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  1. #1
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    Default Keighley residents hoping to emigrate in 1859

    Those of you with Keighley ancestors may be interested in an article I have just transcribed from the Eastern Province Herald (South Africa) for 1 July 1859. The CAWOOD family from Keighley were amongst the original 1820 settlers to the Cape of Good Hope, and were instrumental in trying to persuade others to join the second wave of aided emigration to the Cape in the late 1850s. As can be seen here, not all applications were successful. I have checked some of the more unusual names listed below and they were all still in the Keighley area in the 1861 census, so descendants of those listed may never have known that their ancestors were so keen to emigrate.

    A FACT FOR MR. FIELD
    It has been said that an unnecessary outcry has been raised against the Emigration Commissioner for his mismanagement of the emigration scheme, and especially for his treatment of the intending emigrants, and we, as well as others of our contemporaries, have been upbraided with pressing hard upon Mr. FIELD without having his statement before us. Nay, one of his “academic” supporters has gone so far as to say that he has discharged with consummate ability the duties of his office, and that the discontent which has been manifested, and the angry expressions of dissatisfaction that have been so numerous, are all a mistake together and, if we did but know it, we have great cause to be exceedingly thankful to Mr. FIELD for his “valuable services” to the Colony.
    Now we would beg to direct attention to what we have to say. We have a plain and simple story to tell, which, if we mistake not, will “tell” more and better than anything else that could be said.
    About a year ago our fellow townsman, Mr. J. CAWOOD, visited England, and when there went to Keighley, in Yorkshire – his native town. Here he was besieged by numerous applications from persons wishing to emigrate to the Cape. He explained to them the nature of the country and its capabilities – its climate – the labour for which there was a demand – the rate of wages they would be likely to earn – the cost of provisions – and the comparative discomforts they would probably have to put up with in a new country. All this only increased their desire to seek their fortunes in this Colony, and they wanted to know what steps they must take. Many of them had already, at that time, addressed Mr. FIELD, but had received no reply, and they did not know what to do. Mr. CAWOOD advised them to apply again, which they immediately did. Weeks and months passed away, but no reply from Mr. FIELD.
    In the meantime Mr. CAWOOD returned to this country and received, by the last mail from England, the list of persons which we have published below. Up to the date of their letter enclosing this list they had received no reply from Mr. FIELD – not even an acknowledgement of their communication. It must be remembered that most of these people have made application. We do not say the whole of them – for several, disheartened by their friends not having received any answer, of course concluded that application in their case would be equally fruitless. This list has been sent to Mr. CAWOOD, and was intended to be laid before Parliament, just to show how many eager applicants there are, just of the description we require, anxiously waiting an opportunity to emigrate.
    A reference to the list will show that the majority of these people are between the ages of twenty and thirty-five – all able, hardy active men – a large proportion of them being farm labourers, whilst the other tradesmen are well adapted for this Colony, having been accustomed to country work. These men, too, are most of them in indigent circumstances, who would not be sticklers about sixpence-a-day wages. Some of them, in the winter season, are compelled by their necessities to have recourse to the Union for assistance, and are glad to get a day’s work for which they receive 9d or a shilling. They themselves say they do not care so much about wages at first – they will take anything – and this is just the way to get good wages in the end. At home they have barely a meagre living – here they would have at least all the necessaries of life; and Mr. CAWOOD assures us they are just the people we require. Much has been said about the small number of agriculturists and farm labourers that have been sent out, and with great justice. Here are upwards of 130 persons, besides their children, all from an agricultural district, who would gradually embrace the opportunity for becoming colonists were it placed within their reach. We may add that a few families, in rather better circumstances than their neighbours, wearied out with waiting for some reply from Mr. FIELD, mustered up their little means and determined to take the important step without any extraneous assistance. They have arrived here, and are perfectly satisfied with the change. But the hundreds who remain behind have not the means to enable them to do this, and whilst we want farm labourers and servants, they are crying for work, and are either starving at home or are a drag upon the parish.
    Mr. CAWOOD informs us that so eager were the applicants that there would have been no difficulty whatever in obtaining a sufficient number for a ship, from Keighley alone, in less than a week! Our readers will be able to judge, from the ages and occupations as set forth in the annexed list, as to the suitability of the applicants for this Colony.
    Why the operations of the Emigration Commissioner should be confined to Ireland and the south of England, when in the towns wages are higher than in the rural districts, we cannot understand. If farm labourers and agriculturists be required – and the demand for these is admitted to be great – then Yorkshire, we are sure, would supply the labourers required better and cheaper than any other English county. How it happens that these people have received no reply to their letters, especially as the correspondence department, according to Mr. SAUNDERS’s singular letter to his chief, is conducted with such admirable regularity, we leave others to determine. All we know is that these people are just the labourers we require – that they are willing, waiting to come – have applied to Mr. FIELD – and that we are still without them.
    The following is the list referred to in the foregoing remarks:-
    James DYSON, aged 28, clogger; Harriet, his wife, 26, and 1 child, Residence, Keighley.
    James WILKINSON, aged 27, clogger; Sarah, his wife, 28, and 2 children. Keighley.
    William DRIVER, aged 28, farmer; Mary, his wife, 29. Morton Banks.
    John BINNS, aged 21, joiner; Betty, his wife, 20. Keighley.
    Henry DUCKWORTH, aged 21, tailor; Ann Elizabeth, his wife, 20. Keighley.
    Edward ENGLAND, aged 28, labourer; Elizabeth, his wife, 28, and 2 children. Keighley.
    Ann HEAP, aged 22, servant. Keighley.
    John DIXON, aged 28, labourer; Jane, his wife, 28. Keighley.
    James BROADLEY, aged 21, blacksmith. Keighley.
    James HEYWOOD, aged 21, labourer; Mary, his wife, 21. Keighley.
    John PULLEN, aged 20, farmer. Morton Banks.
    Samuel SMITH, aged 22, farmer; __, his wife, 22. Keighley.
    Smith AMBLER, aged 21, millwright. Keighley.
    Edwin ALLEN, aged 22, farmer. Barnsley.
    Wilkinson WATSON, aged 31, farmer & butcher. Keighley.
    Jonathan HORSFALL, aged 30, wool sorter. Keighley.
    George CARRODUS, aged 40, butcher; Martha, his wife, 32. Keighley.
    John CRAVEN, aged 20, butcher.
    Samuel CARRIER, aged 16. Keighley.
    Richard SCHOOM, aged 28, tailor. Keighley.
    James FEATHER, aged 32, tailor. Keighley.
    Jonathan PEEL, aged 24, gardener; Mary Ann, his wife, 20, and 2 children. Papermill Bridge.
    William SMITH, aged 24, joiner; Elizabeth, his wife, 22, and 2 children. Wesley Place.
    John EASTWOOD, aged 39, cartwright; Hannah, his wife, 35, and 2 children. Keighley.
    Warren Smith PEEL, aged 19, labourer; Sus’h, his wife, 19. Ingrow.
    James SMITH, aged 25, cartwright; Elizabeth, his wife, 22. Holy Croft.
    Robert SMITH, aged 30, farm labourer. Keighley.
    Margaret HUDSON, aged 21, servant. Keighley.
    Wm. HARRISON, aged 24, farm labourer. do.
    Sarah CLAY, aged 20, servant. do.
    John HARGRAVES, aged 34, labourer; Ann, his wife, 28, and 4 children. Keighley.
    John FEATHER, aged 31, clogger; Mary, his wife, 28 and 3 children. Keighley.
    Joseph REEDY, aged 36, labourer; Sarah, his wife, 40, and 3 children. Keighley.
    Joseph BANNISTER, aged 17, youth of all work. Keighley.
    George Smith GREGSON, aged 23, tailor. Keighley.
    Jabez FAWTHROP, aged 22, veterinary surgeon. Keighley.
    Johnson TIPLARDY, aged 21, saddler. Keighley.
    Jeremiah KEIGHLEY, aged 22, joiner. do.
    John MIDGLEY, aged 22, farmer. do.
    Walter SOWDER, aged 21, ironmonger. do.
    Thomas CHAPMAN, aged 21, farmer. do.
    William WRIGHT, aged 20, joiner & millwright; Rose, his wife, 19. do.
    Wm. WILDMAN, aged 24, blacksmith; his wife, 22, and 2 children. do.
    Cyrus SMITH, aged 24, blacksmith; Martha, his wife, 23, and 1 child. do.
    William DUFFEL, aged 20, farmer. Morton Banks, near Bingley.
    Isaac HODGSON, aged 21, joiner and millwright.
    Robert SMITH, aged 22, mason and bricksetter; his wife, 20. Utley, near Keighley.
    Richard CALVERT, aged 22, man of all work. Utley.
    Smith JACKSON, aged 28, mason; his wife, 29, and 1 child. Utley.
    Timothy RHODES, aged 21, mason; his wife, 20. Utley.
    William WRIGHT, aged 39, farmer; his wife, 40, and 2 daughters, 18 and 16. Utley.
    Mary SUGDEN, aged 20, servant, Utley.
    Sarah Ann JACKSON, aged 19, servant. Keighley.
    Thomas BINNS, aged 18, labourer. do.
    Benjamin PICKLES, aged 36, wool sorter. do.
    William DEWHIRST, aged 24, draper. do.
    Edwin WARD, aged 22, tailor. do.
    Hannah M. WARD, aged 33, servant. do.
    Abel HEY, aged 21, printer. do.
    Jonathan MOSLEY, aged 16, willing to do anything.
    William Thomas LEACH, aged 21, farmer; Margaret, his wife, 22. Collingworth.
    Thomas SILVERWOOD, aged 22, farmer; Ellen, his wife, 20, and 1 child. Holy Croft.
    Isaac EMMET, aged 28, labourer, Keighley.
    James TARRER, aged 30, labourer; Elizabeth, his wife, 29.
    Jonathan SIMPSON, aged 21, joiner.
    William SIMPSON, aged 21, labourer. Keighley.
    John SMITH, aged 21, labourer. do.
    John MURRAY, aged 21, invoice agent. do.
    Susy WHITAKER, aged 39, 3 sons, John 19, William 17, Thomas 9, and Ann, 13, servant. Keighley.
    Benjamin FATHAM, aged 22, labourer; Mary, his wife, 24. New Road Side.
    William TATTERSALL, aged 26, basket-maker. Keighley.
    Solomon HARRISON, aged 22, wool-dyer; Grace, his wife,21. Keighley.
    James HARRISON, aged 43, wool sorter; Sarah, his wife, 44, his sons George Jackson, 15, Edwin, 10, and 1 daughter, 4. Keighley
    Hardesty SMITH, aged 20, farm labourer, Keighley.
    Robert DUNWELL, aged 20, labourer. do.
    Benjamin THOMPSON, aged 24, farm labourer. Cross Hills.
    John BARKER, aged 28, farm labourer. Eastburn.
    James GREENWOOD, aged 28, carpenter & joiner. Keighley.
    Mason BUCKLEY, aged 25, blacksmith; Susannah, his wife, 23, and 1 child. Keighley.
    Hannah HALEY, aged 23, servant of all work. Keighley.
    Harriet WELSH, aged 27, servant of all work. Keighley.
    James RASHWORTH, aged 22, wagon-maker. Cross Roodes [sic].
    Isabella THOMPSON, servant of all work, Keighley.
    Joseph THROUP, aged 20, overlooker; Nancy, his wife, 20. Keighley.
    Larance [sic] DUCKWORTH, aged 21, farm labourer. Utley.
    Walter MOORE, aged 28, farmer. Hermit Hole, near Keighley.
    Barwick MIDGELEY, aged 24, tailor. Cross Roads.
    Edwin HARRISON, aged 58, farmer; Mary, his wife, 58 and Pomeley [sic], his daughter, 33.
    Edwin HARRISON, aged 29, mason; Susannah, his wife, 24, and 1 child.
    John HARRISON, aged 32, mason; Mary Ann, his wife, 30, and 2 children.
    Jane HARRISON, aged 24, Job HARRISON, 18, (farm servant), Mather HARRISON, 17 and Alice HARRISON, 14.
    John HUDSON, aged 18, labourer.
    James FIELDHOUSE, aged 27, joiner; Sarah Ann, his wife, 25 (dressmaker). Water Lane.
    John HEAPS, aged 21, joiner. Keighley.
    Sue Mackay
    Insanity is hereditary - you get it from your kids

  2. #2
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    Thanks for this list, Sue. Lots of typical local surnames, including some of mine, but I can't see any immediate connections, unfortunately.

    Seeing a list like that made me wonder what people thought about privacy in those days. Did they mind having all their details published in the Cape - and did they even know? I suspect their comings and goings and aspirations would have been fairly well known locally, though in hard times it might not have been a good idea to let your boss know you'd prefer to be somewhere else.

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