Saturday 8th February
Returned from Alston, again calling upon Mr Walton without finding him. Stopped at Stublick Colliery to know how they were succeeding & was glad to find that notwithstanding the unusual quantity of Rain the excellent Engine not only sufficient to drain the Colliery but to diminish gradually the original stand of water, which in the absence of correct Plans of the former Workings, has always been a source of anxiety to me. I trust now that it may be overcome &
Thomas Key Esq Limehouse
Dear Sir
I had the pleasure to receive your letter of the 5th inst this morning enclosing 8 Bills together amounting to £2,053-1s-5d which I have carried to the credit of your acc[oun]t. I am glad to hear you approve of our separated Lead and wish all your late purchase of Common Lead to be of that Description so far as I amable I shall have great pleasure in meeting your wishes.
WB Lead Office I am dear Sir
Feb[ruar]y 8th 1834 yours etc BJ
Monday 10th February
Had an interview with Mr Bell late of Stublick and all differences having been arranged & disposed of, paid him his Gratuity, deducting the rent now due and taking his joint security with Mr Nicholson of Hexham for those to come. Mr Bell says that he expected to be included among those who by Mr Hoopers recommendation were to have the reduction for the present year, which I could not promise, as I had not understood it so before, but I engaged to mention it to the
Tuesday 11th February 1834
Saw Mr Walker & agreed with him on the terms for a Brick Work, of which I send his proposal, recommending it to the Board. The chief advantage to the Hospital being that if obtaining their own bricks, should the work succeed, at 25/- on the property instead of paying 33/- at several miles distance. Had it been begun a little sooner, there would have been a saving in building the new House. Made out & obtained signatures to some Agreements for the new
Wednesday 12th February 1834
Went to examine the Farms at Hartburngrainge and found the small Stable which I had thought it necessary to make at the West Farm, completed at less expense than I had anticipated. The old Man White, who had hitherto been continued upon an allowance of 6/- Per Week with a House & small Garden for maintaining the fences of the Woodlands, died lately, & having looked upon that Allowance rather as a Pension to an old Servant, than as a necessary expenditu
Friday 14th
Had appointed to meet Mr Borthwick and his father to arrange the particulars of his entry to Chesterhill Farm, finally to determine the Conditions of management, the diversion of certain fields which I have previously noticed & to obtain his signature to an Agreement, all of which was most pleasantly complied with. The Draining of the Bog Field at Outchester is nearly completed, & when finished will be examined again & measured by my Son who will transmit to me the
Saturday 15th
Went over the Farms at Scremerston. Saw that Mr Pringle had already renewed the platform around the Tower of his Threshing Machine, which was indeed indispensable & that Mr Hogarth was proceeding with filling up & restoring to land, two Acres which had been rendered waste by old Quarry heaps, for doing which, he has obtained a proposal so low as £24, which I fear, even with the help of Barrow-way rails from the Colliery, will afford the men very small wages. The m
Monday 17th
Returned to Newcastle & on tuesday morning to Corbridge, attended to letters and matters which had occurred in my absence. Directed Mr Parkin to commence planting at Grindon, and to reconsider his valuation of the Whittle lot of Wood, as it is most unlikely that I should be able to obtain the price he sets upon it. Went out to Dilston to see the progress that had been made with the new road preparatory to commencing to build, & learnt with much dissatisfaction that on
Wednesday 19th February
Sold the Lot of Wood No 4 in Dipton Plantation to Joseph & George Dinning for £140, for which they are to give a joint pro: Note, payable in September & December next, by which time the Wood is to be all removed. This is £10 below Parkin’s valuation, but I consider it a good price as wood is selling. Had also an Agent from the Lead Company’s Mines to examine the Tyneside Lot, valued by Parkin at £220 last year, but not then sold. Since that time se
Thursday 20th February
I forwarded to the Board this morning, an answer to their enquiries respecting the Inspector of Woods - Mines etc also several Agreements for Leases, executed by the respective Tenants. Among them, it will be seen, that I have thought it best to hold Andw Thorburn as Tenant of Gairshield, at Will, so that his being allowed to continue or not, may be made to depend upon his own conduct. That the Term of Thornbrough Highbarns is to be 14 years, that it may determine a
Friday 21st Febry
Rode in the morning to Westwood to meet Benson & the Mason whose tender for building the two Cottages there had been accepted, that the Situation might be determined & the Work begun. The most convenient place for them is a piece of waste land at the junction of the Hexham & Chain Bridge roads, & as it is a public and conspicuous situation, some regard must be had to neatness in constructing and Keeping them. Proceeded then to look after some matters at H
Saturday 22nd Feb 1834
I met Mr Leadbitter this morning at Dilston Hall Farm to make the arrangements respecting the occupation of it, reserving the House, small Field called Halls Nook, Garden Stable etc as specified in a written Agreement, for the Bailiff, he paying £22 and Mr Leadbitter £150 for the farm and remaining premises, with which he professed himself well satisfied. His Lease of the land should be made to determine along with that of his present farm & chargeable with th
Monday 22nd February
Received the Boards Minutes of the 8th & 19th Instant & made the necessary communications to the several parties referred to. Was afterwards was occupied in inspecting the planting in Dipton Woods & examining the state of several plantations on the Property, some of which are now thinning & others that require to be thinned. Nothing occurred of importance to be noted.
Tuesday 25th February
Went to inspect some matters respecting the roads at Dilston & also some bye ways into the fields which have been intersected by the Railway. Proceeded to Hexham & attended a meeting of the Alston Roads Trustees, saw Mr Walker respecting the making of Bricks at Dilston Park & his settlement of damages with the Tenant, also several of the Tenants on various matters, examined Robson’s Nursery at Hexham, from which I wished to select strong & healthy t
Wednesday 26th February
Having received three Summonses for Special Jury Trials had to go to NCastle to attend the Assizes, & owing to the late arrival of the Judges from Durham & the quantity of business at Newcastle was not released from the Court till 6o’clock on Friday evening.
Saturday 1st March
Returned to Corbridge early in the morning , attended to letters & business in the Office. Directed Benson to make preparation for the Building at Whitechapel, as sanctioned by the Board, & to obtain estimates for it & the farmhouse at Lees. Received from Mr Hogarth at Scremerston the application to the Board, praying for a reduction of rent, which I herewith forward. It is hardly necessary for me to make any remarks on the subject of this Petition, in a
Monday 3rd March
After dispatching a parcel to Alston, containing grants for trials of veins & Letters to Mr Dickinson & Mr Stephens, I took a long ride through the Farms in Hexhamshire that I might inspect some new fences, reconcile some differences between the away going & entering Tenants, which they seem to make a point if never doing themselves without an Umpire, & examining a large extent of Woodlands, of which the younger plantations are so unreasonable thick that I
Tuesday 4th March
Mr Green the Architect, having come up with the Plans & Specifications of the House, I accompanied him & some Contractors to Dilston to fix upon the precise spot & see how the Plans as now arranged would fit the peculiar situation, as I was anxious to take every possible advantage of the picturesque character of the place, consistent with convenience & economy, & to save some Chestnut Trees, which after much contrivance, we were able to accomplish. I
Wednesday 5th March
Rode to Throckley to see how the unsightly Pit heaps had been planted. I have hopes that the Trees will succeed, which will be a great improvement to the appearance of the farm & neighbourhood & convert Ground which was before pernicious to the Wool, to a useful purpose. Mr Stephenson has kindly sent Carts to lead good soil to be put into the Pits along with the Trees, on such parts of the heaps as consisted only of Coal refuse. I found it necessary to or
Thursday 6th March
Went through the Estates of Newton & Whittle, examining at the latter place the working of the quarries lately opened for getting blocks for the railway & the trespass done by this & the roads. The latter is of little moment, being confined solely to the plantation & not touching upon the farm at all. I met today Mr Armstrong, who is Agent for the Estate of Threepwood. He applied to me for payment, to the Proprietor for two Stacks of Corn, said to have
Friday 7th March 1834
I agreed this morning with Mr French on the part of the Governor & Co, for the Lot of Wood No 2, in the Hand Bill, at the price of £180 & £13 for some weedings in the Park Plantation. The money to be paid & the wood removed by December next. Some of this Wood standing by the Embankments, & some also so near the brink of the River to be in the way of sloping & securing the banks, has been cut down & sold since the Lot was valued. And as t
?Saturday 8th March
Rode to Dilston to meet Mr Shipley respecting several claims, on Account of Fruit Trees & other things supplied by him when he made the Garden, for which he expects payment. His intention of selling manure from the Premises, I flatly resisted, especially as he had always sold the Hay made from his Land without permission & with impunity. But that he should not suffer any loss with respect to such Hay as he might have on hand, I engaged to purchase it by the valu
Monday 10th March 1834
Heard from the Tenant at Outchester that the Drains that I had marked out for improving a boggy field were finished & ready to be examined & measured, which I wrote desiring my Son to go over & do forthwith, that the ploughing of the field might be proceeded with. Directing him at the same time to apprize the Tenants in that quarter, that I should be at Belford to receive the Rents on the 8th April. Went to the Park Farm & met Mr Walker, the Lessee of t
Tuesday 11th March 1834
This being the day appointed for payment of the Dividend of the Assignees of the Arkendale Mines Company, I attended at Hexham on the part of the Commissioners, having previously examined the accounts, & seen the Boards authority for concurring in the Agreement come to by the Creditors, to accept a Dividend of 12/- in the Pound. The Hospitals claim amounted to £2347.7.0 according to the accompanying statement - and the Dividend and Interest in the Bills to £1
Wednesday 12th March
Arranged with Benson the several Buildings at Whitechapel & Lees, for which parties are preparing Estimates. Directed him to examine the Offices at Coastley with a view to find a situation in which some Pig Houses may be built at small expense, which in arranging the Buildings, had strangely enough been forgotten. Afterwards accompanied him to examine Teasdales House & see in what way it might be made comfortable at the smallest expense as any thing that is to