Journal entry – John Grey – 21 Jun 1834

Saturday 21st June



Paid the second Instalment of £200 to the Contractors for the new House, due upon the joists of the second Story being laid.  Wrote to the Agent of the Railway Company, requesting a settlement of the claims due to the Dilston Tenants & allowed to them on the last rent day.  I find this Company very dilatory in their transactions & troublesome to deal with.  Informed Mr Beaumont’s Agent of the Boards decision respecting the letting of Blagill Mills.   Rode to Whittle to see the effect of boring for Water, & found to my great disappointment, the quantity obtained is not sufficient to make it worthwhile to incur a greater expense in procuring it.  A permanent supply would have been of great advantage, but this is not enough to reckon upon in droughty seasons, & in wet ones, it is not wanted.  The Miller of Dilston having disposed by Auction of all his Stock in Trade & furniture, on his own Account, after the Rent due to the Hospital up to May Day, had been satisfied, proceeded to advertize the Public Sale of his Meadow, this evening I sent to him to know what was his object in such strange proceeding. Advising that as he had become answerable for another years occupation, having held over the May Day, he had better try to find a sub tenant for the Mill till May day next, or authorise my doing so, leaving the Crop upon the Land to make up any deficiency of Rent that might cause. That in either case I felt certain of obtaining the sanction of the Board. His answer to this is equally absurd as his other proceedings. He said he had lost money & would not give up the premises without compensation.  That he would sell the growing produce of the Land, lock up the Doors & hold possession till he received it, & I might come by this years Rent as I could. I told him that to ask for compensation where he was injuring the property & contemplating a robbery of the Hospital, was the most extraordinary demand I had ever heard.  I could however make no impression upon him. I sent Mr Hunt with a Notice in writing to the Auctioneer, that the Hay would not be allowed to be taken off the premises, with directions for him to make the announcement, if the Auctioneer declined doing so, which was the case. In consequence of this no one would purchase it, although Rochester gave them many assurances of indemnity. What he will next attempt, it is impossible to devise.  And as his Rent is now paid up to May day last, if he will not come to terms & relinquish his Agreement, I fear no proceedings can be taken against him till another rent becomes due, & by that time he may have his Crop disposed of & nothing may be left to levy upon. It is generally said that he & his Wife have some property, & if so, he is certainly a fit subject to make an example of. By leaving the House & still holding possession, he will subject himself, according to the terms of his Agreement, to a penalty of £100 for non residence, which he is probably not taking into account.  I shall however lay the Agreement & Case before Mr Fenwick in a day or two, & get his opinion to the best course to pursue. [Marginal pencil note: ‘right’]