Webb, Charles

Grahams Town Decr 7th 1824
To his Excellency
The Right Honourable Lord
Charles Henry Somerset Governor of the
Cape of Good Hope Commander in Chief of
his Majestys Forces &c &c &c
The humble petition of Charles Webb sheweth
That your Memorialist came out into this
Colony as a Settler with Major Pigot that your Memorialist
is by trade a Carpenter &c Painter but intended
when the time was expired in which he was contracted
to Major Pigot to commence farming but not having
sufficient knowledge of that business & disgusted with
the degrading terms by which we were to hold the land
of him your Memorialist was compelled to come into
Town for a living) & trade in his way was being dull your
Memorialist commenced in the sawing and timber
dealing but not being strong of body was forced to relinquish
it) your Memorialist then built him a house on a
spot of Ground which he purchased with his savings
and built with the same) your Memorialist has contracted
several Debts during the time the building was going on and has
several heavy Debts owing to him which he cannot tell
when he shall obtain your Memorialist has only

been in town about 18 months your Memorialist has been
Married 11 Months is now in daily expectation of an increasing
family _ your Memorialist most earnestly begs that your
Excellency would grant him the sum of 500 Rix Dollars
as a Capital to carry on his business) out of the Government
Loans your memorialist trusts his character whether
Civil or Religious will stand unimpeacheable and that
your Memorialist had not one Angry word from
Major Pigot during the 3 Years he stopd with him
your Memorialist will find the most respectable
Securities and should your Excellency be pleased to
Grant the Prayer of your Memorialist he will as
in duty bound ever Pray
Charles Webb
Grahams Town
7 December 1824