| Notes |
- From http://www.shelaghspencer.co.za
Wesleyan settlers - the Natal Christian Emigration and Colonization Society
William Josiah Irons, a businessman and farmer in Hertfordshire, and a native of St Albans, conceived a co-operative scheme of emigration in an attempt to improve the lot of his fellows - to enable people to achieve a better life overseas - something that, without assistance, would have been beyond them. This was not a business venture. This Christian Emigration and Colonization Society was aimed mainly at Irons's co-religionists, Wesleyans. He approached the 2nd Earl of Verulam to become patron of the scheme and to promote and present it to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Earl Grey. (Verulam's father, the 1st Earl, had been MP for St Albans prior to his elevation to the peerage.) Initially Lord Verulam agreed, but withdrew his support in Sep. 1849, soon after the prospectus had been published, and shortly before the first of the vessels to carry society members to Natal, the King William, was due to sail.
Irons's scheme was at an advanced state before Byrne had even received approval from the British Government for his venture. Events decreed, however, that Irons had to seek Byrne's assistance in transporting his people as he had encountered difficulties in chartering vessels. It was agreed that Byrne would locate them and meet their landing fees and wagon-hire from Durban to their new home. Irons insisted that his settlers be located in one block and Moreland had problems in arranging this, but eventually the Natal Government allowed him to take over 22 750 acres on the Umhloti river, which had previously been granted to the Cape Town-based Nattal Cotton Co. which had been unable to fulfil the conditions of its grant.
Irons's home town St Albans was built on the site of the Roman city Verulamium, and he was determined that the capital of the new settlement be named Verulam. The society's local committee, which had been chosen from men aboard the King William, visited the Umhloti early in Mar. 1850 to choose a suitable site for Verulam - on the south bank of the Umhloti, and near the road to the Zulu country. Six months later Moreland was able to report to Byrne that 'Verulam begins to look much llike a town; the streets begin to be defined by buildings which spring up in every direction… the crops on the Acre Village Allotments are highly satisfactory… One thing I can say of them that I am sorry cannot be said with justice of the same number of Emigrants in any other settlement in this Colony - they are more united and more firm in in purpose in carrying out their plans, and I sincerely wish them every success'. Eventually, by Feb. 1851, a total of 324 souls had reached Natal under this scheme.
- Travelled to Natal aboard the "King William" - arrived at Port Natal on February 1, 1850, under the auspices of the «i»Christian Emigration and Colonization Society«/i»
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Abt 1827 - 
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