The 1820 Settlers were British colonists settled by the British government and the Cape authorities in the South African Eastern Cape. The Settlers were encouraged to settle in an attempt by the Cape government to close, consolidate and defend the eastern frontier against the neighbouring Xhosa peoples, and to provide a boost to the English-speaking population. It was one of the largest stages of British settlement in Africa.

Approximately 5,000 Settlers landed in around 60 different parties between April and June 1820. They were granted farms near the village of Bathurst and given equipment, but the unsuitability of the land for intensive cultivation led many of them to abandon agriculture and withdraw to settlements like Grahamstown, where they typically became tradesmen, and from where their influence spread throughout South African culture and commerce.

However, this site is not about settler history. If you are looking for your ancestors, please use the Settler Links to access more appropriate sites.

This is a site about the present - and the subjectivities and fate of settler culture. Please look at the photographs; they are what the site is about.