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Gurney's Party
1820 Settlers
Main Reference The Settler Handbook by MD Nash
See also eGGSA - The 1820 Settler Correspondence and Return of Settlers - Gurney's Party eGGSA
Additional information from 1820 Settlers.com
The aim of this project is to link profiles on Geni to the names in the list, and to expand notes about individuals - mostly on the Profile page in the "About Me" field, or here if no profile exists.
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Party Details
- Leader Charles Gurney
- Number 24
- Area Party originated from Kent
- Area Allocated to the Party Zwartkops River, near Port Elizabeth - named their location New Deal. The land is now known as Deal Party.
- 1820 Settler Ship
Weymouth
- Dates
- Departure 7 January 1820
- Arrival Table Bay, Cape Town - 16 April 1820
- Final Port - Algoa Bay, Port Elizabeth 15 May 1820
(Other parties on this voyage Biggar, Bowker, Duncan Campbell , Cock, Ford, Hyman, James, Menezes, Osler, Parkin)
M.D. Nash 1987 - Settler Handbook
"No. 5 on the Colonial Department list, led by Charles Gurney, a druggist of Brewer's Street, Deal, Kent. This was a joint-stock party, originally made up almost entirely of young single men, boatmen of Deal, who were 'desirous of being settled near the sea coat' in order to combine fishing with farming. As the party was finally constituted, however, it included men of a variety of trades, three of them married men with their wives.
The party's application was forwarded to the Colonial Department by the Member of Parliament for Canterbury, Stephen Lushington, whose patronage had been solicited on Gurney's behalf by Captain Thomas Baker RN. A further reference was provided by the Rector of Deal, who described the men as 'respectable characters, each of them possessed of some small capital and inclined to be industrious. The distress which is unhappily so universally prevalent in this place, and the consequent difficulty of procuring a subsistence, has prompted them to embrace the opportunity.'
Gurney applied successfully for permission to include a boat from Deal with the party's baggage, and two men were given free passage back to England at the end of 1820 to fetch three whale boats for a fishery to be established at Port Elizabeth.
Deposits were paid for 13 men who sailed in HM Store Ship Weymouth, which left Portsmouth on 7 January 1820. At their own request, Gurney's people were embarked at the Downs. The Weymouth reached Table Bay on 26 April and Algoa Bay on 15 May. The party was located near Port Elizabeth, west of the Zwartkops River mouth, and named the location New Deal."
Members of Gurney's party
[Bold links are to Geni profiles; other links are to other biographical notes]
James Basden 20. Labourer
George Bubb 21. Boatman
John Carter 44. Accountant.
Children
Thomas Carter 12
Robert Carter 9
Richard Claringbould 22. Butcher
John Cronk 37. Sailor.
Wife Ann Burry 34
Children :Mary Ann Cronk 14
John Cronk 8
Frances Cronk 6 Married John Sterley of Damant's Party
John Darby 23. Painter
Charles Gurney 42. Druggist.
Child :
Joseph Hubbard 22. Boatman
Patrick Keogh (or Kew) 25. Tailor.
Wife Rebecca 25.
Child Henry Keogh
Matson Terry 18. labourer
Richard Watson 18. labourer. (Later married Mary Ann Howard of Howard's Party.)
George Webster 27, Saddler and shoemaker.
Wife Jane Barton 25.
Child :
John Woodland 20. Boatman.
Two later additions to the party ...
John Atkins
Matthew Kennett
... accompanied Claringbould and Darby on their return to the Cape with whale-boats in 1821.
Main source for party list
Return of settlers under the direction of Charles Gurney (Cape Archives CO 6138/1,11). Muster-roll and Log of HM Store Ship Weymouth (Public record Office, London).
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The 1820 Settler Correspondence
GURNEY, Charles , 1820 Settler
National Archives, Kew CO48/43, 368
No. 6 Brewers Street
Deal
August 15th 1819
My Lord
It appearing from what I collect from the public papers that it is the intention of Government to allow a Person who can take out ten Individuals as settlers to the Cape, 100 Acres of land, I beg to ask your Lordship whether each of the ten persons so going out are also to be entitled to the same quantity.
The description of people who seem desirous of going out with me are all young men of from twenty to twenty four years of age and all single, principally boatmen of this Town, consequently such a party would be desirous of being located near the Sea Coast.
I conclude from the Circular that provisions are allowded [sic] during the passage and until their arrival at the Settlement free of expence.
As it appears necessary that fire arms should be in the possession of the Settlers for the purpose of destroying any ferocious animals, and for their own protection, is it the intention of Government to allow them to each person, or in any certain proportion, or are the parties at liberty to provide them selves with them, the same question also applies to powder and shot. As soon as I receive your Lordships ans'r I will confer with the persons who are desirous of going. And as each individual will deposit his Ten pounds agreeable to the proposed plan whenever your Lordship shall direct it to be paid, as it is the intention of this party to make a joint concern.
The name and age of each Individual shall be forwarded to your Lordship as soon after I receive your Lordships answer as possible. And early Answer will particularly oblidge your Lordships very humble servant
Charles GURNEY
~~~~~~
National Archives, Kew CO48/43, 381
Brewers Street
Deal
24th August 1819
My Lord
Herewith I forward your Lordship the names, ages etc of the persons who are desirous of proceeding with me to the Cape, having laid your Lordships circular before them, they appear very anxious to get out, and as they are nearly all young men and all capable of work, I am in hope they will be accepted. I beg to state to your Lordship that they express some anxiety to get this determined on, as they will have many Arrangements to make previous to their leaving this Country. May I therefore request the favour of your Lordships reply as to the probability of their being accepted and in case they are, whether they cannot be allowed to embark from the Downs which can be done in a few hours. Your Lordship will perceive by the list many of his party are boatmen consequently would wish to be located as near the sea coast as may be convenient to his Majesties Government. I have the honour to be Your Lordships very hble serv't
Charles GURNEY
NB I have now added to the list which was forwarded on the 24th Ult' John CRONK & family. He appears a very intelligent man and has been brought up in husbandry. He seems very anxious to go out with this party etc.
September 13th 1819
List of persons etc
Charles GURNEY, druggist, 42 years, one son about 7 years of age
James AGGAR, boatman, 36, wife 30, 4 children all under 10
Joseph HUBBARD, boatman, 22
William PARKER, boatman, 22
Stephen GOSBY, boatman, 20
John WOODLAND, boatman, 20
Samuel HILLS, boat builder, 22
William GOSBY, tailor, 24
Richard CLARINGBOLD, butcher, 22
Richard ATKINS, baker, 23
James BASDEN, labourer, 20
Edward CHITTENDEN, Draper, 20
John Cronk 38, farmer, and wife Ann Burry, 38.
'"Children :
- Catherine Cronk 14
1 girl 12 1 boy 8
James AGGAR'S children are 1 boy 9 - 1 boy 4 and 1 boy 1/2 a year old and one girl 7 years of age
~~~~~~
National Archives, Kew CO48/43, 419
No. 6 Brewers Street
Deal
Sep't 10th 1819
My Lord
On the 24th ult. I inclosed a letter for your Lordship under cover to Mr LUSHINGTON with the names of the parties who are desirous of going with me to the Cape of Good Hope, since which time I have had several applications and amongst them a person who has been brought up as a farmer, having a wife and three children, but being without any reply to the letter I allude to, and consequently not knowing whether we shall be accepted, I am at a loss what reply to make to the applicants. And as the parties are all in a state of suspence, I shall be much oblidged if your Lordship can favor me with any information on the subject.
I am your Lordships most obedient servant
Charles GURNEY
~~~~~~
~~~~~~
National Archives, Kew CO48/43, 421
No. 6 Brewers Street
Deal
13th Sep't 1819
My Lord
I have herewith inclosed the copy of a letter which was forwarded to Mr LUSHINGTON and which I fully expected had been transmitted to your Lordship.
As this party was strongly recommended to Mr LUSHINGTON by Captain Thos. BARKER, R.N., I am truly sorry to give your Lordship additional trouble in this business, nor can I account for it in any other way than supposing some error had occur'd on the part of Mr LUSHINGTON. I beg to return my most sincere thanks for your Lordships kindness in attending to, and answering my letters.
And am my Lord
Your very obliged Humble servant
Charles GURNEY
~~~~~~
National Archives, Kew CO48/43, 441
Brewers Street
Deal
5th Oct'r 1819
My Lord
I inclose you the three lists filled up as directed by your Lordships Order, but I am sorry to observe that I have been obliged to put in other names in lieu of some who first wished to go, but have since in consequence of the delay and apparent uncertainty declined. I have put the money deposited by this party into the banking house of Messrs MAY & Co. of this Town, & will have it transmitted from them agreeably to your Lordship's direction. If it can be arranged that this party and their luggage can be taken on board the ship appointed for them in the Downs, it will be a considerable saving of expence to them, as well as very great convenience which I trust your Lordship will take into consideration & notice in your next.
There being three very expert boatmen & some of the others used to boats, they will be desirous of occasionally fishing, in which case if they are located near the Coast, can they be permitted to take with them a boat from this Town, which are superior to most in the method of building.
In respect of fire arms, powder & shot, are any allowed by Government, or are the party to provide any for themselves.
I have the honor to be
Your Lordships most obed serv't
Charles GURNEY
[the following letter is not filed with this correspondence but is reproduced in Nash's ‘Settler Handbook' on page 78]
HMS Weymouth
26 Apr 1820
My Lord
I beg leave to state to your Lordship that many of the party who are arrived at this Settlement with me, are expert Boatmen from Deal, and that the Government allowed us to bring a boat from that place. I shall therefore be obliged by your Lordship's endeavouring to fix us, as near to the Sea & great Rivers as may be convenient, that we may have an opportunity of using our boat for fishing etc etc.
Requesting the favour of your Lordship's reply
I have the honor to be
Y'r Lordships most obed hble sert
Charles GURNEY
~~~~~~
CLARINGBOULD, Richard and John DARBY, 1821
National Archives, Kew, CO48/56, 52
Deal, 17 March 1821
My Lord
Having been permitted by His Excellency Governor DONKIN to return to this country for the purpose of procuring various articles necessary for our establishment at Algoa Bay, we seize the first moment of our arrival for the purpose of transmitting the inclosed letter from our party detailing our views and wishes and humbly soliciting the aid of your Lordship towards carrying them into effect by granting us a passage for ourselves, and the articles we may purchase, to the Cape of Good Hope in any of His Majestys Store Ships or Vessels of War bound to that Colony. The inclosed letter fully developing our objects, we forbear to trouble your Lordship at greater length, than to add our most humble but earnest request that your Lordship will be pleased to comply therewith, but the benefit we have already received at your Lordships hands from the commencement of our undertaking and the favorable and indeed friendly reception we have experienced from the Officers of Government at the Colony from the moment of our debarkation call for the most grateful acknowledgement, and we now beg leave most respectfully, but most sincerely, to offer them, on behalf of ourselves and our whole party.
We left Algoa Bay on the 18 December last at which time our own Establishment and all in the Vicinity were progressing beyond our most sanguine expectations, we had previously taken a journey of 7 days up the Country, which we found indescribably delightful & the New Settlers quite as comfortable as from their recent location could be expected. Holding ourselves at the command of your Lordship we have the honor to be with the greatest respect & deference, My Lord
Your Lordship's most obliged & obedient servants
Richard CLARINGBOULD
John DARBY
at Mr Edward DARBYS
Deal
[Enclosed letter]
Deal 30 March 1821
To the Right Honorable the Earl of Liverpool
May it please your Lordship
We the undersigned being the persons permitted by a letter of leave from his Excellency the Governor of the Cape of Good Hope to return to England for the purpose of procuring articles necessary for the better establishment of a Fishery by the Deal Party of Settlers located at Algoa Bay under Mr Charles GURNEY and respecting which we had the honor of addressing your Lordship a few days ago through the medium of the Reverend Mr PENNINGTON, having understood that the ship "Sappho" Capt LAMB is taken up by government as a transport for the purpose of conveying Stores and Passengers to the Cape of Good Hope and is now loading at Deptford Dock yard and expected to sail in about twelve days, beg leave to solicit through your Lordship the favor of a passage for ourselves and the Boats and articles we have purchased for our Fishery by the said ship Free of Freight.
We beg leave most respectfully to represent to your Lordship that in purchasing the articles we came to England for we have expended the greater part of our Capital and that we should consequently feel most severely the additional expence to which we should be subject were we to convey them and ourselves to the Cape in a Merchant Ship [obscured] to freight, and as our object has the approval of his Excellency the Governor and we trust will be deemed by your Lordship to be a truly laudable one we humbly presume to hope that your Lordship will be pleased to enable us to carry it into effect by granting us permission to proceed with our said articles in the manner before requested and as in duty bound
We will ever pray
Richard CLARINGBOULD
John DARBY
at Mr Edw DARBYS, Deal
~~~~~~
National Archives, Kew, CO48/56, 162
St Dunstan's Hill
Tower St
[obscured] April 1821
Sir!
The annexed letters relate to the application made to Earl BATHURST (left at this office at the Colonial Office on Saturday last) for a free passage to the Cape of Good Hope per the "Sappho" for
John DARBY & Richard CLARINGBOULD. We submit them to you that they may strengthen as we hope they will, the reasons urged for the grant in question:-
And we take the liberty of adding that if the parties cannot be allowed to proceed in the "Sappho", it would be considered an equal favour if they were permitted to proceed free (with their three whale boats) on board the first vessel belonging to, or provided by, Government to the colony proposed.
I remain Sir respectfully
Yr very ob st
[??] SENTANCE
At Mr Edward DARBYS, Deal
30 March 1821
To the Right Honble the Earl BATHURST His Majestys Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies.
May it please your Lordship
We the undersigned being the persons permitted by a letter of leave from his Excellency the Governor of the Cape of good Hope (a copy of which we beg leave to annex) to return to England for the purpose of procuring articles necessary for the better establishment of a Fishery by the Deal Party of Settlers located at Port Elizabeth Algoa Bay under Mr Charles GURNEY and respecting which we had the honor of addressing your Lordship through the medium of S R LUSHINGTON Esq the 17th instant, having understood that the ship Sappho Capt LAMB is taken up by Government as a Transport for the purpose of conveying Stores and Passengers to the Cape of good Hope and is now loading at his Majestys yard at Deptford and expected to sail in about twelve days beg leave to solicit at the hands of your Lordship a passage for ourselves and the Boats and articles we have purchased for our Fishery by the said ship Free of Freight. A favor with the many others we have received since the [commencement] of our undertaking will remain indellibly impressed on our minds and on those of Mr GURNEY and all connected with us and will ever stimulate us to evince our gratitude by every means which our peculiar location in Algoa Bay, the nature of our pursuits and the possession of means of assisting vessels in distress may afford us.
We beg leave further to represent to your Lordship that in purchasing the articles we came home for we have expended the greater part of our capital and that we should consequently feel most severely the additional expence to which we should be subject were we to convey them and ourselves to the Cape in a merchant ship liable to Freight, and as our object has the approval of his Excellency the Governor and we trust will be deemed a truly laudable one by your Lordship we humbly presume to Hope that your Lordship will preserve to us the means of carrying it on with the necessary Capital, activity and Spirit by granting us permission to proceed with our said articles in the manner before requested.
We have the honor to subscribe ourselves with the greatest deference and respect, My Lord
Your Lordship's obliged obedient and very humble servants
Richard CLARINGBOULD
John DARBY
Copy of the Authority alluded to in the within letter from Col CUYLER to Mr GURNEY
Copy
Colonial Office
9 November 1820
Sir
I am directed by his Excellency the acting governor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 21 ulto [giving cause] to an application for Mr C. GURNEY and I have it in command to inform you that his Excellency has been pleased to permit Richard CLARINGBOULD and J DARBY to proceed to England for the purpose of procuring sundry articles and assistance necessary for the better conduct of the Fishery at Port Elizabeth.
I have the honor to be Sir
Your obed servant
Signed H. ELLIS
D.S.
A True Copy
Signed J. S. CUYLER
Lt. Col CUYLER
Landrost of Uitenhage
~~~~~~
National Archives, Kew, CO48/56, 168
Deal
30 March 1821
Dear Sir
Thank you for your favor of yesterday and now inclose a letter for Earl BATHURST praying leave for the 2 Colonists to proceed to the Cape in the Sappho with their Boats & other articles purchased by them for their fishery. As this permission is an object of great importance to them I beg leave to recommend it to your best attention and request the exertion of your interest and abilities which I shall be happy to acknowledge. If you find we have asked for too much pray modify our demand and get leave for the 2 young men and their 3 Whale Boats only - and the other things such as Bailers, Casks, Ropes &c we must then send by a merchant ship upon freight. It is indispensable for them to go with the Boats to take care of them and prevent their being used on the voyage & stove or broke to pieces. Pray let me hear from you by return of post as our things will require some days preparation. Before presenting the petition to Lord BATHURST please ascertain that the Sappho is engaged by Government or else we shall be asking for what we cannot obtain. I think as I said before that Mr COURTENAY has the Cape Department at Lord BATHURST'S office.
Yrs truly
E. DARBY
~~~~~~
National Archives, Kew, CO48/56, 170
Deal
7 April 1821
Dear Sir
I am favored with your letter of yesterday & thank you for the pains you have already taken in the Cape business, & request you will please continue your exertions & I have no doubt you will thereby attain my object of a free passage for the young men & their goods to the Cape. I shall endeavour to run up to London one day this week & in the meantime remain
Dear Sir
Yours very truly
E. DARBY
The purchases will amount to 400£ British manufactured goods & if they are successfull then demand will increase every year which in these times is an object [3 illegible scrawled words]