Journal entry – John Grey – 9 Aug 1833

Friday 9th August 1833



In consequence of a message I left at Throckley Colliery a few days ago, when I did not find the Lessees at home, they waited upon me this morning, and after some conversation and explanations, signified the willingness to agree to the proposal I made to them, viz to pay the rent of £40 a year for the Colliery from the commencement of their term (the three past years of which have been spent in unsuccessful attempts without any rent being paid) on condition of their being allowed three years from last May, to make up their short workings, and if by the end of that time, they should have sold more than 2000 Fothers for each year, then to pay the tentale Rent as stipulated in their agreement.  Should the present winning enable them to do this, which I hope there is a good prospect of, the Hospital will recover the rents of the three bygone years, which otherwise must have been abandoned.  I have not been able to find any agreement this Colliery in the Office, or any thing to guide me except Mr Fenwicks Report & recommendation which I understand was acted upon.  Should any Lease be in the hands of the Commissioners it might be well to have an endorsement put upon it to the above effect.



Dipton Plantation

I then went and passed some time among the labourers at the embankment in Widehaugh & afterwards proceeded over Dipton Fell  to examine the road in the plantation by which the Wood & Bark are brought out, complaint having been made to me by Carr & Co, purchasers of a large lot of Wood there in May last, that they could not get it out, & that a promise had been made to them at the time of purchase that the road should be improved.  I found some parts of the road exceedingly deep, & four horses with great difficulty bringing out the load of two, & in danger of sticking fast & overturning.  I therefore thought it necessary to direct the Woodman to cover the worst places over with branches and turf, the only materials to be had, to serve the present purpose.  The purchaser complains much of the dear Bargain he has got, chiefly from the expense of conveying the wood from so high a plantation over such bad roads.  I traversed this extensive plantation of 560 Acres, in different directions & found it to contain a large quantity of Larch & Scotch Fir that has attained its full growth, and should be disposed of as fast as a market can be had for it.  But from the great quantities of wood to be sold on all hands & the large tracts of young Wood coming up in districts nearer to the Mines than this, I am fully convinced, that to dispose of its Wood in due time, the Hospital must submit to a reduction of price, especially in situations so difficult of access as this.  Had it been possible to erect a small Saw Mill, to be worked from the water wheel of the Corn Mill at Dilston, it would have been much in favor of selling the larger Wood on this part of the property, but in the present arrangement of the Building that is impracticable.