Journal entry – John Grey – 29 Aug 1833

Thursday 29th August 1833



Engaged for some hours in writing Letters & with business in the Office.  I then proceeded to the Workmen on the Tyne banks when a heavy rain coming on, I thought it advisable to return home having been very unwell in the night & unfit for exposure or exertion.   Having some time on my hands, I may as well avail myself of the present opportunity to draw the attention of the Commissioners to a subject which I approach with the greater diffidence, as it is in some measure one of a personal nature, at the same time that the interests of the Hospital as far as regards the convenience and respectibility of the Receiver’s situation are connected with it.  I refer to the Receiver’s permanent residence.  The impossibility of finding a house suitable for purpose, within any convenient distance of Hexham, is too well known to Mr Hooper, (whose most anxious endeavours to find one proved fruitless) to require observation.   And now that I have passed three months here, looking in every direction & reckoning upon every chance of a vacancy I am not a whit nearer the mark than at first; nor do I see a single house of any description likely to be had, save the one in which I now live.  I have no fault to find with the situation of Corbridge.  It is centric all for the Estate, convenient for the Post and for Coaches - & the Offices are good - but the dwelling house stands in the midst of old buildings, with the threshing Machine of an adjoining occupier almost touching one end of it, annoying by its noise and filthy from the dust it creates without any land attached to it, and so small & incommodious that while I am living here, my family are left at the other end of the County.  To remain here for any length of time is out of the question,  nor can I see any mode of carrying the Boards intention of having a permanent residence for their Receiver in the heart of the Hospital’s Estates, into effect, in a way convenient & creditable for him & respectable for the establishment, but by building a House for the purpose to comprise the necessary Offices under the same Roof, I am aware that the adoption of this plan may subject me to a higher rent than an adequate rent might cost, could such an [sic] one be found in a convenient situation, but considering that there seems hitherto no alternative, and that it would fix the Receiver’s residence in all time coming, upon a much more respectable & independent footing, than the uncertain reputation of a hired house, taking into account also that I being bound to all repairs, the house could not be deteriorated in the few years that I should be likely to occupy it, while the Garden and appurtenances would be more perfect at the end than the beginning, I would hope it should not be deemed necessary to impose a heavy per Centage upon the outlay.  This however is a matter for the Commissioners to decide, altho’ it is also of importance that I should consider it, in proposing such a Plan.   On the supposition that this scheme should be approved and adopted, the next thing to be taken into consideration is the most eligible situation.  And here it cannot be too much regretted, that so many fine materials had been removed from Dilston to build houses in Corbridge and elsewhere, that might, if left have been turned to such good account.  But notwithstanding this, there is no situation where building can be more cheaply done than at Dilston, from the nearness to stone, and none that offers so many attractions and conveniences.   It is most centrical all for the Estates - the most easy of access by the passing of the Mail & all the Coaches along Dilston Bridge, & there are three grass fields, not under Lease or attached to any farm, now occupied by old Shipley and the Landlord of the Public house which is likely to be unmoved, that would form a most convenient appendage to the House, & would in fact be necessary for its occupation.  If in addition to this, Shipley’s house could be had for the Clerk’s residence, I cannot conceive a more complete and commodious arrangement of the whole establishment.  It is not for me to say, if any, & what impediments stand in the way of such a plan - nor shall I farther obtrude my views and wishes upon the Commissioners, than to beg to refer them to Mr Hooper who knows the difficulty we incountered in obtaining a house of any kind (I say we because he took as great an interest in it as I could do) and the privations & inconvenience to which I am in the mean time subjected.  I may just mention, as my apology for troubling the Commissioners on the subject at this time, that should the proposed plan be carried into effect it will be necessary to give notice to the parties to quit the occupation of the land, & also to prepare a plan and materials for making as early a beginning to build, as the season will admit of.  In the meantime, I should be obliged to remain in this miserable habitation.