Wright, John

To His Excellency Major General Sir Rufane Shawe
Donkin Knight of the most honourable Military Order of
the Bath, Acting Governor and Commanding in chief
His Majestys Forces at the Cape of Good Hope &c &c &c

The Memorial of John Wright of Grahams Town
most humbly
Sheweth
That your Excellencys Memorialist (who
belongs to the party which left England under the direction of Mr
Edward Gardener, is by Trade a Coach Painter, and was never
accustomed to the pursuits of Agriculture, consequently he cannot
possibly obtain a livelihood by residing at his location
That your Memorialist in consequence of the
fact before stated, has resided for some time past in Grahams
Town, and where he has met with considerable success, But
from a competition which originates in the arrival of five
or six persons to this Town of the same profession, your Memorialist
has been absolutely thrown out of employment, and therefore feels
himself under the painful necessity of soliciting that your Excellency
would be graciously pleased in your great clemency to favour
him with permission to proceed to Cape Town or Graaf Reinet
when he would be certain of success.
That your Memorialist has humbly laid his
case before J. Jones Esqre the worthy Landdrost of the Albany
district, and who has been pleased to say, that while it is not in
his power to grant him the requested favour, he will raise no
obstacle in the way of his obtaining it from your Excellency
to whom the prerogative solely belongs
That (should your Excellency be pleased
to require it) your Memorialist can obtain the most satisfactory
testimonials as to the rectitude of his moral character from the

Head of the party to whom he belongs, as well as from those respectable
persons who have been pleased to employ him in Grahams Town
and should your Excellency be pleased to grant him the favour
contained in his humble request, it will not only render him
capable of supporting himself, but of being useful in the
ornamental branches of his profession in this Colony, and
for which he will feel the utmost gratitude to your
Excellency and, (as in duty bound) ever pray &c
John Wright

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Cape archive: 
158/140
TNA reference: 
Scribe: 
Howard
Type ?: 
Scribal Informants
Rich or Plain: 
Plain Text
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