Journal entry – John Grey – 12 Aug 1833

Monday 12th August 1833



Dilston Road to Snokoe Quarry

Had various letters to write & several matters to attend to in the Office.  Also a long conference with Mr Walker of the Railway Company, who stated that he had seen the contractors for the Bridges, in leading the Stones to which, the injury had been done to the roads in Dilston South Farm.   That they denied ever having complied with the terms, respecting the repair of the road, proposed by Mr Sample, that they had also left a quantity of Stones in the Quarry which stones the Hospital had got the benefit of & which had been led to make the Buildings at Dilston North Farm, after they had ceased to lead altogether, thereby doing equal injury to the road as they had done, and lastly, that having received payment from the railway Company, he had not the means of recovering it, the claim having been allowed to stand so long over.  I told him that I was aware Mr Sample had not made them sign an agreement as had been intended but I had witnesses to prove it, if necessary.  That the Contractors for the building were most likely to avail themselves of any stones they found won to their hands in the quarry, & which they were allowed to take with impunity,  but as to the Hospital deriving the benefit of them, it was absolutely false.  That the claim had been long unmade, was not my fault, as I had applied to him as soon as I was acquainted with the circumstances.  That it had been so much the worse for the tenant in the interval, for whose occupation of the Farm, this road was necessary.  That I must look to the Railway Company & not to their sub-contractors, for indemnity to the Tenants of the Hospital, which it was my duty to secure for them, and that as the Railway was likely to require similar accommodation in other parts of the Property, I much questioned the policy of his allowing this road to remain in such condition that the Tenant would not be able to lead his Corn from the high part of the Farm.  Our discussion ended by his undertaking to set to work immediately & have the road as far as the Quarry put into such condition as that I should be satisfied with it.  I afterwards rode over Snokoe hill to examine the road, which is exceedingly bad beyond the quarry, & as it is wanted for the conveyance of our Wood, as well as for the use of the farm, I think it would be advisable to spend a few pounds in repairing it.  I then proceeded to Dipton Plantation, to see if the passage out of it had been mended according to my directions and to examine some parts of it which I had not got through the other day, which are all equally full of Larch and Scots fir that ought to be cut.  I then returned by the Tyne Banks and spent the remainder of the day at the Wears.  Mr Hunt had gone to see the progress of the new roads at Whittonstall, the repairs of the Millers House at Newlands etc.