Monday 16th June
Was occupied all the day with business in the Office, examining various accounts for work in different parts of the property & preparing agreements etc. By the Moor Masters returns, it appears that the whole quantity of Ore raised in the Manor of Alston between Michaelmas 1832 & 1833, is as follows. Bouse Ore 12702 Bings 4Cwts. Cutting Ore 679 Bings 6 Cwts the Duty on which is 2197 Bings 1 10/21 Cwts of Bouse and 119 Bings 1 13/14 Cwts of Cutting Ore.
Tuesday 17th June
Went to Hexham - settled the Nursery mans Acct amounting to £57.8. for young Trees & Thorns used in planting during the last Season. Being Market day, saw several Tenants, who have generally some applications to make, but who are universally complaining of the Drought & bad prospect for a Crop, & stating the impossibility of holding their Farms at the present rents. I regret to learn that Mr Fenwick has found it necessary to resort to a sale of Robinson
Wednesday 18th June
I rode to Haydon Bridge - saw the building of a Cow House and Coach House in the Inn Yard. Got agreements executed by the Rev George Richmond for the fields called Priests Pasture, & by J. Corbet, Blacksmith for the House & Shop he occupies. Proceeded to the Works in Langley Barony & was caught in a heavy rain, my only regret about which was, that so little of it came Eastward to Dilston.
Thursday 19th June
Wrote to Mr Lethbridge, enclosing Letters from Messrs Fenwick & Bainbridge, accepting their appointments as Court Keepers & Solicitors in their respective districts. Also sending for the Commissioners’ Signature, the Agreements for the Blacksmith’s premises at West Boat & Haydon Bridge & Mr Richmonds, for Fields at the latter. No Lease or written Agreement of any kind was ever made, I believe for the Inn at Haydon Bridge, entered to in May 1833 by Ma
Friday 20th June 1834
The subscription for building a School House & Dwelling House for the Teacher, in the Township of Lipwood, for which the Board granted a site & Wood for the Building, not having been found sufficient, application was made by a neighbouring Clergyman, to the national School society for aid. Their committee have subscribed £30 which will fully answer the purpose, but one of the conditions which must be completed with before the money can be had, is, that a con
Saturday 21st June
Paid the second Instalment of £200 to the Contractors for the new House, due upon the joists of the second Story being laid. Wrote to the Agent of the Railway Company, requesting a settlement of the claims due to the Dilston Tenants & allowed to them on the last rent day. I find this Company very dilatory in their transactions & troublesome to deal with. Informed Mr Beaumont’s Agent of the Boards decision respecting the letting of Blagill Mills. Rode t
Monday 23rd June
Having settled some matters in the Office & sent Mr Hunt to look after draining & the state of Tillage in the Coastley district, & having no particular engagement, I took an excursion through the Woods on Snokoe & Dipton Fells & those of Dilston Park, observing such as is sold & being cleared away, such as is in want of thinning, the state of the fences etc. There is always something to be looked after in this department,& commonly a good deal
Tuesday 24th June 1834
Rode to Throckley, where I found for the first time the Lessee of the extensive Quarry there, to whom I had written without effect, demanding payment of the Rent, & also an account of the number of Blocking Men employed by him, that I might know whether or not it agreed with the account which Mr Stephenson, our tenant at Throckley, was so good as to keep for me. He owned that this year he had employed a greater number than formerly, but complained, that he had l
Wednesday 25th June
Went over the Draft Lease for Farms, as directed to be adopted, with Mr Fenwick, who has undertaken to have copies printed upon plain paper, attending to the prints himself, to see that sufficient blanks are left in the proper places. These Copies of each Lease will serve as records & for reference in the Office here, & generally will satisfy the Tenants, they holding them for the same purpose. While it will be necessary to have one Copy on Stamp duty executed
T?hursday 26th June 1834
Had a meeting with one of the Rail way Agents respecting the claims of the Dilston Tenants, the amount of which is promised to be remitted in a few days. Went along the line towards Hexham to see the point at which they could be allowed to break into the bank for gravel, with the least injury. The Sheriffs Officer arrived & I sent some people with him to turn old Hind & his effects out of the House and let Teasdales family into it, who have lived since M
Friday 27th
I rode as far as Wark for the first time, saw the work which had been done under Mr Storey’s obliging direction, to secure the foundation of the Pound fold wall which had been undermined by the adjoining Brook, & the wall itself rebuilt. Called upon the Rev Mr Baggs to inquire into the nature of a complaint he had made to me by Letter respecting an encroachment he imagined had been made by persons using a part of the field.
Monday 30th June 1834
Being Quarter day, inclosed the several claimants Cheques for their Salaries & Pensions. A discovery was made some days ago that about 28 outside Deals which had been sawn from the Trees cut in Whittle Dean for flooring in the Public House at Throckley, had been stolen. There seemed some reason to suspect a Person call Bell at Ovington, & I even heard that they would be found in a certain out House belonging to him. I sent Mr Parkin early on Friday
Tuesday 1st July
Received a Memorial from Westgarth Forster, Author of a Treatise on Mining which I have heard is a useful Work, but proved an unprofitable one to him. I was introduced to the author at Alston, whose appearance indicates poverty. I forward the Petition to the Board.
[marginal pencil note:] I think the Hosp.l subscribed for several copies, which were doubtless charged in the Receiver’s account so can give no pension and I doubt whether we can give any sub
Wednesday 2nd July
Rode first to Whitechapel, three miles, Westward from Haydon Bridge, where the new farm House is roofed & will be soon fit to occupy. This is a substantial Job, of which all the work is well done, & does Howden credit. He is now going on with the Stables. Then to Lipwood & West Millhills, both occupied by good Tenants, & for this Country, well cultivated - but both, I regret to say, proposing to apply to be released, on account of the high Rents
Thursday 3rd July 1834
Received from the Railway Co. £63.6.6 being the amount of compensation for damage done to the Lands in Dilston due abt Mart[inma]s last. Received also the Moormasters Accounts & a Statement from the Clerk of the Deliveries of the Ore weighed over in the Quarter ending on the 31st Ultimo amounting to 294 Bings & 2 Cwts. The Duty received being 473 Bings & 18 Cwts which I am glad to say exceeds the quantity received in the corresponding Quarter of
Friday 4th July
I was called upon this morning by the Schoolmaster of Whittonstall for the half years subscription to the School there. The Subscription to this School by the Hospital is £15 a year, whereas to that of Deanraw & others it is £10. I am not acquainted with any particular claim which Whittonstall has to such preference, and having lately given a subscription of £35 to rebuild the School House, I shd think an annual subscription of £10 sufficient for a Teacher of