Journal entry – John Grey – 18 Jan 1834

Friday 18th January 



Had interviews with several of the successful and unsuccessful candidates for farms, which it is unnecessary here to detail.  Rode up to Fourstones to look at the situation of a piece of rock for which application has been made for the purpose of quarrying into blocks for the rail way.  It is very near the road & the working of it would be attended with little damage, should the Stone prove of a suitable quality of which I shall have to report hereafter.  I then proceeded to Heslops Farm to look at the success of the drains I had marked out in the grass field which I wished him to improve & found them very well done - nearly completed & likely to do great good. I saw then too Thos Gray, who is a brother in law to the Heslops & first of the list of tenants for Bagraw.  The Heslops are amongst our best farmers & I trust Gray will follow their example.  They had been altogether at the valuation of Bagraw & highly approved of the course of management I had prescribed.  I then went to Allerwash to see the tenant about the repair of some ruinous stone fences & to get him to lead Stones & lime to build an abutment to the end of the Stable & Cottages at the Mill to preserve them from falling.  The premises will only come into his possession at May Day next, but in the meantime there is danger of their falling, & the present tenant will do nothing for them.  I next went to West Allerwash to see the new pump, with which the old & respectable tenant Mr Watson is much pleased & examined with his Son some draining & attempts to restore old fences, some of which however I see must be renewed. 



Reached home in the evening, drenched with rain, of which the most extraordinary quantity has lately fallen, ever remembered. I obtained a settlement this evening with Green & Rewcastle for the building at Whittle. I found some of their charges so much above the prices usual in the Country & also above those which Mr Howdon had most frankly agreed to accept for the Buildings at Haydon Town, Lipwell Wood, Deanraw etc which he had done during the last year & the previous one, though upon estimates calculate at higher prices, that I determined not to pay them, but to have it settled by reference -  but they however held the order from the late Receivers to execute the work according to their estimates and Rewcastle seemed inclined to hold out obstinately I decided to allow the charge for the farmhouse to continue according to their estimate & account.  But as I had thought it adviseable to alter the management at first fixed upon for the Offices, that I might obtain better Cattle Sheds, by which the original Plan & estimate had been departed from, I proposed to him to reduce the walling from 2/. to 1/6d & other things in like manner; in which case I should lay the account; but otherwise it should be left to reference.  This he agreed to, & Benson has made out the account accordingly, which I have paid, trusting it may be the last in which the prices exacted from the Hospital are greater than those usual in the country.   They have also presented an account of £19 for making surveys & estimates for buildings, part of which have not been executed.  By the Acct herewith sent, it will be seen that Mr Hooper required an order from the former Receivers to be produced before he would admit the claim.  They have now obtained Messrs Wailes & Brandlings signature to it, & demand payment.  Where they had the benefit of erecting buildings, as at Whittle they could not certainly look for being paid for the Estimate, but in other cases they may have a claim.  I shall however await the Boards orders respecting it.