Journal Entry – William Hooper – 19 Feb 1833

Tuesday 19th February 1833



Wrote to Mr Spencer, in reply to a letter I received from him stating he could not come to terms with Mr Stott of Buteland Farm, that I could not interfere further than I had done, and I could only recommend his acceding to the proposal which Mr Stott made at my request.  Mr Spencer’s aim is to make the Hospital a party in the expense of satisfying Mr Stott for what Mr Spencer alone will reap benefit from.



Received a letter from Mr Weatherly stating that he had just been informed that there was to be a distinct Bailiff for the Northern District, and requesting to be retained on his present terms.  Informed him that I believed there was no such intention, and that I hoped to visit Belford in the second week of March, and would then finally arrange with him.



The Tenants of Haydon Town Farm came to me with the arrangements they had entered into, as to the away-going Crop, and the Land to be ploughed etc., and which upon examination I agreed to.



A Man of the name of Elliot applied to me for payment of a Bill for Work and Machinery at Dilston Mill, amounting to £21, done in 1831, for Geo Armstrong the deceased tenant.  He admitted that the whole was ordered by the Tenant, and that he looked to him for payment till he died, and that he knew the Works done for the Hospital were ordered by the Bailiff, but the Tenant expected to have had it allowed, and he considered he had a right to demand payment of the Hospital, as the work was in the Hospital Mill.  I told him that the Hospital had already suffered great loss on this tenancy, and I could on no account consent to pay any part of his Bill – He said such a thing had never been heard of, the Hospital had always paid such, and must do it; but he found me firm, and after being very abusive, he told me that he would remove the whole of it from the Mills.  Convinced that the Widow Armstrong would allow him to do so, and that the property of the Hospital would suffer serious injury, unless I took some active measure of precaution, I determined on immediately taking possession, and I dispatched Mr Rewcastle to do so, instructing him to give the Woman free passage for her little furniture, and ten pounds to carry her off, if she will at once leave the Premises, and enable me to make terms with the New Tenant – but the whole tenor of this transaction is a wretched specimen of the manner in which the Hospital is cheated.



If I had followed my own judgment a week ago, I should have gotten rid of the Woman upon easier terms.