Letter – Nicholas Walton to Peter Mulcaster – 22 Jul 1785

Messrs. Mulcaster						Farnacres 22nd. July 1785



      The business as to the Plumber seems a very extraordinary one to us and we cannot help thinking the Man has an intention of cheating us but he shall not. The usual way when the Plumber employed has Lead delivered to him is that for every Fodder of Lead the Plumber delivers back One Ton of Lead and keeps the One Cwt. or what ever it may be after waste as his own property for the doing of this the allowance is 40s. for Casting for the Ton and what he can make of the Refuse or Ashes & Scummimgs of the latter of which must have been very Copious by John Bell, which is vastly short of the exorbitant expectations of Bell. Under the circumstances of this matter we are of Opinion it ought to be settled as follows.



Due to John Bell Plumber

For Casting 37 cwt. 1 qtr. of Sheet Lead at 40s pr. Ton 	     £3. 14. 6

For the Value of the produce from Lead Ashes & Scummings 

   Weight … 1. 3. 13 at £16 per Fodder for the Lead 

								£



      Before the above can be settled it will be necessary to weigh the whole of the Ashes and Scummings left by Bell and then reduce them to Lead and say .. If the whole Weight of Ashes and Scummings produced Cwt. Qtrs. lbs. what will 1Cwt. 3 Qtrs. 13 lbs. give of the whole produce and the proportion for 1Cwt. 3Qtrs. 13lbs. being this settled that Quantity only must be reckoned at £16 per Fodder to be added to the Allowance of 40s. per Ton for Casting.  In this way you will observe we give Bell an advantage for we do not suppose the Ashes and Scummings will Weigh 5Cwt. 2Qtrs. 13lbs. but we allow a full One and Twentieth part as the proportion for Ashes & Scummings as Wast for the 37Cwt. 1Qtr. for to produce 37Cwt. 1Qtr. it would be Necessary to deliver the Plumber 39. 0. 13 a One and Twentieth of which for Ashes and Scummings is 1. 3. 13 or thereabout the best way for the present will be to tell the Plumber that we will only allow 2s. per Cwt for Casting and that we will make him a proper Allowance for the Waste Lead and Ashes & pray get this Reduced to Lead as soon as you can. As to laying the Lead he must be paid for that as a Plumber. 

      Glad you are got so well on & are 

      Your Hble Servants.

      Walton & Turner