Private. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Corbridge April 10th 1834
Sir
On the receipt of Major Graham’s note, desiring me to make enquiry respecting a suitable person for a Head Gamekeeper, I applied to Mr Dickinson, our Moor Master at Alston, knowing that part of the country to be a nursery for Poachers & Keepers.  By the letter which I have the honor to enclose from him, you will see the account he gives of a person whose qualifica
Friday 11th
Examined with Benson the Plan he has prepared of a small but compact farm house, & the Estimates received for building it, which will altogether Cost about £230. The old house is found to be so bad as to be incapable of repair. Rode through Highwood & Westwood Farms , & proceeded to Coastley for the purpose of fixing up on the cheapest & mode convenient situation for build a Turnip house & some Pig Styes. Also to look at & advise the Tenant as to the
Saturday 12th April 1834
Rode over the Farms in Hexhamshire to look into some draining & the dressing of some old & ruinous hedges, with the hope of restoring them to the condition of useful fences. And especially to examine the ruinous stone fences at Gairshield, for the purpose of deciding which of them it will be prudent to abandon & which it will be necessary to rebuild. The stormy winds of this season have rendered the farmhouse scarcely habitable, having shaken & o
Monday 14th April 1834
Heard from the Rail Way Co. that they had agreed to my Proposal that the Wood to be cut in Capons Cleugh should be valued jointly by Mr Walton on their part & Mr Parkin on ours, they two having the power to appoint an umpire if they think fit. I expect that the value of the wood will be £200 or upwards. Heard also from Mr Beaumonts Agent that he had paid to my Credit £94.7.11 for Andw Thorburn & £53.6.9 for Mark Maughan, on account of their carriage of
Tuesday 15th April
Settled with Mr Parkin the accounts for fitting and planting at Cowey Sike or Grindon Hill & for thinning the Plantations in Hexhamshire. Mr Green the Architect having come from Newcastle, we met the Contractors at Dilston & in compliance with their fancy, witnessed the depositing a newspaper & some insignificant Coins & laying the first Stone of the house by my boy Charles, which was concluded by three Cheers & my ordering some Ale for the Workmen i
Wednesday 16th April
Received a Petition to the Commissioners for Reduction of Rent from Thomas Watson of Lees, & Mr Pickering of Woodhall Mill, which I herewith send. [accompanied in the margin by faint pencil annotations which appear to say ‘Watson <former> rent £388 <……> to 288 Pickerings former 277 <….> 190 Rejected’] Their farms have been let upon reduced terms from May Day next. Also an application from the tenants of Throckley, praying to be allowedÂ
Thursday 17th April 1834
Received another Petition to the Board signed by a number of Tenants, complaining of hard times & a reduction of Rent. Finding that a quantity of Bottles & Crucibles, with some Spirits of Salts, Potass etc are occupying an apartment at Langley Mills which the Lessees wish to have possession of, I proposed to them to buy the whole  But they only offered £5, which seems very little for the number of Articles, although the expense of packing & removin
Friday 18th April 1834
Heard from Mr Stephens that he had completed the delivery of Duty Ore for the last Quarter, to Messrs Wilson & Co. The whole Quantity weighed have been 674 Bings, & the duty upon it 105 Bings and 1/2 a Cwt.
Had by appointment an interview with the Lessees of Stublick Colliery & a long discussion arising out of an application which had been made to them on the part of Mr Beaumont’s Agent, to supply him with Coals for Smelting, in case of his rentin
Saturday 19th April 1834
Sent the Moor Masters Reports along with my Journal and other papers to the Board. The Tyne being remarkably low, I took the opportunity of examining to the foundation all the Wears & Works that have been made & found them quite safe, the only effect of the Winter floods having been to cut into the sandy Soil near the top of the Banks, where the slope was not sufficient & the surface very loose. I trust that this source of expense to the Hospital &am
Monday 21st
Having applied to Mr Wailes to know if he could give me any information as to the ground of Hind’s refusal to quit the premises at Dilston & having heard from him that no agreement sanctioning his continuance till Martinmas was ever entered into, and that Mr Wailes never knew if such a deviation from the general practice of the Estates, I thought it proper to send Hind a notice in writing that his persisting in holding the premises after May Day would be followed by an act
Tuesday 22nd
Was engaged till four oclock in examining the various kinds of Stock exhibited - in deciding upon their respective merits & making up the Award of Premiums, afterwards dined in a party of 150 & spent a pleasant evening making acquaintance with several Proprietors as well as farmers in the district.Â
Wednesday 23rd
Rose at 5 and left to Carlisle, looking in my way home, at the commencement to build the farmhouse at Whitechapel. Mr Howden, the builder, had begun to work Stones from a piece of rock so near the turnpike as to occasion inconvenience & perhaps danger. His object was to get to the stones without breaking much ground & its a situation which would occasion little leading to the tenant. I warned him of the blame he might incur & that if any damage should arise, t
Thursday 24th
Went to Coupland Castle to attend the funeral of its owner which was rendered the more melancholy that that of his wife had only preceded his own by six days. He was cut off in the prime of life, at least in his 47th Year. We were of the same age & had been friends and neighbours from our youth, acting together in many public capacities. I could not therefore refuse to comply with his dying request, that I would act as a Trustee & Guardian of his Children, giving
Friday 25th
Passed the day at Milfield Hill. Having received the Boards Minutes of the 2nd Instant, wrote to inform Mr Thomson that they had given the fullest consideration to the case in dispute respecting the price of Coals delivered to him by the Lessees of Scremerston Colliery & could not interfere therein. And to Mr Hogarth, in answer to his petition for a reduction of Rent, that the only relief that can be granted him is, that the farm should be valued & relet.  Saw the M
Monday 28th
A day of constant rain which will please the farmers & give me an opportunity of writing Letters & bringing up my work in doors. The Tenant of Allerwash Mill came to me by appointment as I wished to be assured if he could obtain any security to give me, for the payment of Arrears & rent due at May Day next, as if not, I must take means before allowing him to quit, to get as much as possible from his effects.  He did not bring anyone along with him for that purpo
Tuesday 29th
Rowell of the High Barnes, came to the Office as I had requested with a relation who has a considerale [sic] Farm in the neighbourhood, to give their joint security for the payment of £800 to be accepted according to the Boards Minute, in full of Rent Arrears due by the Rowells. But as the sale of their Farm stock is to take place on the 7th May, I thought it better to take their engagement to pay over to me all Cash and Bills which they may receive, & to give me their j
Wednesday 30th April
Received the Boards Minutes & answered at length to Mr Jay the Queries respecting the appointment of Solicitors- the Memorial of the the Throckley Tenants regarding their Church loss etc. I have received a circular inviting the Proprietors in the Parish of Haltwhistle, to make good a sum expended by a Committee in building a Bridge there, which Circular I send herewith.  The Hospital has little property in the Parish, & cannot fairly be expected to contribu
Thursday 1st May 1834
Heard from Mr Nairn that he had got the Limekiln at Spindleston examined by a Mason accustomed to Kilns, who reported it to be in want of lining throughout, and otherwise faulty in construction. His estimate for the necessary repair is £36.10.0.  I wrote to Mr Nairn asking him to be good enough to obtain other Estimates for the work alone, as the Tenants who use the Kilns must lead the Materials. Rode to Bagraw to see the tenant who leaves at May day & had
Friday 2nd May
The previous state of Fourstones Colliery & the near termination of the Lease of Brokenheugh, as well as the intricacy of Stublick under it peculiarly desirable that their condition should be viewed by a professional Man. Mr Fenwick the present Viewer, has I believe more to do than is consistent with his Age & the state of his health, and it can be no object with him to give his attendance to concerns apparently so trifling. My enquiries had been directed to
Saturday 3d
Took a long ride today through the Farms in Whittonstall, making arrangements with the Tenants for procuring the Lime to be allowed them by the Hospital, with a Check Book to show every Lead brought from the Kiln, which I or Mr Hunt at any time see and compare with the Lime laid in the fields in heaps of 3 Loads each. Also taking a survey of the farm buildings and of their management generally. And justice compels me to state that in spite of the disadvantages in point of cl
Monday 5th May
The Tenant of Allerwash Mill having failed to produce any security, I sent Mr Hunt off early this morning with a warrant to distrain his goods & put them in the possession of some one, to prevent their being removed, until he shall produce the Money or the time comes for selling them. At six o’clock rode out to Thornbrough & examined the state of the fences upon the farm of Highbarns, which poor Rowell is using greater exertion to leave in repair than is the case wi
Tuesday 6th May 1834
Attended a Sale of the effects of the late Sir Charles Loraine to make some purchases on my own account. When there I had a meeting with the Party who have been boring for Coal at Hartburngrainge, which is near to Kirkharle, & found that they had gone through a seam of good Coal 20 inches thick, but that before making any report upon it to me, they were putting down the bore rods in another situation, which is equally convenient & attended with as little tresp
Wednesday 7th May
Andrew Thorburn came early in the morning to give me information that a Person holding his Note for £100 had an execution out against him & was about to attack the Stock upon the premises. I forthwith executed an Order of Distress & sent it to the Woodman in Hexhamshire, Mr Hunt being at a distance in the Langley Barony, to put in force expecting to anticipate the proceedings of the other party, & secure our Rent & Arrears.  Wrote to Major Johnson rem
Thursday 8th May
Had another early visit from poor old Thorburn, informing me that in his absence yesterday, the Sheriffs Officer had attached his Goods & anticipated my warrant of Distress. Showing me an Inventory & valuation of the Stock, to prove that it was sufficient to defray his Debts & indemnify the Hospital, as well as to leave a surplus for him to continue the Farm of Gairshield with.  I could not however act upon this representation so far as so allow of a
Friday 9th May
Rowells from High Barns came to the Office to pay the proceeds of their Sale, amounting in Cash & Bills at Six Months to £325 expecting to be able to give me some more on the rent day, at which time they will enter into security with their relation for the remainder. Mr Teasdale also brought me in like manner, Cash & Bills amounting to £102.3. After which the growing Crop will afford us ample security.Â
I went to Dilston with Benson to decide up