirs

The bearer of this Mr Wm SMITH has applied to me for the purpose of vouching to his character and particular eligibility for a grant of land as a settler at the Cape of Good Hope.

I regret much that his circumstance should render it in his opinion desirable for him thus to export himself from his own Country and obtain a foreign settlement, being strongly impressed with the opinion that his Probity Industry and Talent would have been both productive to himself and his Country had he remained at home.

He has been bred to the sea, used to an Eastern climate and accustomed to active life that I have no hesitation in recommending him as one well adapted rightly to occupy the land which may be granted to him, and in any country to become a useful member of society.

I am respectfully Sirs

Your obedient humble servant

Benjamin SHAW

 

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/45, 1036

3 Barnards Inn

Oct 20th 1819

Sir

I have the honor to enclose according to your instructions the returns of the persons proceeding to the Cape of Good Hope under my direction. In reference to the fourth list I beg to state that Capt Robert Wood BAGOT 47th Regt is the only person of that occupation proceeding with me and hope you will find the 4th list sufficiently explicit.

I remain, Your Most Obedient Humble Servant

Wm SMITH

 

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/45, 1042

Barnards Inn

Oct 23rd 1819

Sir

I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 21st Instant directing me to pay into the hands of Mr HILL Esq Commissariat Department Treasury the sum of £162.10.0 which I have duly complied with. The List I delivered & the amount in conformity to your circular I made only to amount to the sum of pounds £142.10.0 being a difference of pounds £20 minus your amount. I would therefore request the favor of your permitting my statement to be examined again.

I have the honor to be Sir

Your Most Obedient Humble Servant

Wm SMITH

 

 

National Archives, Kew CO48/45, 1044

3 Barnards Inn

26th Oct 1819

Sir

I take the liberty of troubling for an answer to the following questions, which, if it is in your power you will much oblige me by answering. Viz: What are the implements which government are sending out for the purpose of supplying the Settlers with. Whether Government will have any stores of provisions at hand which we may be enabled to purchase on our arrival at the place of destination or whether it will be necessary for us to take any stock out with us. & if it is known what is the time we are expected to embark. Answers to the above will greatly oblige, Sir

Your Most Obedient Servant

Wm SMITH

 

 

Cape Archives CO 6138 Volume 1

An agreement made this first day of December 1819 between William SMITH of the first part and John COMFIELD, David HOBSON and Robert Wood BAGOT of the second part
Whereas the said W. SMITH hath lately obtained a provisional undertaking from His Britannic Majesty’s Government for a grant of a considerable tract of land on the southern coast of Africa, in the British Colony of the Cape of Good Hope, on condition that he, the said W. SMITH, would forthwith proceed to the said Colony with divers other Persons to be approved by the said Government, & would cultivate, & would continue to cultivate the said tract of land for the space of three years, at the end of which period the said Government have undertaken to obtain a grant from his said Majesty to the said W. SMITH of the said grant of land, subject only to a small quit rent & reservation of certain minor and other stipulations therein to be mentioned. And whereas the said J. COMFIELD, D. HOBSON and R.W. BAGOT have agreed to accompany the said W. SMITH to the said Colony, in order to settle in the said tract of land, on certain conditions hereinafter mentioned. Now the said W. SMITH agrees that in consideration of the said persons proceeding with him to the said intended tract of land in the said Colony he will forthwith put them in possession of one hundred & fifty acres of land, to be allotted by the said W. SMITH in such manner & form as shall be agreed upon, & that if they the said J. COMFIELD, D. HOBSON and R.W. BAGOT shall cultivate & continue to cultivate the said one hundred & fifty acres of land for the space of three years & shall continue to reside on the said tract of land or near thereto, he the said W. SMITH shall & will immediately on the compilation of the grant and conveyance of the said land from his Britannic Majesty to him convey & [assign] the fee simple and inheritance of and in the said one hundred & fifty acres for ever: they paying the expences thereof, subject only to such Quit Rents, reservations & stipulations as shall be ascertained in the said grant from his said Majesty [obscured] and always reserving to the said W. SMITH his heirs & assigns the right of Hunting, Hawking, Shooting & Fishing over the said land & every part thereof, & also reserving to the said W. SMITH & his heirs & assigns a Moiety of all Mines [obscured] quarried of stones & coal &c that may be found in or upon the said one hundred & fifty acres of land or any part thereof.
And on condition only that they the said J. COMFIELD, D. HOBSON & R.W. BAGOT shall cultivate and improve the said one hundred and fifty acres of land so to be allotted to them as aforesaid & shall in all things abide by & submit to such bye laws, regulations, rules & agreements as the said W. SMITH & the majority of the persons ab’t to proceed with him to the said tract of land shall make or enact for the safety and well being of their intended settlement. And in consideration of the promises of the said J. COMFIELD, D. HOBSON & R.W. BAGOT to agree to proceed to the said tract of land in the said Colony of the Cape of Good Hope & to remain there & cultivate the said one hundred & fifty acres of land so to be allotted to them as aforesaid according to the conditions above mentioned & they also agree to submit to & abide by laws, regulations, rules & agreements as may be adjudged in the manner aforesaid to be for the safety and well being of the community.
Ship Northampton
At Sea, 22nd February 1820
Signatures
Alfred WARMINGTON
Thomas DOE
William ANDREWS (his mark x)
John EDKINS
Witness
David HOBSON
John COMFIELD