1820 Settlers
British colonists who settled the Eastern Cape in 1820.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
The 1820 Settlers were British colonists who came to the Cape Colony’s Eastern Cape in 1820, sponsored by the United Kingdom government. After the Napoleonic Wars, Britain faced high unemployment, and many of these settlers were poor. The Cape government encouraged them to settle in the Eastern Cape to bolster the frontier against the neighboring Xhosa peoples and increase the English-speaking population. This policy led to the founding of Albany, a center of the British diaspora in Africa.
Out of 90,000 applicants, about 4,000 were approved and transported, arriving in roughly 60 parties between April and June 1820. They received farms near Bathurst, along with equipment and food paid for by their deposits. However, many lacked farming experience, so they abandoned agriculture and moved to towns like Bathurst, Grahamstown, East London, and Port Elizabeth, where they returned to their original trades.
Some settlers later moved to Natal, an area under Zulu influence or control in the 1820s; the first significant British settlement in Natal occurred after 1820. Leaders of this group negotiated directly with King Shaka for permission to stay. Genealogist Shelagh O'Byrne Spencer notes that among those who moved to Natal was Charles Kestell, whose son, Rev. John Daniel Kestell of Anglo-Boer War fame, gave his name to the Free State town of Kestell.
The 1820 Settlers are commemorated by the 1820 Settlers National Monument in Grahamstown, opened in 1974. This living monument hosts plays, music, and cultural events, supported by the 1820 Settlers Association, founded in 1920 by Sir Walter Stanford and other descendants. The association aimed to reverse the decline of British immigration to South Africa and address the numerical imbalance.
- origin
- United Kingdom
- destination
- Eastern Cape, Cape Colony
- arrival
- April to June 1820
- applicants
- 90,000
- approved
- about 4,000
- transported
- about 4,000
- notable_for
- British diaspora in Africa; founding of Albany, South Africa
Lore & Background
After the Napoleonic Wars, Britain experienced serious unemployment, and many of the 1820 Settlers were poor. The Cape government encouraged them to settle in the Eastern Cape to strengthen the frontier against the Xhosa and boost the English-speaking population. Of 90,000 applicants, about 4,000 were approved and transported due to financial constraints. They arrived in about 60 parties between April and June 1820 and were granted farms near Bathurst, supplied with equipment and food against their deposits. However, lack of agricultural experience led many to abandon farming and withdraw to Bathurst, Grahamstown, East London, and Port Elizabeth, where they reverted to their trades.
Some settlers later moved to Natal, an area under Zulu influence or control in the 1820s; the first significant British settlement in Natal occurred after 1820. Leaders of this group negotiated directly with King Shaka for permission to stay. Genealogist Shelagh O'Byrne Spencer notes that among those who moved to Natal was Charles Kestell, whose son, Rev. John Daniel Kestell of Anglo-Boer War fame, gave his name to the Free State town of Kestell.
Reader's Guide
The 1820 Settlers are significant as a key episode in British colonization of South Africa, establishing a lasting English-speaking community in the Eastern Cape. Their settlement led to the founding of Albany, a center of the British diaspora. The settlers' lack of agricultural experience caused many to abandon farming, but they contributed to the growth of towns like Grahamstown, East London, and Port Elizabeth. The 1820 Settlers National Monument in Grahamstown, opened in 1974, commemorates them and hosts cultural events. The 1820 Settlers Association, founded in 1920, aimed to reverse the decline of British immigration to South Africa and address the numerical imbalance between Afrikaners and English. Notable settlers include William Guybon Atherstone, Sir Theophilus Shepstone, and Dick King. Their legacy includes genealogical interest and a lasting cultural imprint on the region.
Did You Know?
- Of 90,000 applicants, only about 4,000 were approved and transported to the Eastern Cape.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the 1820 Settlers?
They were a group of British colonists dispatched by the UK government to the Eastern Cape region of the Cape Colony between April and June 1820. Most were impoverished individuals seeking a fresh start after the economic downturn that followed the Napoleonic Wars.
Why did Britain sponsor the 1820 Settler scheme?
The government wanted to strengthen the colonial frontier against the Xhosa peoples while simultaneously boosting the English-speaking population in the Cape. It also served as a relief measure for the widespread unemployment Britain faced in the post-war period.
How many people applied versus how many actually arrived?
Roughly 90,000 people submitted applications, of which 19,000 received approval, but budget constraints meant only around 4,000 were ultimately transported to South Africa.
Where exactly did the 1820 Settlers establish themselves?
They were settled in the Eastern Cape district of the Cape Colony, an area that later became the heartland of the British diaspora in southern Africa and eventually gave rise to the colony of Albany.
Why are the 1820 Settlers considered important in British Empire history?
Their arrival marked one of the largest state-sponsored colonial migration schemes in British history and permanently reshaped the demographic and political landscape of the Eastern Cape. The community they founded became a lasting center of British cultural influence in Africa.
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