Journal Entry – William Hooper – 16 Apr 1833

Tuesday April 16th 1833



About two years since Mr Nairne made application to the Receivers to win stones at Spindleston, with a view of exporting them to London, upon the understanding that if it succeeded they were to apply for a Lease, and pay a rent of £25 a year: but after shipping about 1500 tons of stones it proved a failure, and the working the Quarry has been abandoned.  In carrying on these operations however some damage has been done to the Tenant of Spindleston, besides the loss of land taken to form a Road from the Quarry to the Shipping-place, and for these damages Mr Davison had received no compensation.  For the settlement of this question I this morning rode to the spot, and there met Mr Nairne and Mr Davison, heard both sides of the question, and having to deal with tractable men, the matter was soon settled.  Each was to name his Man to assess the amount of damage and loss of land up to this time, which Mr Nairne agreed to pay, as well as an annual allowance for the residue of Davison’s Lease for the road taken from his grounds – the present edge of the Quarry is to be fenced off by Mr Nairne, and no more stones to be worked without further application to the Hospital.  The present bold feature of these rocks is a beautiful character in the Estate, and unless some positive pecuniary benefit is to be derived from working, I should be slow in sanctioning their further disfigurement.



After inspecting Chesterhill Farm, I proceeded to Belford, where I found a letter from Mr Pringle deferring the payment of his rent until his dispute with Major Johnson was settled – I was prepared for this, from hints which had before dropped from him, and under all circumstances I deem it best to take his excuse quietly.  I had the satisfaction of collecting all the other rents, and on Major Johnson coming to me I told him that I had attentively reconsidered all the matters pending between him and the Hospital, and felt satisfied that the proposal I had made was as liberal as I could be justified in acceding to – that the Board having given me a discretionary power to settle all outstanding claims, I would, in the event of his paying up all I claimed, at once allow him for the Buildings and the increased weight of rails, but that if he did not, I should certainly feel it my duty to pursue the claim I had made, and leave him to seek from the Board the consideration of his claims.  He said I was taking advantage of his situation, but after a little discussion, he very properly retracted this, and then, having paid me the Arrears, the Annuity, and the half year’s rent, I gave him a receipt for the £433.16.0, on his giving me a receipt for £428.0.0, - £250 being for the buildings, and £178 for the heavier Rails – waiving the Hospital’s claim to the balance of £5.16.0.  I cannot but congratulate myself on having so satisfactorily brought this matter to a conclusion, establishing as it does the continued payment of the annuity of £255 a year from the residue of the Lease.



We sat down sixteen to the Rent-dinner, and tho’ my sad state of health rendered it difficult for me to keep my chair, I enjoyed the contemplation of such a respectable assemblage of tenants, so superior to the general body occupying the other parts of the property.



On Wednesday I returned to Newcastle, and in the evening settled several small accounts with Mr Rewcastle & Mr Martin.