The geographical context of planned group settlement in Cape Colony: the 1820s British emigrants

Abstract

Mapping of aggregate data on 53 groups of British emigrants in 1820 to the eastern Cape reveals considerable variation in their behaviour. While the impression of failure is frequently mentioned in published accounts, the different types of group appear to have quite distinct patterns of behaviour. Proprietary groups were less persistent and appeared to adopt pastoralism earlier. The joint-stock groups were more tenacious in settlement and pursued a more diverse agriculture, eventually. The planned groups lacked farming experience for the most part, although this did not seem closely linked to subsequent persistence or to degree of success in livestock raising. The study concludes that the basis for permanent occupation of the Albany district that was created in the first four years varied among the groups with persistence linked to social institutional cohesion provided by the mutual support derived from shared origins in Britain as well as occupational background in farming. Additional factors leading to greater persistence may have included shared religious persuasion, as well as the successful diversification of livelihood into pastoralism and frontier trade.