A philanthropic gentleman of Frome, T Bunn (his official standing in the parish, if any, is not clear) conducted most of the correspondence with the Colonial Department on the Frome emigrants' behalf. According to Bunn, many of the town's 10,000 inhabitants were unemployed and eager to emigrate; a local pensioner phrased it more vividly - 'This Town is all a tiptoe to go to the Cape of Good Hope'.

Deposits were paid for 12 men, and James travelled to Portsmouth to see his party aboard HM Store Ship Weymouth before returning to Westbury to fetch his wife, who had recently given birth to twin boys. She and one of the infants died on board the Weymouth before the ship left Portsmouth; the second infant died soon after putting to sea.

The Weymouth left Portsmouth on 7 January 1820, reaching Table Bay on 26 April. Four more children of the party died during the voyage: two children of Philip Hobbs (one an infant born at sea), a son of Philip Pinnock and a daughter of Robert Rogers. A daughter of James Usher, christened Eliza Weymouth, was born at sea on 10 March. The Weymouth reached Algoa Bay on 15 May and the party was located on an arm of the Lynedoch River, naming its location Bethany.

LIST OF JAMES' PARTY

BANKS, William 23. Basket maker. w Sarah 22. c James 2, William.

BARTER (or BARTLETT), William 22. Gardener.

HAYWARD, James 39. Labourer. w Tabitha 37. c Samuel 17, John 13, Elizabeth 11, Selina 9, William 4, Eliza 2.

HINTON, Richard 39. Blacksmith. w Sarah 36. c Rebecca 10, George 7, Leonard 4, Jane.

HOBBS, Philips 26. Gardener. w Charity 25. c Daniel 3, Sarah 1 (died at sea),
another child (born and died at sea).

JAMES, Samuel 31. Carpenter. w Elizabeth 33 (died at Portsmouth). c Edward 8, Elizabeth 5, Stephen 2,

Thomas (died at Portsmouth), Samuel William (died at sea).

LANHAM, Thomas 30. Tiler and plasterer. w Elizabeth 27. c Mary Ann.

PINNOCK, Philip 32. Farmer. w Betsey 26. c Harriet 3, Joseph 1 (died at sea).

RANDALL, James 44. Labourer. w Rebecca 33. c Mary 14, Jane 9, Elizabeth 7, James 3, Sarah 1.

ROGERS, Robert 25. Carpenter. w Sarah 26. c Rebecca 4, Emma 1 (died at sea).

USHER, James 36. Bricklayer and carpenter. w Sarah 36. c Elizabeth 16, Joseph 14, Ann 11, Sophia 9, John 7, James 5, Fanny 2, Eliza Weymouth (born at sea).

WARREN, Thomas 44. Cordwainer and gardener, late seaman. w Mary 42. c James 14.

Main sources for party list


Return of settlers under the direction of Samuel James (Cape Archives CO 6138/1,101); Muster-roll and Log of HMSS Weymouth (Public Record Office, London).

from THE SETTLER HANDBOOK by MD Nash page 86