Journal entry – John Grey – 11 Jun 1833

Tuesday 11th June

	In the morning I was occupied in the office & Afterwards rode to Hexham to pay money into the Bank, & proceeded to Coastly, where I had engaged to meet Mr Hunt to examine the draining that is going on there, that I might explain to him the manner in which he must insist on having the work done, & also that I might enjoin the tenant to measure the depth of the drains from day to day, when Mr Hunt is absent, & render to him the account, that he may be able to exercise a due control over the workmen, & prevent the imposition which there is reason to fear has been too often practised in this department. Here is a new Machine – built by Stokoe, having a large & excellent Water-Wheel, but which, together with the troughs conveying the water, have been left without pitch to preserve them.

      The practice of supplying the tenants with thrashing machines, gives encouragement to their carelessness & to the Millwrights extravagance. Mr Coulson has occupied this farm only three years & seems anxious to improve its condition & to do well – but I fear he has embarked too largely for his capital – his horses are not good – he has hardly any sheep, & to be solely dependent upon corn in such a season, is ruinous. This farm, in common with most in the district, strongly indicates by the appearance of the crop, the want of vigour & state of exhaustion which are produced by too frequent a repetition of corn, without the renovation of intermediate pasture & ought to be managed in the five course rotation instead of the four, i.e. ought when sown off, to remain two years in grass, instead of one. My further progress was impeded by rain & Mr Hunt & I returned six miles to Corbridge in the heaviest fall I ever experienced.

	Mr Hooper would inform the Board of the application of the Tenants of Throckley Colliery for permission to work for coal within the Duke of Northumberlands boundary, altho’ in the manor of the Hospital. In consequence of that application, I wrote to Mr Taylor & Co as viewer to His Grace, a respectable man, whose report I could rely upon for information on the subject. His answer received today confirms the opinion I had already been led to entertain & holds out little hope of success. The tenants are men of little or no capital, who hold a farm which is ill managed, & which they w[oul]d be better employed in cultivating than in trying experiments upon a bad coal. Should they be allowed to make the a winning in the Duke’s property & fail in the attempt, it is almost certain that the Hospital would be saddled with the damages consequent upon their experiment. And should they even succeed, all that is to be gained, is the chance of their being able to pay a rent of 40£ a year, which tho’ stipulated for, I believe they have never paid hitherto – I shall have the honour to enclose Mr Taylor’s letter & plan, & to await the decision of the Board upon the subject.