Journal entry – John Grey – 20 Sep 1834

Saturday 20th September



Set out for the Western Estates.  Went through the Farms of Esphill, Langley Castle & the Deanraws to Lough Green, where the old Stables & part of the Barn having fallen through Age & decay, we are rebuilding them, & adding a small Hovel, which was much wanted.  Returned to traverse the Farms of West & East Land Ends, met Mr Hunt afterwards at Haydon Bridge with the Plans of the Railway from thence to Westwood near Hexham & disposing of our Horses, followed the course intended for it, for six Miles, through Fields & Woods, noting some deviations which if practicable, it would be less injurious to the Hospitals’ property to make, & marking such hedges as must be removed. & situations where others must be made, to put the Fields to be intersected, into convenient Farms.  On this subject I must have a conference with the Directors, or their Agents.   Returned home to make up my calculations of the Land Ends Farms, pretty well done up, after twelve hours of constant riding & walking.  



I received today a Letter which I herewith transmit to the Board from Peacock, Errington & Hutchinson, whose resignation of their Leases has been refused on account of their having held them only from May 1833.  They state in that Letter what they have severally stated to myself, that Mr Hooper said they should not be bound to hold their Farms, if they found them too dear.  I have no evidence that Mr Hooper did make them such a promise,  but readily believe it, as Mr Hunt readily heard him use the like expressions, telling the Tenants that the Commissioners would never confine anyone who wished to quit his Farm. I feel confident that Mr Hooper would be actuated in the use of such Language by a spirit of justice & of kindness. But unfortunately, in total ignorance of the consequences that would inevitably result from such a practice.  It is difficult enough under the pressure of the times to keep some Tenants from taking undue advantage of their Land, under any circumstances, but if allowed to entertain the Idea that they were at all times at liberty to quit, everything would be sacrificed to present benefit, & nothing done with a view to the future.  Every adventurer might take a Farm for a year or two by way of experiment or for a temporary residence for his family & turn about, as soon as he had plundered it of anything good, or fancied that something better was within his reach.  I certainly would never consent to undertake the management of a Property upon such terms, & with such a fugitive & changing tenantry as would then be produced.   The three Petitioners in the present instance are respectable Men, & if they were induced to sign their Agreements by such a promise, which however made it of very little consequence whether they signed Agreements at all. It is for the Commissioners to decide whether they will be bound by it or not.   If released I doubt not that several others will make the like claim, & having so many Farms to let this year, perhaps I may be allowed to suggest the reasonableness of their continuing at least to see what another year will produce, with  an understanding that then, if times do not improve, their case will be considered, and in the interval, I must look sharply to their management.   Received an application from the Tenant of Whittle to be released from his Farm which I herewith send. 



[marginal pencil note regarding Grey’s suggestion of holding them to their leases for at least another year: ‘The Board having in other instances refused to accept the resignation of leases granted in 1833 cannot accede to their request and will not <….. …… to fix a period when it may be <……… to inter….> any future applications of the parties’]