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Wait's Party
Main References - The Settler Handbook by MD Nash and 1820 Settlers.com
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Party Details
- Leader William Wait
- Number 48
- Area Party originated from London
- Area Allocated to the Party Bushman's River
- 1820 Settler Ship
Zoroaster
- Dates
- Departure London, 12 February 1820
- Arrival Simon's Bay, Cape Town - 30 April 1820 (Final Port)
(Other parties on this voyage - Dyason, Thornhill.)
M.D. Nash 1987 - Settler Handbook
"No 42 on the Colonial Department list, led by William Wait, a wine merchant of Walnut Tree House, Windmill Lane, Brentford, Middlesex (now part of Greater London). Wait obtained a letter of recommendation to the Governor of the Cape, Lord Charles Somerset, from the Duke of Beaufort, and the same illustrious patronage may have influenced the Colonial Department's acceptance of his application to emigrate.
This was initially a proprietary party of 50 labourers financed by a partnership of three principals: Wait, Arthur Barker and Christopher Thornhill (see Thornhill's Party). Labourers were recruited in Buckinghamshire, and signed a service agreement with Wait at a meeting at the Greyhound Inn, Marlow, attended by the officers of the parish. In terms of their agreement, the men were to serve Wait for six years for a daily wage equivalent to the value of half a bushel of wheat. Wait undertook to provide 'a suitable habitation' and half an acre of garden ground for each family in his service.
In December 1819 the Buckinghamshire settlers were assembled and marched with the baggage wagons to London under the supervision of Adam Gilfillan, a nephew of Thornhill's. Thirty-eight men were accommodated overnight at an inn at Hounslow, and the next evening boarded the Zoroaster transport, lying at Deptford. Wait made an unsuccessful attempt to prevent Barker's contingent of settlers from going on board with the rest of the party, on the 'grounds that he had not yet paid his share of the deposit money'.
This was not the only financial problem with which Wait had to contend; on Christmas Eve the Colonial Department was informed that he had been arrested for debt on the application of a former business partner, and a writ had been issued to prevent his leaving the country. Thornhill was put in charge of the party in Wait's place, and duly received Barker's payment of deposit money. Within a month, however, Wait had managed to satisfy his creditor, and prepared to resume the leadership of the party. Thornhill was unwilling to place himself and his share of the party's finances again under Wait's authority, an open quarrel developed and the Colonial Department was called upon to arbitrate. It was agreed that the party should separate into two independent units under Wait and Thornhill, and the settlers on board the Zoroaster were given the choice of which master they would serve. Deposits had been paid for 54 men altogether; Thornhill's party numbered 16 and Wait's 27, plus Barker's contingent of 11 which remained under Wait's leadership. Separate service agreements were drawn up and signed by Wait's and Thornhill's settlers.
The Zoroaster sailed from the Downs on 12 February 1820 with both parties on board, and
reached Simon's Bay on 30 April. Here her charter terminated and her settlers were trans-shipped to the Albury for the voyage to Algoa Bay, where they arrived on 15 May. Arthur Barker at this stage applied to separate his party from Wait's, and with his steward Henry Ulyate (a former managing clerk in an attorney's office) and seven labourers he was located on the Kariega River. He named his location Waterford.
Wait's party was located at the source of the Ghio stream, near the Bushman's River. The location was first named Raven Hill and later Belton. The local magistrate released Wait's servants from their engagement on grounds of ill-treatment in October 1820".
Members of Wait's Division
[Bold links are to Geni profiles; other links are to other biographical notes]
John Badger 26. Sawyer.
James Barter (or Bastow, 'alias Mundy'), 22. Farmer.
William Brown 25. Farmer.
Wife Mary 28.
Charles Clark 36. Carpenter (s.o. Richard Clark)
Wife Sarah Skinner 31 (d.o. Thomas Skinner)
Children
- Josiah Clark 8,
- Frances Clark 5,
- David Clark 1.
Samuel Clark 22. Tailor.
Wife Elizabeth 19.
Child
- John Clark 1.
David Fenner 24. Husbandman.
Thomas Fowler 24. Butcher.
Jeremiah Goldswain 18. Sawyer. (Later married Eliza Debnam of Hyman's Party.)
John Grimsdale 20. Husbandman.
Wife Mary 20.
Child
- Maria Grimsdale
James Herman 25. Chairmaker and turner
Thomas Keen 25. Husbandman.
Wife Margaret Keen 25.
Child
- Mary Keen 6. (Later married William Wakeford of Bailie's Party.)
Thomas Kempster 40. Brickmaker.
William Kirkpatrick 23. Husbandman.
Wife Martha 22.
Child
- Hannah Kirkpatrick 2.
Joseph Lofts 24. Husbandman
John Mayor 25. Husbandman.
- William Mustoe 20. Husbandman
Francis Nibbs 27. Husbandman.
Wife Sarah 27.
Children
- Eleanor Nibbs 6,
- James Nibbs 4,
- Jeremiah Nibbs 1.
Mary Nibbs 21 (sister of Francis Nibbs)
Robert Prosser 28. Farmer
Robert Rhodes 25. Chairmaker.
James Smith 23. Husbandman.
Joseph Smith 18. Farmer.
Joseph Stevens 22. Husbandman. (Later Married Sarah Kent of Mahoney's Party)
William Wait 50. Merchant.
Wife Marianne Gertrude Cowan 36.
Robert Webb 17. Husbandman.
John Wilkinson 20. Husbandman.
Stephen Wilkinson 28. Husbandman.
Wife Cornelia 27
Children
- Esther Wilkinson 6
- Joseph Wilkinson
William Wilkinson 17. Shoemaker.
Members of Barker's Division
[Bold links are to Geni profiles; other links are to other biographical notes]
Arthur Barker 33.
Wife Sarah August 30.
Children
John Bradford 27. Husbandman.
William Cory 20. Carpenter.
Robert Cranmer 26. Bricklayer.
William Moore 44. Shoemaker.
Wife Ann Dove 48.
Children
- William Moore 25. Shoemaker
Wife Margaret 24
Isaac Pursell 31. Husbandman.
Wife Maria Purcell 32.
Children :
- William Pursell 11
- Ann Pursell 9
- Elizabeth Pursell 7. (Later Married Ephraim Dicks of Ford's Party.)
William Smith 27. Bricklayer.
Wife Jane 27.
Henry Ulyate 38, Lawyer's clerk.
Wife Lucy Mouls 35.
Children
- Mary Ann Ulyate 6,
- Henry Ulyate 4,
- Sarah Ulyate 4
- Jane Ulyate 3. (Later married Henry Thomas Godfrey of Biggar's Party.)
- George Zoroaster Ulyate (born at sea).
Stepchildren of Henry Ulyate (children of Lucy Mouls) :
- Lucy Finaughty 15,
- William Finaughty 8. (Later married Elizabeth Mundell of Willson's Party.)
- John Finaughty 7. (Later married Mary Ann Cowie of Stanley's Party.)
Ann Bagshaw 34, is listed in the Agent's Return and appears to have been attached either to Wait's or Thornhill's party .
James Barter (or Bastow) is described variously as James Mundy (or Monday) Barter and James Barter, alias Mundy . It seems probable that Mundy, however spelt, was his middle name.
Lucy, John and Henry Finaughty travelled under the name of their guardian Henry Ulyate.
Main source for party list
Agent of Transports' Return of settlers proceeding under the direction of Messrs Wait, Thornhill and Dyason (Cape Archives CO 6138/2,98); Memorandum of agreement made by Wait and members of his party (Cape Archives co 6138/2,20).
Further reading
The Chronicle of Jeremiah Goldswain, ed Una Long (Cape Town, van Riebeeck Society, 1946).