Journal entry – John Grey – 15 Oct 1834

Wednesday 15th October



Rode to Haydon. Ridge to breakfast & set out immediately to value the Farms of East & West Millhills, leaving Mr Dickinson to collect the small Fee Farm Rents, which it always troublesome to get in, from the insignificance of each payment.  Returned to get some Leases executed by Tenants in that neighbourhood, all of which were done except that for East Elrington by Mr Lambert, who has taken fright at the state of Markets & fears the Farm cannot maintain the Rent.  I told him it would be at the option of the Commissioners to oblige him to execute it or to take the Farm off his hands. At all events he must pay for the Stamp made use of.  This he agreed to, & we settled it that the Board must decide whether he is to be bound to his bargain, or they will release him & advertize the Farm [marginal pencil note: ‘agreed to].  There is one reason why he may be considered entitled to lenity in this case, which is, that he took the Farm, not on his own account, but for a brother who occupied it & had been both indiscreet & unfortunate so that he incurs the double risk of falling Markets & a brothers misconduct.  The various Trials & presentments at the Court having been disposed of by 4o’ clock, I dined with Mr Fenwick & the Jury, & returned to Dilston at night, leaving Mr Dickinson to accompany him to Wark, & to do his best to obtain the arrears of Fee Farm Rents there, & clear off scores in that quarter, as this will likely be the last Court to be held there by the Commissioners of Greenwich Hospital. I received on my return an application from Mr Pattinson, formerly Assay Master for the Hospital, for a payment of two Guineas, of which his accompanying Letter will afford the explanation which I thought it necessary to have in writing.