Journal Entry – William Hooper – 9 May 1833

Thursday May 9th 1833



I was on this day visited by all the Lessees of Mines, each party going through the form of bringing a book to compare with the Account made out of the Ore raised by them. It is obvious to me that this farce of settling Lead-ore Accounts is of no use whatever, and only an apology for giving the Lessees a dinner, which on this occasion has cost the Hospital £15.0.0, I fear it will be scarcely prudent to do away with this dinner, tho’ it is a most unsatisfactory tax upon the Hospital.  I was very much tried to-day by the universal application for relief from the Lessees of Mines, and had to fight over all the arguments and difficulties which were stated to us in our visit in September last. – It is a heart-aching picture which the Manor of Alston exhibits, and the warm-hearted simple minded people seemed to implore me, as if by a magic wand I could remove all the evils under which they labour – the more I see of Alston, the higher do the people rise in my estimation; certainly their trials and difficulties are very great, and they have strong claims upon the Hospital, for every consistent indulgence; but as I endeavoured to explain to them, the present evil is quite beyond anything the Hospital can do, nor will any sacrifice promote good in the slightest degree commensurate to the inquiry such sacrifice would be to the charity of which the Commissioners are the Trustees and Guardians.