Journal entry – John Grey – 20 Feb 1834

Thursday 20th February



I forwarded to the Board this morning, an answer to their enquiries respecting the Inspector of Woods - Mines etc also several Agreements for Leases, executed by the respective Tenants.  Among them, it will be seen, that I have thought it best to hold Andw Thorburn as Tenant of Gairshield, at Will, so that his being allowed to continue or not, may be made to depend upon his own conduct. That the Term of Thornbrough Highbarns is to be 14 years, that it may determine at the same time with Thornbro’ Town Farm, also held by Mr Scott, for if they should then go again into separate hands, a better line of boundary may be made than at present.  In all the farms that have been let this season, I have been able to effect a transfer of the Threshing Machines from the Hospital to the entering tenants, except in that of Coastley, in which the Water Wheel & Axle are excepted.  It is not likely that any expense will be incurred on account of that Wheel for a long time, as it is strong & new, but if that even should be the case, it is upon a Scale so far beyond what any tenant would have put up on his own Account & so very costly, that I fear the Hospital must continue to pay the penalty of maintaining it, for the indiscretion of having erected it.  Threshing Machines are but a substitute for labor, which it is the Tenants business to supply, & I am glad that the principle has been established & will now be understood as one to be acted upon throughout the Hospitals Estates, that they are to belong to the Tenants.  We shall hear no more of a half years rent being expended upon the mere Machine independent of building, & even more than that, for I see that the Machine at Dilston north Farm cost altogether £540.11.0 the rent of which is £750, & that too high.   I rode today over the Farms at Fairle - High Field & Greymare Hill, to examine the condition of some Plantations in that part, & to attend to the setting out of some draining which is wanted.  I am anxious to do this myself, as much as possible, as it is my great object to procure the greatest benefit at the least expense, & when left entirely to the Tenants, I find that they do not always go the right way to work.  Mr Hunt is engaged for 3 or 4 days at present in attending to the new fences etc, in Langley Barony.