1820's settlers and one family who returned

[jmp]

I have come across a Thomas Ratcliff and wife Elizabeth who went out in Dyasons party in 1820 on the Zoraster. Accompanying them were their 3 young children.

It would appear (from the 1820 settlement website) that the Dyason party did not last long dissolving in 1821 after disagrements.

Today I discovered that Thomas and family returned to Ramsgate and in 1823 had their son William baptised in the local St Laurence church. The abode of the parents was given as Cape of Good Hope.

Bearing in mind they subsequently appear on the Ramsgate Censuses they did not return and had obviously managed to scrape together enough money to return to England.

Is there any way of finding out how they did this and any more specifics on their couple of years in South Africa?  I'd love to fill in the 3 year gap

Thanks in advance
Jackie

[rutti tutti]

Hi Jackie - I would suggest a posting on the South Africa immigrants mailing list with your query - have you checked the mailing list archives at all? The Eastern Cape mailing list also might be useful
This list has very knowledgable folk on the list, specifically relating to the 1820 settlers. The only info I have managed to find is the mention of their party and their ages and that he was a farmer.
I have checked the National archives with no luck.
Will continue to hunt.
Ruth
Ps I will send a PM to Sue to ask her to help you - she has done a lot of transcribing as is more clued up than I on the 1820 settlers

[jmp]

Thank you Rutti Tutti for your reply.

I noticed Thomas  and his family in the Ramsgate St Laurence Parish Registers I was going through yesteday. I think that Thomas may well be a brother of William Ratcliffe also a carpenter from St Laurence who would be my direct line. William has disappeared from the face of the earth hence my PR search to try and find the family.

I became interested as obviously Thomas baptises his son William in 1823 on his return and the abode of the parents is given as South Africa. They did not return there afterwards and so I gather from the settlers website they must have had a rough ride during their 2-3 years out there.

As I say Im researching primarily William who disappears from the Ramsgate area in 1834 and I wondered if he went abroad, maybe to South Africa, to try again for the family. However Thomas's story intrigued me as a possible brother.

Many thanks for your assistance and I'll try the links you suggest
Jackie

[rutti tutti]

hi again,
From the rachives there is a reference to a death notice in 1898 for a William Henry Ratcliff - what age was your william?
Ruth

[rhoosesue]

Hi Jackie
I can't help directly I'm afraid, but amongst the settler correspondence I have transcribed (which is all at www.genealogyworld.net) is a letter written in 1821 from Richard Calringbould of Deal, who went out in Gurney's Party. This says:
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

It may be that Thomas Ratcliffe returned in a similar manner and then was either not granted a passage back or heard about the terrible droughts and crop failures that had hit the Cape and decided to remain. Quite a few of the settlers did return, but I am afraid I have no information on them.

Sue

[jmp]

Thank you Ruth for that. I cannot find the baptism yet of William hence I cant establish whether he is Thomases brother or not. The only clue I have to age is that William married Jane Kirby in 1827 and it doesnt say in the Prs that they needed their parents permission. I know that Jane was born in 1809.

Sue, many thanks for that useful bit of information. It was an event that I was totally unaware of until yesterday but I must say I found it extremely interesting.

Thank you both for looking for me.

Jackie