Hi Luann, There is a reference to the ship "Susan" at the National Archives of South Africa - Database KAB (Cape Town). http://www.national.archives.gov.za/naairs.htm DEPOT KAB SOURCE GH TYPE LEER VOLUME_NO 1/176 SYSTEM 00 REFERENCE 85 PART 1 DESCRIPTION PAPERS RECEIVED FROM SECRETARY OF STATE, LONDON: GENERAL DESPATCHES.ARRIVAL OF THE SHIP "SUSAN", THE FIRST VESSEL CONVEYING EMIGRANTS UNDER THE NEW BOUNTY SYSTEM. STARTING 1846 ENDING 1846 Good luck with your search, Elva > From: "LB Seamons" <lubose@mstar2.net> > Date: 26 July 2005 3:28:20 AM > To: SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: my Capetown ancestors named BODILY > > > Hi, I am Luann B Seamons of Preston, Idaho, USA. My Bodily ancestors > were in Capetown early in their stay in South Africa. I would like to > learn about the ship they came to South Africa in and the following > questions that I am asking along with a copy of a fun letter from my > ancestor apparently written in her own hand and here transcribed by a > descendant. They were only in Capetown for only a couple of years > while the work was going on to renew the battlements there. > > I am submitting this recently found letter from my great-great > grandmother who was born in England in 1816 came to South Africa > 1844/45 and left for the United States 1860. My hope is an exchange of > some ideas of where I can find more information about them. I am > encouraged by the transcription of the Sidbury Angelican Church done > recently where two children are baptized in 1853 & 1855. > > Mention is made of school, free school, in another history they call > it grammar school. Apparently Robert Jr and William attended school > while they were living in Cape Town. William later attended school in > about 1856 in Port Elizabeth while the family lived at the "Inn" on > Bushman's River. Are there any school records available? > > Also Grandfather Robert Bodily was a stone mason working in the > engineers department on the battery and castle. Someone please tell me > what this refers to and if there might be some records we could get > into to find out more about his work while at Cape Town? > > Also Note the mention of a church building. The Bodilys are described > as staunch members of the Church of England. What church might she > have been referring to in 1847 in Capetown? What is the likely church > to find the baptism of the son James born while in Capetown; and Mary > Ann in 1849 and Edwin in 1851 born in Port Elizabeth? > > I hope you enjoy the letter as much as I did; it was like a window > into their lives. > > Following is a letter written by Jane Pittam Bodily wife of Robert > Bodily Sr. to an aunt in Great Britain: Cape Town, Sept. 13, 1847 Dear > Aunt: I hope these few lines with our kind love will find you all well > as it leaves us so at this time. Thank God for it. My children have > been poorly with a cold or I may say complaint that most of the > children in the town have had, but thank God, they are all better. I > had the doctor to my baby for he was so ill, and there were so many of > the young children that died, that we thought it better to have > something in time, for here was four or five little children buried in > a day in the English burying ground, for days together. > > The burying ground is not joining the church as at home. I should say > it is a mile from the English church and they don't take the corpse to > the church and if they read the burial service at the grave they > demand twenty dollars, that is 30 shillings, and 15 shillings for > breaking the ground. > > My boys are grown very much, they both go to school. I have sent > William to the free school but I don't see that he learns any good at > all for there are so many boys, so that I now send them to a woman > that lives near us. I think it is better to pay a little and have them > kept more strict. > > I daresay you have heard father's letter my little boy's name is > James. He grows very nicely, is now four months old, he was born on > the 6th (sixth) of May. Most people say he is like little Robert, he > is a contended, little dear, and we don't make a little fuss with him. > > My husband is still working in the engineers department. The work has > been very slack this winter, there has been but two or three masons > all winter. Robert and one more that came in the "Susan," the vessel > before us. Now they have set two more hands on but there has been so > little work going on in town so that there has been a great many out > of employment all winter. >