NOTTINGHAMSHIRE  COLONISTS TO  SOUTH  AFRICA  1820

Nottinghamshire Resources The 1820 Settlers Introduction Planning the emigration Selection of the settlers The journey to the Cape The settlement

Part 5 The Settlement The settlers finally landed on Saturday 28th May. They immediately met the problem of transportation to their final destination. There was a scarcity of wagons for the purpose, and all settlers were made to wait in strict rotation (as landed) for transport, with over 1500 people in the queue ahead of the Nottinghamshire settlers. In a letter to Godfrey on 6th June, Calton gives some interesting information about the local currency:             For the information of future settlers I beg leave to say that the new silver money of England and the old or large penny pieces with Bank of England notes are the best sort of money to bring out here; these he must change either here or at Cape Town, except penny pieces, into small rix dollars or Skillings paper which are printed and written on Cards. The rix dollar is two shillings English and the Skillings three pence or three double G's as they are called, a Stiver is a halfpenny but none are in circulation so I presume it is only nominal. Calton also wrote on 6th June that the point of location for the Nottinghamshire settlers would be on the mouth of the right of the Cowee River, and to be called Clumber, and that a town would be built on the other side to be called Bathurst, and intended to be the capital of the district. The party were still waiting for transport on the 8th July (they had landed on 28th May), when Thomas Calton died. Under the terms of the Articles of Agreement, the settlers elected a new leader, Thomas Draper, on 10th July 1820, on which date a document was signed (or marked) by all of the men in the party. On 11th July 1820 J. E. Cuyler, Landdrost of Uitenhage wrote to Edward Smith Godfrey of Newark and Rev J. T. Becher of Southwell:       Port Elizabeth Algoa Bay, Cape of Good Hope. July 11th 1820 Gentlemen    It is with regret that I have to inform you of the Death of Mr. Tho. Calton at this place on the 8th of this month, the Head of the party of settlers you had sent out to Colonise with us. On which event I came over here, and agreeably to the term of the Articles of Agreement, I assembled the party and their resolution in consequence I have the Honour herewith to transmit, which I hope may prove satisfactory to His Grace the Duke of New Castle and yourselves. The party are now only waiting waggons to proceed in a few days to their Location where I hope they may prosper under the superintendance of Mr. Draper.    I cannot conclude this Letter without recommending the Widow and Fatherless Children of the late Mr. Calton, who are resolved to return Home, to your protection -- the conduct of the eldest son has been most exemplory upon this melancholy occasion -- and from the information I have received from Capt. Evatt the Commandant at this place, the late Mr. Calton will be a serious loss as he was a most active and zealous man.                                                   I have the Hon to be Gentlemen                                                          Your Most Ob. Ser                                                                J. E. Cuyler.                                                                     Landdrost. Martha M Calton, along with her five children, subsequently returned to Nottinghamshire. It would appear that they applied to the Colonisation fund for money to alleviate their distress, but this was not possible under the terms of the fund. However money was donated by The Duke of Newcastle, The Duke of Portland, Earl Manvers, Rev. J. T. Becher, and Mr. Godfrey, amounting to £17. The final settlement was in the district of Albany, which was between the Bushman's and Great Fish Rivers. The party was settled between the two rivers, 10 miles north of the mouth of the Kowie River, on a tributary known as Torrens River. There is now a railway station called Timms Halt. The district of the original settlement is in what is now known as Clumber. There is today the adjacent district of Southwell, although it would appear that this district did not exist as such at the time of the settlement, but was named later. Descendants of Bradfield, Pike and Timm are living in the same area today. Benjamin Keeton left Clumber, and later moved to Lombard's Post, west of the Kowie River in 1839. In 1845 he gave a piece of land on which was built a chapel and a school, and he asked that the school be called Southwell. This is the origin of the district now known as Southwell. George Dennison left Clumber after only about four years, sold his land to Thomas Webster and moved 160 miles away to Graaf-Reinet. R. K. P. Neep September 1997 Nottinghamshire Resources The 1820 Settlers Introduction Planning the emigration Selection of the settlers The journey to the Cape The settlement Copyright ©1997 Rod Neep