Journal entry – John Grey – 26 Mar 1834

Wednesday 26th March



Mr Coulson the Tenant of Coastley came to the Office and paid £50, enquiring if the Board had not signified any intention of striking off some part of the Arrears which had been accumulated upon a farm so decidedly over rented.  I told him that I had no orders on the subject, but hoped he would find means of reducing the amount before entering upon a new Lease.  There is no doubt that he took the farm at a rent which it was not possible to make of it.  He spoke of sending a Memorial on the subject to the Board.  The Estimates for the House at Dilston upon a reduced Plan were received today & opened by me in the presence of Mr Green who had come up from Newcastle for the purpose.  That of Ritson & Green amounting to £1733.16.3 being the lowest, I recommended to the Board, forwarding Mr Green Plan for their inspection and approbation. I accompanied Mr Green to the Site of the House, & had it staked out according to the proposed Plan, that no time might be in future lost, in case of its being adopted by the Board. I afterwards went over the farm of Dilston Hall to see what draining and repair of fences should be done for Mr Leadbitter, the entering Tenant, who is rather an exacting person and not easily satisfied.  Old Hind the occupier of the public house which I had consented to allow to stand for another year for the accommodations of poor Teasdale, told me that he would not remove at May day because he entered in November & had held from year to year.  He admits that Mr Hunt served him with Notice to quit previous to 11th November, but he cannot be required to obey it.  I trust he may be induced to change his opinion & save me the trouble of forcing him out.