Sephton's Party

Main Reference The Settler Handbook by MD Nash

Additional information from South African Settlers

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(Other parties on this voyage - Erith, Pringle)

M.D. Nash 1987 - Settler Handbook

"No. 40 on the Colonial Department list, led by Hezekiah Sephton, a carpenter of 1 Bedford Court, New North Street, Red Lion Square, London. This was a joint-stock party consisting mainly of small tradesmen, its members united by a common religious faith.

The party's original leader was Edward Wynne of Lincoln's Inn Field, London, a smith by trade and an active member of the Great Queen Street Wesleyan Methodist Chapel. In July 1819, a week after the announcement of the emigration scheme, he submitted an application on behalf of 10 families of the Great Queen Street congregation. He hoped eventually to increase the number to 100, so that the party would be entitled to nominate a clergyman to accompany it, whose salary would be paid by government.

By September, Wynne had enrolled 96 dissenter families wishing to emigrate, some of them from farther afield than Great Queen Street - Samuel Bonnin, for instance, applied to join them from Shillington in Bedfordshire. They formed themselves into the United Wesleyan Methodist Society, with a committee responsible for the organisation of the party. The selection of the clergyman was put in the hands of the committee of the General Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society, whose choice fell on the Rev William Shaw.

In October the death of Wynne's wife led him to withdraw altogether from the emigration scheme, and he nominated Thomas Colling, a builder of Wapping, to replace him as head of the party. Before joining Wynne, Colling had applied without success to take out a small party of his own. Colling did not last long as leader, however; in November he stood down and was succeeded by Hezekiah Sephton. Although three of Colling's adult sons emigrated with a division of the party, Colling himself, with his wife and younger children, delayed his departure for another month and sailed for the Cape in the last of the settler transports, the Sir George Osborn.

Deposits were paid for 101 men and their families, and the party embarked at Deptford in two divisions, the larger one of 66 families in the Aurora under Hezekiah Sephton, and the remaining 35 families in the Brilliant under Richard Gush. They sailed from Gravesend on 15 February 1820. Each division was accompanied by a surgeon: Dr Peter Campbell (officially a member of Bailie's party) in the Aurora, and Dr Charles Caldecott, who had applied unsuccessfully to take out a small party of his own before Sephton's, in the Brilliant. Two emigrants died on board the Aurora before she sailed: Elizabeth Croft, the wife of Charles Croft, and Joseph Goode, whose berth and that of his son (who stayed in England) were taken by George Clarke, formerly of Willson's party, and by Thomas Isted. The Rev William Shaw's Journal records that Elizabeth Jones, the 21-year-old wife of John Jones, died at sea, and 'several children were born and some died'.

Seven deaths were recorded among the party on board the Brilliant: Joseph, the infant son of Richard Gush; Sarah, wife of William Shepherd, and their daughter Mary Ann aged 3 and infant son William, all from consumption; Frances, wife of George Brown, and her newborn child; and George Bray, a 39-year-old coachmaker, who died while the ship lay at anchor in Algoa Bay. Mrs Bray and her children did not disembark but returned in the Brilliant to Simons Town. The surgeon of the party, Dr Charles Caldecott, died at Algoa Bay soon after landing. Besides Mrs Brown's ill-fated infant, four children were born at sea: Joseph Webb, James Temlett, WB Jenkinson and Frances Maria Searle.

The Brilliant anchored in Simon's Bay on 30 April 1820, and the Aurora a day later. Both ships reached Algoa Bay on 15 May. The two sections of the party were reunited on disembarking at Algoa Bay, and located at Rietfontein, but orders were soon received for their removal to a new location on the Assegai Bush River, as the first site had been earmarked for a party expected under the leadership of Major General Charles Campbell. The new location was named Salem, meaning 'peace'; here an attractive village arose (the only village founded by a settler party that still exists today) with a community notable among the settlers for 'the order with which its affairs were conducted, both spiritual and temporal'.

The Maynard family obtained permission to settle in Cape Town".

Sephton's Division

Party Details

• Leader Hezekiah Sephton
• Number 344
• Area Party originated from London
• Area Allocated to the Party Assegai Bush River - Salem
• 1820 Settler Ship

Aurora

Dates

• Departure Gravesend, London 15 February 1820
• Arrival Simon's Bay - 1 May 1820
• Final Port - Algoa Bay, Port Elizabeth 15 May 1820

No other parties were on this ship - but see Gush's division below)

Members of Sephton's Party

[Bold links are to Geni profiles; other links are to other biographical notes]

• Aaron Aldum 39. Weaver. Wife. Edith Ida Blake 32.

Children

• Jane Aldum 11,
• Aaron James Aldum 4,
• Ruth Aldum 1.

• John Ames 44. Surveyor.
• Robert Bagshaw 27. Wireworker. w Ursula 20. c Robert William 1.
• Samuel Bonnin 40. Husbandman. Wife. Ann Worrell 37. Not the mother of the 2 daughters of Samuel

Children

• Caroline Hepzibah Bonnin 16,
• Susannah Bonnin 14.

• Benjamin Booth 32. Baker. Wife Margaret Mortimer 28.

Children

• Margaret Booth 10
• Sarah Booth 7
• Jane Booth 2

• James Bryant 25. Sawyer. w Mary Elizabeth 23. c James 4, Thomas 2.
• Peter Campbell 42. Surgeon. w Sarah 32. c Margaret Ann 2, Sarah Lucy 1.
• Charles Chandler 32. Farmer.
• George Clark 36. Husbandman. w Elizabeth 31. c George 8, Frances 6, Mary Ann 4, Catherine 1.
• Charles Thomas Croft 26. Copper plate printer. w Elizabeth 22 (died at sea). c Clarissa 2.
• Samuel Cyrus 37. Labourer. Wife Deborah Claridge 28.

Children

• George Cyrus 9
• Jemimah Cyrus 6
• Samuel Cyrus 4,
• Emma Cyrus

• Philip Dixie 30. Smith. w Elizabeth 27. c Elizabeth 5, Phoebe 1.
• James Edwards 24. Shoemaker. w Ann 23. c Daniel.
• John Evans 27. Cotton spinner. w Ann 25.
• Samuel Field 26. Husbandman.
• William Fowler 23. Husbandman.
• David Hall 32. Labourer. w Ann 24. c James 2.
• Hancock, James 43. China painter. wife Ann Kennedy 29.

Children

• Mary Ann Hancock 7,
• Joseph Ebenezer Hancock 3,
• Thomas Hancock 1,
• Samuel Hancock 1.

• Hancock, Mary 32 (sister of James Hancock).
• Sohpia Harris, 17 (sister of William Harris and servant of William Shaw).
• William Harris, 23. Labourer.
• William Hazell, 39. Butcher. w Mary 29.
• Martha Hill 16 (servant of Peter Campbell).
• Thomas Holmes, 34. Husbandman. Wife. Mary 34.

Children

• Mary Ann Holmes, 12
• Hannah Holmes 9
• Margaret 5
• Thomas 3.

• George Howe, 44. Master mariner. Wife Francis 50.

Child

• Maria Howe 14.

• James Howse, 23. Labourer.
• Thomas Jenkins, 13 (brother-in-law of James Kidd).
• John Jones, 25. Bricklayer. Wife. Elizabeth 21 (died at sea).
• James Kiss, 24. Fur skinner. Wife Ann 30.
• William Lee, Robert 18. Labourer.
• William Lee, 39. Butcher. Wife Ann 38.

Children

• George Lee, 13
• Frederick Lee, 11
• John Henry 10
• Elisha Lee 9.

• William H J Matthews, 26. Labourer. Wife Frances 28.
• James Mortimer Maynard, 20. Sawyer.
• Joseph Maynard, 18. Sawyer.
• Levi Maynard, 44. Husbandman. Wife Sarah 40.

Children

• Leah Maynard, 15
• Mary Maynard, 10.

• John Oates 31. Shoemaker. Wife. Elizabeth Kent 35.

Children

• Mary Ann Oates 3, Married William Frederick Dugmore of Gardener's Party
• Samuel Oates 1.

• John Paine, 33. Carpenter. WIfe. Sarah 29.

Child

• Mary Paine 5.

• Samuel Richard Painter, 37. Gardener. wife Harriet Bailey 34.

Children

• Richard Joseph Painter 13,
• Frederick Thomas 6,
• Mary Susanna Painter 5,
• Harriet Mathilda Painter

• Benjamin Patrick, 42. Husbandman.

Children

• Martha Patrick 13,
• Joel Job Patrick 10,
• Sarah Jane Patrick 8, later married James Whittaker Barnes from Howard's Party
• Samuel Patrick 6.

• Charles Penny, 33, Bricklayer. Wife. Susannah Bagshaw, 25.

Children

• Elizabeth Penny 11, Later married John Cecil Wright of Gardner's Party
• Charles Penny 7,
• Edward Penny 1.

• William Penny (30), Bricklayer, his Wife Rosanna Brough (30)

Children

• Sarah Penny (9)
• William Penny (7)

• Robert Pitt 43. Husbandman. Wife. Lucy 39.

Child

• Robert Pitt 8.

• William John Pratten 34. Bricklayer.
• Richard Prior 44. Glazier. w Sarah 42.
• William Prynn 40. Husbandman. Wife Jane Clark/Clarke 35.

Children

• Sarah Clark Prynn 10, Later married Thomas Hezekiah Sephton - son of Leader Hezekiah Sephton
• William Edward Prynn 8,
• Elizabeth Prynn 6,
• Jane Mary Prynn 2.
• John Henry Prynn 3 wks in 1819 - Probably died before embarking

• James Rawlins 17 and Robert Rawlins 15 (in the care of William Sargeant ).
• William Rees, 47. Miner and naval pensioner. Wife. Ann 41.
• Daniel Roberts 37. Shoemaker. Wife. Harriet Batson Mills 33.

Children

• Mary Ann Roberts 15,
• Daniel Roberts 13,
• Samuel Roberts 8.

• Thomas Robinson (38) Umbrella maker. Wife Mary Ann (38)

Children

• Mary Ann Robinson 15
• Thomas George Robinson 13,
• William Robinson 10
• Charles Robinson 7
• Samuel Joseph Robinson 3. Samuel later married Mary Sargeant of the same Party.
• James Edmond Robinson

• Benjamin Rudman 27. Husbandman.
• Samuel Rudman 29. Husbandman. Wife Ann Stringham 19.
• William Sargeant 32. Baker. Wife. Mary Miller 37.

Children

• Benjamin Sargeant 8,
• Hester Sargeant 4,
• Mary Sargeant 3. Mary later married Samuel Joseph Robinson of the same Party.

• Hezekiah Sephton, 43. Carpenter. Wife. Jane Hardy 43.

Children

• Hezekiah Sephton 12,
• Jane Sephton 11,
• William Sephton.

• Thomas Hezekiah Sephton 18. Carpenter.
• William Shaw, 21. Minister. Wife. Ann 31.

Child

• Mary Ann Saw

• Joseph Short, 33. Gardener. Wife. Mary 30.

Children

• John Short 7
• Mary Short 5
• Penelope Short 3
• Frederick William Short

• Thomas Slater, 43. Cotton dealer. Wife Sophia Hall, 42.

Children

• Charles Slater, 21. Butcher.
• Hannah Slater 17
• Juliana Slater 16
• Elizabeth Slater 13
• George Slater 12
• Henry Slater 9
• Edward Slater 7
• John Francis Slater 5

• Richard Smith, 46. Carpenter. Wife. Mary 48.

Child

• Owen Smith 12.

• Henry Sparks (30) Carpenter, Wife Mary Tussler 38.

Children

• Henry Sparks 5
• Francis Sparks 2.

• Priscilla Purcell 45 . Her Husband John Stuart Talbot sailed with Gush's Division

Children

• John Talbot 17, Labourer
• Charles Talbot 13
• Amelia Talbot 9
• Henry Talbot 7
• Maria Talbot 5
• Sophia Talbot 2

• William Trotter, 33. Husbandman. Wife. Ann 34.

Child

• Ann Trotter 7.

• Joseph Turpin, 29, Schoolmaster. Wife Mercy Chubb,19.
• Samuel Lake Upcott, 46, Wool comber and Wife Mary Anne Morris, 36.

Child

• Jane Upcott, 13.

• Thomas Wallis, 43. Farmer. Wife. Sarah 43.

Children

• Mary Wallis 12
• Henry Wallis 10
• Charles Wallis 4.

• Charles Watson, 13 (brother of William Watson).
• William Watson 19. Labourer. Wife. Mary Ellen Wyatt 23.

• Thomas Wells 43. Grazier. Wife. Sarah 42.

Children

• Elizabeth Wells 18
• George Wells 17.

• George Wilmot, 13 (brother of Joseph Wilmot).
• Joseph Wilmot, 30. Glass cutter. w Ann 24.
• James Witheridge 39. Bricklayer.

Child

• Benetta Sarah Witheridge 13.

• Charles Wood, 30. Carpenter. Wife. Ann 23.

Child

• Thomas Frederick Wood 3.

• George Wood 14 (apprenticed to Richard Smith).
• Thomas Youngs, 45. Shoemaker. Wife. Ann 38.

Gush's Division

Party Details

• Leader Richard Gush
• Number
• Area Party originated from London
• Area Allocated to the Party Assegaii Bush River - Salem
• 1820 Settler Ship

Brilliant

Dates

• Departure Gravesend, London 15 February 1820
• Arrival Simon's Bay - 30 April 1820
• Final Port - Algoa Bay, Port Elizabeth 15 May 1820

(Other parties on this voyage Erith, Pringle)

Members of Gush's Party

[Bold links are to Geni profiles; other links are to other biographical notes]

• George Bray, 39. Coachmaker (died at sea). Wife. Ann 45.

Children

• Fanny Bray 13
• Ann Bray 11
• Sarah Bray 6.

• Mary Bray 18 (daughter of George Bray).
• Brown, George 34. Gardener. wife Frances Haines 34 (died at sea).

Children

• Mary Ann Brown 12,
• Luke 6,
• an infant born and died at sea.

• Charles Caldecott 39. Surgeon. Wife Mary 41.

Children

• Alphonso Caldecott 17
• Christina Caldecott 11
• Timothy Caldecott 9
• Mary Caldecott 8
• Charles Henry Caldecott 6,
• Frederick Caldecott 4.

• John Colling, 25. Boatbuilder.
• Thomas Colling, 48. Builder. Wife Elizabeth 36.

Children

• Ann Colling 16
• Joseph Colling 4
• Elizabeth Colling 3
• Charlotte Colling 1.

• Thomas Colling, 20. Brush maker.
• William Colling, 18. Wharfinger.
• John Filmer 49. Sawyer. Wife. Mary Whitbread 29.

Children

• John Filmer 11,
• Harriet Filmer 7,
• Ebenezer Filmer 5,
• Mary Filmer 3, Married Joseph Weakley of Hyman's Party
• Elizabeth Filmer Married James Usher of James' Party

• Thomas Filmer 47. Sawyer. Wife. Elizabeth 67.
• George Gravett, l8. Labourer.
• Gravett, William 16 (in care of Richard Pickstock). He later married Charlotte Pickstock - Richard's daughter, whose wife was Frances Gravett
• Gush, Richard 30. Carpenter. wife Margaret Evans 29.

Children

• Margaret/Mary? Hannah Gush 6,
• Richard Thomas Gush 2,
• Joseph Evans Gush (died at sea) 1.

• George Hodges, 32. Saddler. Wife. Mary 30.
• Samuel Hodges, 32. Husbandman.
• James Hogsflesh, 37. Coachmaker. Wife. Margaret 21.
• Thomas Samuel Hood 20. Fruiterer.
• Thomas Isted, 40. Cotton dealer. Wife. Susan 28.

Children

• Sarah Isted 4
• Thomas Isted 2.

• George Jenkinson 31. Chairmaker, and Wife Sarah Jenkinson 31.

Children

• Hannah Jenkinson 11, (Later married John 'Henry' Miller of this Party)
• Charles Jenkinson 5,
• Alfred Jenkinson 3,
• John Jenkinson 1,
• W.B. Jenkinson (born at sea)

• Rowland Jones. Gardener.
• Thomas Sellom King 39. Carpenter. Wife. Sarah Prime 39.

Children

• Thomas Francis King 14,
• William Edward King 6.

• Thomas Marsh, 50. Watchmaker. wife. Martha 50.

Children

• Sarah Marsh 16
• Thomas Wadmore Marsh 15
• Joseph Pickton Marsh 13,

• George Dakin 11, Mary 4.
• John Miller 29. Husbandman. (He later married Hannah Jenkinson of this Party)
• William Miller, 40. Husbandman. Wife. Elizabeth 42.

Children

• Elizabeth Miller 8
• Mary Ann Miller 6
• John Miller 2.

• William Muire 25. Tailor. wife Mary Ann Winter 21.

Child

• William James Muir 1.

• Thomas Norton, 38. Smith and naval pensioner. Wife Elizabeth (Elly) 38.

Child

• Caroline Elizabeth Norton 2.

• Christian George Ochse 20. Furrier. Wife. Ann 21.
• Richard Pickstock 45. Tailor. wife Frances Gravett 35.

Child

• Charlotte Pickstock 9.

• William Rayner, 26. Hatter. Wife Martha 22.

Child

• Eliza Rayner.

• Edward Searle, 28. Undertaker. Wife. Mary 26.

Children

• Sophia Jane Searle 3
• Frances Maria Searle (born at sea).

• William Shepherd, 30. Packer. Wife Sarah 22 (died at sea).

Children

• Sarah Liberty Shepherd 4
• Mary Ann Shepherd 3 (died at sea),
• William Shepherd (died at sea).

• John Stuart Talbot 47. Master mariner. (His wife and children sailed in Sephton's division - see above).
• James Temlett, 22. Shepherd. Wife. Ann 21.

Child

• James Brilliant Temlett born at sea).

• William Tilley, 27. Saddler. Wife. Hannah 25.
• James Urry 42, Tailor and Wife Mary Wadmore 36.

Children

• Sarah Urry 11
• Martha Urry 9
• Priscilla Urry 8
• Rhoda Urry 6
• Hannah Urry 3

• John Watkins, 21. Mathematical instrument maker. Wife. Martha 20.
• Charles Watson. Upholsterer.
• Christopher Webb, 31. Shoemaker. Wife. Mary 20.

Children

• Christopher Webb 2
• Joseph Webb (born at sea).

• Peter Matthias Wichmann 40. Tailor. Wife Catherine 36.

Child

• Elizabeth Wichmann 17.

• John Woods, 11 (in the care of William Shepherd).

Main sources for party list

Agent of Transports' Returns of settlers on board the Aurora transport at Simon's Bay, and settlers in charge of Mr Richard Gush (Cape Archives 6138/2,76-81). Dr Campbell's name is included in these returns but Dr Caldecott's is omitted. (His presence in the Brilliant, his death at Algoa Bay and the refund of his deposit to his widow are confirmed in Cape Archives CO 178/122 and 1/AY 8/71.) Special Commissioner William Hayward's notes (Cape Archives CO 8543).

AE Makin, in The 1820 Settlers of Salem, lists Robert Harvey and his wife as late additions to the party, but Harvey's name is not in the Agent's Return of the party as it arrived at the Cape, and no evidence of his presence has been traced in colonial records. The name of John Talbot senior does not appear in the Agent's Returns; according to AE Makin, he quarrelled with the captain of the Aurora, the transport in which his family sailed, and he himself sailed in the Brilliant.

• Thomas Colling, a former head of Sephton's party was unable to embark in the Brilliant, but sailed in the Sir George Osborn as an independent settler attached to Gardner's party.

Further reading

AE Makin, The 1820 Settlers of Salem (Wynberg, Juta, 1971). The late Mr Makin's extensive research notes are lodged in the 1820 Settlers Memorial Museum, a division of the Albany Museum, Grahamstown;

Thomas Pringle, Narrative of a Residence in South Africa (London, Moxon, 1835). Pringle's party sailed in the Brilliant, and he describes the voyage to the Cape and the arrival at Algoa Bay.

Celia Sadler, Never a Young Man: extracts from the letters and journals of the Rev. William Shaw (Cape Town, HAUM 1967).

Journal of William Shaw ed WD Hammond-Tooke (Cape Town, AA Balkema, 1972).

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