Journal entry – John Grey – 5 Mar 1834

Wednesday 5th March



Rode to Throckley to see how the unsightly Pit heaps had been planted.  I have hopes that the Trees will succeed, which will be a great improvement to the appearance of the farm & neighbourhood & convert Ground which was before pernicious to the Wool, to a useful purpose.   Mr Stephenson has kindly sent Carts to lead good soil to be put into the Pits along with the Trees, on such parts of the heaps as consisted only of Coal refuse.  I found it necessary to order some more Trees for planting up parts of the Woodland here, in which those planted some years ago had entirely failed, in consequence I suspect, of their having been negligently done & allowed to be grown over & choked by rubbish.  The other plantations are in a thriving condition.  I sent the Hedger whom I lately engaged, to stay for a few days with Mr Stephenson & show a specimen on that part of the property, of the proper mode of cutting Hedges, so as to make them strong & efficient fences, instead of destroying them, according to the barbarous custom of this part.  I was glad to find Mr Stephenson quite a convert to the Plan & imitating it very successfully, making very laudable exertions to improve & restore the condition of his fences.  This is encouraging & if the example should be followed generally, I shall have cause to think the expense of having the Hedger well repaid.  But I must admit, that few of our tenantry have the knowledge & liberality of Mr Stephenson.  I found the Colliery in a better state than when I last visited it, the Water having been got under & the work proceeding. My attention was called by Bones, who occupies the Public House by the side of the Turnpike road to the state of the toofall at the back of it, and estimate for the repair of which, he says, was made out, & promised to be done by the late Receivers.  The roof of this appendage to the House, which contains, the Beer Cellar, Kitchen, Milk House etc is of Pantiles which are very bad, & of too low a pitch for the kind of roof, even if they were good.  The rain has continued coming through, till the Wood has been rotted & the place become neither safe nor habitable.  I shall get Benson to examine it & give me an Estimate of the cost of repairing it.  On asking Bones if he would give us any more rent if it were done, he answered, by showing me a good brew house which he had built solely at his own cost.  I imagine the house ought to be put into repair, & then he should be bound to keep & leave it so.