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From: "Jane Lachs" <>
Subject: Lots of Barnsley names to South Africa
Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2006 22:17:39 +0200


Posted with permission ...

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From: [mailto:]On Behalf Of
Sue Mackay



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Source:
Subject: Settler Correspondence - James HARROP


Transcribed by Alan Keightley from CO48/43 at the
National Archives in Kew, London

756
Silkstone near Barnsley
Monday Morning 4 o'clock August 30th 1819
Earl BATHURST,
I seeing a advertisement in the Leeds Mercury of the
21st instant that 50,000 aplicants had made
application to go to the new Colony at the Cape of
Good Hope I thought proper to add one more to the
number along with other two Benjamin EXLEY and Timothy
MITCHELL one a family the other none myself & wife and
5 children whom I support or keep alive at my own
table & in different servitudes. I myself anxious to
know on what conditions you wish them to go to the New
Place; submit them to your humane considerations
hoping in your goodness that you will let industry
meet its due reward in so distant a land. I should
hope that you will consider that we are all under one
Supreem God and our stay in this world but of short
duration and full of trouble mine has been more
unfortunate of late than a deal False Imprisonment,
Bankruptcy &c &c has been my heavy lot last of all
sickness. I have been assisted by Town but their
hearts are as hard as the nether millstone; I would if
please God go any where before I would ask their
favours and work has been so scarce before harvest
that a man could scarce get employ at all at not more
than 12/0d per week; and look’d on worse than dogs are
in general.
If you find land I should hope all kinds of impliments
will be found such as spades - paring spades, axes
hammers saws, plows &c also the passage from home
found us as their is few people in England would go if
trade was good here but by our utmost endeavours we
cannot get a livelihood here and its worse every day.
I propose if we have land given to us that we have
wages for working that land and if improvements be
made and we wish to leave the country again a fair
valuation being made for these improvements either for
going to Cape Poland or America, I care not were I go
there is same supreem in all nations but it seems as
if England was still likely to be worse for some time
except something could be done to better the condition
of the working classes in general.
I remain Yours Truly a sincere friend to the
Established Church and a Englishman.
James HARROP

P.S. Hope you'l have the goodness to send me a answer
as my companions seems anxious to know the result of
your present Committee, excuse haste as my time is
expired to begin my day to Labour but harvest is
nearly over and very good crops indeed.
There is at present 500 acres of land to sell on
[Middop] new inclosure near Pennistone at Pennistone
on Thursday 10th Sep’r next. This land if Government
thought fit to buy it I think I could buy it from 5-
to 10£ per acre in lots - and s[h]ould get it
cultivated at about from 10 to 15£ per acre more but
would take it at what it costs allowing 3£ per cent or
£3-10- if bargain be made well for the property the
land would grow rape seed, turnips, oats, grass and
potatoes &c &c. Its in general a dry soil but 2 1/2
or 3 degrees colder than at London. Should you take
that into your immediate considerations if you apply
to James ARCHABEL steward WORTLEY Esq, Wortley Hall he
knows me and any instructions you have to give or in
any monied matters respecting the same intrust him
with the money or Lord MILTON Wentworth House as they
both know me - but I can buy it lower than if a
Gentleman were to apply.
From your humble servant James HARROP

Late a carrier from Barnsley to Manchester

P.S. I should advise this land to be bought as its at
home and I have a method of cultivating wasteland of
that kind that I have yet never made known and could
get it all cultivated this winter and next summer if
the needful was found.

810
Silkstone near Barnsley
Sept 27th 1819
Gentlemen
in answer to your letter received on the fifth
September instant we this day have met in order to
consult about going to the new colony at the Cape of
Good Hope at the Red Lion Inn Silkstone 20th instant
were it was agreed upon to write up to Government.
Through the distress of times and badness of trade we
are reduced to that state that we are unable to find
money for the purport (according to your first
article). But we wish to know if the money voted in
the House of Commons whether we could get money for
the purport from you or the Parishes were we belong to
find the same. Altho we are petitioning for money by
some means to deposit into your hands according to
articles, when we land at the Cape we should hope that
we receive the money back according to your articles
at the landing location, & at the end of three months,
also impliments for husbandry. We have seen in the
Geography that money will be found for cultivation by
receiving a tenth of produce if so we agree to that
but pray inform us. We have no connection with any
Redundancy of Population with Parishes as we vote to
go all of our own free will - we all go of our own
free will and are capable of work and if government
requires it we will be viewed by Lord MILTON and Lord
WORTLEY as one of us has seen Lord WORTLEY and he says
he will render us what assistance lays in his power.
In respect to their minister we wish to have a
charitable good man of the church religion but that we
put to your choice as our number is few at present but
we expect to have more.
In respect to bringing the land into a good state of
cultivation we wish to know what time you give but not
to be strict to a few years.
We wish to know what time the vessels sails and what
port we take shipping and also what necessarys we can
take such as cloathing bedding etc etc.
We are further informed that the Caffers makes sallys
upon the colony we wish to have guns etc for self
defence.
I remain with all due respect waiting your answer for
myself and others as below. Yours respectfully
James HARROP, farmer, wife & 6 children
John HAWCROFT, miner, wife & 2 children
Timothy MITCHEL, farmer, single man
Mark DYSON, farmer, single man
Mark HUNT, farmer, wife & 3 children
Eli HOTLING, miner, single man
William CHARLSWORTH, farmer, wife & 2 children
Timothy CROW, farmer, single man
James BEDFORD, miner, wife & 7 sons
John FISH, farmer, wife & 3 children
Thomas LEATHERWOOD, farmer, single man
John MILNER,, single man

PS since I wrote to you last I have took a road to
make which will be finished in a week or two. Which I
hope will clear me a little money and I mean to go but
the others do as they will therefore hope you will not
fail to write. I understand planning and making
roads.
James HARROP

865
[This letter is written in a hand different to the
previous letters, suggesting HARROP dictated it]

Silkstone near Barnsley
13th October 1819
Sir
I wrote you on the 27th Ult by order of a majority of
a meeting called at Silkstone 22nd Ult which letter I
told them at the time was not likely to be answered
(and we rather doubt the Person we intrusted the
letter with putting it in the Post Office.) I know
[sic] write for myself and 2 others viz John BATTY
Cropper Thurlstone and John FISH Cawthorn. We went to
Lord WORTLEYS Wortley Hall yesterday but he being gone
to stop at York till after the county meeting we got
disappointed of any further information. Therefore we
have concluded to fall into your conditions of the
letter if we knew which way to do or whether the money
must be paid into the hands of Joseph BECKETT Esq
Banker Barnsley or to you or were you appoint. Allso
when and were the ships sails from as the time grows
very short. Or if you can inform us were there is a
number going as we can class along with the nearest
party to us - it will very much oblige your hmble
servant
James HARROP




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