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Title Petitions of William Parker
Date 1830
Document Type Printed Extract
Reference CO 384/28
Library / Archive The National Archives
Collection Name War and Colonial Department and Colonial Office: Emigration Original Correspondence
Description Petition to Parliament by William Parker regarding the dangers of being a British citizen in Southern Africa following the deaths of Lieutenant Farewell, and Messrs Thackery and Walker and the poor treatment of the natives of South Africa by the British in the years prior. Petition to George the Fourth regarding the emigration of the poor and desolate of Ireland to the Cape of Good Hope.
Series Description This series contains correspondence relating to British settlement in North America and Australasia, and to Indian indentured labour in the West Indies. Until 1857 it consists of domestic letters alone. The series then ceases and is not resumed until 1872.
Biographical Note / History A Colonial Land and Emigration Commission was created in 1840 to undertake the duties of two earlier and overlapping authorities under the supervision of the secretary of state: the Colonisation Commissioners for South Australia and the Agent General for Emigration. In 1855 it became the Emigration Commission. The commission's powers were gradually given up to the larger colonies as they obtained self-government, and after 1873 it was responsible only for controlling the importation of Indian labour into sugar-producing colonies. It was abolished in 1878 and an Emigration Department was then set up in the Colonial Office. This department was merged with the General Department in 1894, and abolished altogether in 1896.
Theme(s) Religion, Ethnic Identity and Community Relations
Country (from) Ireland
Country (to) South Africa
Places Cape Town, Cape of Good Hope, South Africa
Nationality English; Irish
People Parker, William
Keywords death, natives, slavery, colonialism, government, exploitation
Additional Information This document is part of CO 384/28 from The National Archives, UK.
Language English
Original Volume Emigration. North America and Australia, 1830 and 1831. Volume 2. Miscellaneous Individuals
Copyright Crown Copyright documents © are reproduced by permission of The National Archives London, UK