Parkin's Party

1820 Settlers

Main Reference - The Settler Handbook by MD Nash

See also eGGSA - The 1820 Settler Correspondence and [xxx Party - Return of Settlers]

Additional information 1820 Settlers.com

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Party Details

• Leader John Parkin
• Number 30
• Area Party originated from Devon
• Area Allocated to the Party Kariega River. Their location is called Devonshire Farm.
• 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, Gurney, Hyman, James, Menezes, Osler.)

M.D. Nash 1987 - Settler Handbook

"No 20 on the Colonial Department list, led by John Parkin, a carpenter and wheelwright of Lower North Street, Exeter, Devon. This was a joint-stock party made up of small tradesmen and husbandmen. Although Parkin was its nominal leader, the party was organised and most of its correspondence with the Colonial Department conducted by another of its members, Robert Newcombe of Coombe Street, Exeter, who claimed that ‘any respectable tradesmen or inhabitants of Exeter, would vouch for his good character. Deposits were paid for 11 men, but two of them withdrew on grounds of ill-health early in December 1819. Newcombe paid the deposits for Cross, Dobson (neither of whom in the event emigrated) and William Leathern. and they may have entered into a service agreement with him.

The party hired a vessel to transport themselves and their baggage by sea to Portsmouth where they were to board HM Store Ship Weymouth. The Weymouth sailed on 7 January 1820, reaching Table Bay on 26 April and Algoa Bay on 15 May. Parkin’s party was first located at Rietfontein, and then moved with Menezes ’ party to the Kariega River".

Members of Parkin's Party

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

William Clogg 29, Gardener.

Wife Maria Nelson Browning Bright 27,
Children

• William Clogg 3,
  
• Maria Clogg 1. Married Thomas Amos of Menezes' Party
  

Christopher Harwood (or Harward),

Benjamin Leach 30, Mason.

Wife Ann Leach 30.
Child

• Ann Amelia Leach 3
  

William Leathern 16 (in the care of Robert Newcombe). (Later married Mary Poulton of Howard's Party.)

James Mayho 28. Farmer.

Wife Jane 24.

Robert Newcombe 31, Cooper,

John Parkin 32. Carpenter.

Wife Elizabeth Howard 30.
Children

• William Parkin 9,
  
• John Parkin 6. (Later married Francesca Hannah Lloyd of Willson's Party.)
  
• Robert Parkin 2,
  
• Jane Parkin I.
  

Main sources for party list

Return of settlers under the direction of John Parkin (Cape Archives CO 6138/1,64); Muster-roll and Log of HM Store Ship Weymouth (Public Record Office, London): Special Commissioner William, Hayward’s notes (Cape Archives CO 8543).

There is a considerable discrepancy between the official Return of the party (which is annotated in pencil, “ Some of these have stayed behind. 7 or 8 only have come” and the names entered in the Muster-roll of the Weymouth.

Six men – more than half those listed in the return – appear to have dropped out shortly before they were due to sail, and one team of them was replaced by an unofficial substitute.

Charles Canterbury and William Heresgood are known to have withdrawn because of illness; Richard Cross, James, Dobson, George Parkin and John Sprague are not listed in the Muster-roll and are presumed to have remained in England, Christopher Harward, a servant of Newcombe, was smuggled on board Weymouth to accompany the party in place of Charles Canterbury (Cape Archives 1/AY13/1).

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