Journal entry – John Grey – 1 Aug 1834

?Friday 1st August



Attended to Accounts, answered Letters, settled with the Bailiff of the Regality of Hexham the various Fee Farm Rents due from the Hospitals Estates in the District and received numerous applications to be released from their engagements from Tenants in various parts, which I shall report upon particularly after another week, when I imagine I shall have received a good many more.



I send herewith the Agreement for Dilston Mill, as executed in three parts by Ridley Hall, who has now entered into the occupation of the Mill & Ground, as no time was to be lost.   Two of the Copies, I shall hope to have returned, when I shall apply to Mr Fenwick to have a proper & binding Lease made and executed. I had filled up forms of Leases for those Farms which were let last year and entered to at May Day last, and issued them to the respective Tenants for their inspection, previous to having them put upon Stamp.  Several of them have been returned & no objection made, but Mr Hunt tells me that Bell, the Tenant of Aydonshields, & Harrison the Tenant of one of the Whittonstall Farms object that the allowance of Lime is not inserted.    However it was never intended by the Board, & certainly not understood or expected by me, that that allowance should continue through the Lease, or that the Hospital should be bound to continue it any longer than circumstances might warrant, or the management of the individuals be considered deserving.  In the Agreements which those Tenants executed, no mention whatever was made of an allowance of Lime.  They could therefore unquestionably be made to execute the leases in conformity with these Agreements and I think the Board should either insist upon their doing so, or in case of their being set at liberty, make it known that they should not be treated with again upon any terms.