Journal entry – John Grey – 17 Sep 1833

Tuesday 17th September 1833



Corbridge Road

Mr Ruddock, Clerk to the Hexham Road Trust, having informed me, contrary to the information I had received, that the railing at the end of Corbridge Bridge which I complained of as being an insufficient fence, & have wished the trust to replace by a Wall, had been included in the 400 Rods of fence between Dilston and Corbridge, for which the Road Trustees has accounted to the Hospital.  I sent Mr Hunt to measure the whole, & finding Mr Ruddocks statement to be correct, it follows that the wall must be put up by the Hospital & not by the Trust.  Having some Stones which had been taken out of old works on the Tyne Banks, that are not now wanted, & that may be easily had for this purpose, if led before the Tenant sows the intervening field with Wheat, I think it advisable to have it done immediately, & have directed Mr Hunt to take offers for the work.   



Courts

Heard from Mr Fenwick respecting the most suitable time for holding the Courts at Wark and Haydon Bridge.  With the former I conclude we now have nothing to do.  I wrote to Mr Fenwick advising as to the latter.  I must however beg to have information from the Board, whether any and what portion of the rents due at May Day last, from the Property conveyed by them to the Duke of Northumberland [inserted here in the margin in pencil: ‘ask Bicknell this’], is to be received by the Hospital.  And if any is due, whether it is to be collected from the tenants individually, or received in one sum from the Dukes Agents.  Also with regard to the Fee Farm Rents in Wark Barony.  After fixing the days for receiving the Rents at the different places, I would propose, with the Boards approbation to put an advertizement into two of the Newcastle Papers that are in general circulation, stating the times and places when and where the Rents of the respective districts would be received, as it is difficult to get Letters conveyed to all the tenants, except by an especial messenger & great inconvenience has sometimes arisen to the Receivers, from the want of such an arrangement by very few tenants appearing at Haydon Bridge on the first day, & so many on the second, as to create confusion & render it difficult to get through.