SOUTH-AFRICA-L Archives

From: Sue Mackay <>
Subject: [ZA] PRO Catalogue On Line
Date: Sun, 02 Feb 2003 12:45:50 +0000

Re my transcripts of the log of the Weymouth, I think I can definitely say
that I have now looked at two different logs, and that the missing
reference for the first one was probably ADM52/4655

If you go to the on line catalogue of the Public Record office in London at
http://catalogue.pro.gov.uk/ and type in Weymouth in the first box, then
1819-1820 in the date box and ADM in the class of records, it should come
up with a list of 6 records pertaining to the Weymouth. Typing in ADM35 in
the 'Go to Reference' box at the top tells you that these are pay records
for the crew, so the one I looked at previously must have been the ADM52
one. I will check when next I go to the PRO

It is worth going in to Browse the Catalogue to see if there is anything
else you might need to look at. CO stands for Colonial Office and if you
type in CO48 in the 'Go to Reference' box you will see that this section
deals with correspondence pertaining to the Cape of Good Hope. You can then
click Browse Catalogue from Here.

I'm sure Tessa King won't mind me copying a section of an e-mail she sent
me, which helps to pinpoint the references for the original correspondence
from the head of the settler parties.
[quote] Samuel James wrote his letter of application on 31 August 1819 from
Westbury, Wiltshire to go to the Cape. On the 26th October 1820 (CO 48/44
Ref 130) he wrote again to the Earl of Bathurst asking for substitutes for
Watson who no longer was able to go to the Cape. He also wrote that the
Parish of Westbury were collecting the deposit money. CO 48/44 Ref 152 is a
letter from Samuel asking for his two infant children to be added to the
list of people departing for the Cape. On the 27th December 1819 (CO 48/44
Ref 156) he is now on board the 'Weymouth' and adds his two children -
twins of 3 weeks born 5/12/1819 - Samuel William and Thomas. He also adds
the names Richard Hinton a blacksmith and Thomas Lankam to replace R
Townsend. Ref 160 is a letter dated 30th December 1819, enclosing the final
list, but the list was not attached. His twins subsequently died, one while
the ship was waiting to leave Portsmouth as did his wife, while the second
infant died at sea. [unquote]

Tessa I have just noticed - I presume he actually wrote to Bathurst on 26
October 1819 and not 1820? Slip of the key?

So typing in CO48/44 in Go to Reference will get you there even quicker.
This is the same catalogue that is actually at the PRO, though at least
theirs works a bit faster than mine does on line! I mention this so that
you can see how much time you can take just looking up a reference. I am
willing to try and do lookups in the PRO when I go and if I have time to
spare, but I am far more likely to be able to do it if you can give me the
exact reference to order. If anyone is coming to London and intends
visiting the PRO, organise a reader's ticket in advance if you can. You can
then use your ticket number to order two documents from the on-line
catalogue to be waiting for you when you arrive, which saves a huge amount
of time.

Sue
Cardiff, UK

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• [ZA] PRO Catalogue On Line by Sue Mackay <>