Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Correspondence (private letter)
Willmett and Sons to Lytton, Sir Edward George Earle Bulwer 10 February 1859, CO 305:13, no. 1505, 293.
Abstract
Correspondence (private letter).
Minutes (2), Other documents (2).
“Willmet & sons” inquire into the logistics of securing land on Vancouver Island for their “4 Households.” The family business is shipbuilding.
The minutes pass the letter on to the Hudson’s Bay Company.
Included in this document is a draft reply from Carnarvon to Willmett and Sons, 17 February 1859, advising their enquiry had been forwarded to the Hudson's Bay Company; and a draft
from the Colonial Office to H.H. Berens, Hudson's Bay Company, 18 February 1859, forwarding copy of the letter for their attention.
Willmett & Sons to Lytton
Dry Dock Newport Monmouthshire
10th February 1859
To the Rt Hon Sir E.B. Lytton Bt
Secretary of State for the Colonies
My Lord/
We beg respectfully to request of your Lordship information
respecting the Colony of Vancouvers Island. We have made ourselves
acquainted with all that the Books we possess are able to impart and
conceiving your Lordship to
be the proper source for information [we] beg to inquire on what
System or Plan land can be secured to us in [that] Colony. We beg to
state that we contemplate emigrating thither and that [we are] a large
family consisting of 4 Households and shall require [a] tolerable
Large Tract and prudence dictates that the required Land [should] be
ascertained to be good safe and secure in the first place.
Our Business is Ship Building and Repairing Ship Owning & general
Commerce [but] of course Agriculture and the requisite addenda would
be resorted to there [in] addition to our own Trade & whatever other
Business we find convenient or requisite [to do]. We should go out in
our own ship, taking with us all materials for all purposes we
conceive to be useful so far as our means will permit, and on receipt
of [the] required information from your Lordship (which we
respectfully beg you to excuse) [one] of our Party will proceed out
to Select a proper site and report.
We beg to remain
your Lordships most obdt Servants
Willmett & Sons
your Lordships most obdt Servants
Willmett & Sons
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Merivale
The Writer requests information on the subject of Land in VanCouver's Island, & should therefore be referred to the Hudsons Bay Company?
The Writer requests information on the subject of Land in VanCouver's Island, & should therefore be referred to the Hudsons Bay Company?
VJ
12 Feby
It is
always or nearly so the simplest course to send such a letter to
the HBC & tell him, this has been done. Annex dts.
HM
F 12
Other documents included in the file
Draft, Carnarvon to Willmett and Sons, 17 February 1859, advising their
enquiry had been forwarded to the Hudson's Bay Company.
Draft, Colonial Office to H.H. Berens, Hudson's Bay Company, 18
February 1859, forwarding copy of the letter for their attention.