Journal entry – John Grey – 3 Jul 1833

Wednesday 3rd July 1833

      Engaged most of this day in writing & attending to business in the Office, also having several confrences with tenants on their way to Stagshaw fair, some urging their claims for certain repairs of their farm buildings respecting which I had no instructions, and others stating the necessity they would be under if they could not obtain abatement, of giving up their farms – I wrote to Mr Mitchell of Otterburn requiring immediate payment of £112.5.10 due by him as arrear of Rent at Highgreen Colliery and desired Mr Dickinson to make a list of several small sums still due on the Manor of Wark, as the parties may be met with at the Fair, close by, tomorrow, where I understand the whole population of the district assembles – In the list of those arrears, I observe Matthew Bell Esq M,P, for two years Shooting, £50 – Should it be applied for by me or will Mr Hooper obtain it in London?

      Mr Sample made a demand upon me to day for half a years Rent due at Martinmas last, to Sir Edward Blackett for part of Corbridge Town Farm purchased by him, & for which £75 a year was to be allowed by the Hospital until he took possession which it seems he did at May last – If this transaction is correctly reported to me, Sir Edward will have a claim of £75 from the Hospital – viz £37.10.0 due in November last, & £37.10.0 due on the 12th May – I then went to Green the Tenant, & found that he has given up to Sir Edward Blackett the fields in question at May day last, & that they have been let by him to another person who now occupies them – Whether Green was authorized in doing so or not, I cannot tell, but I much fear that he will not be able to hold the remainder of the farm, paying for it £206, which he ought to do to make up the original rent of £281 – I looked over Greens farm and buildings – the whole of which I found in good order, except his dwelling house, in which the timber of the roof is giving way under the ponderous grey Slates, and the Ceilings & floors rotting & in holes in consequence – Green promises to pay up his Arrear of Rent £60.10.0 in a few weeks.

      I took the opportunity of enquiring of Mr Sample, respecting the road injured by the Railway Company in Dilston South Farm, & find that the Bridge Contractor was expected to pay towards its repair, in proportion to the quantity of Stones led, to be ascertained by measurement of the Bridge – nothing has been demanded yet, but I hope it may still be recovered. I also asked him, (as he must know) his opinion of old Teasdale, tenant of the Hall Farm, as it seemed to me, that it was impossible for him, from any visible means, either to carry on the Farm, or discharge his arrears. His answer was that poor Teasdale was done before the last taking, & he never could understand how he came to be allowed to continue.