Letter – Diana Beaumont to John Erasmus Blackett – 21 Nov 1803

J. E. Blackett Esq. Newcastle upon Tyne			Bretton  Nov[embe]r 21st 1803



Dear Sir

      It gives us much concern to hear of the Indisposition of Sir Edward Blackett, I have by this Post wrote to Mrs Blackett to beg she will have the goodness to let me know how he is; - I am very glad to find the account of the Fever was so much exaggerated, such a report was very mischievous – 

      we have not heard from Mr Davison since we came here, therefore conclude that the Business with Sir Wm Loraines House is arranged, Col. Beaumont & I did not properly understand Mr Bowns Meaning when we objected to the part of his Letter to you w[hic]h named your Drawing upon Messrs Davison & Co from time to time by Bills at one Month’s date, he was with us Yesterday and explain’d it to us, & we see the propriety of it, & advantage to us when it can be done, as by that means we gain a Months  interest, & Bills on London at a Month’s date is often a great convenience, & may be consider’d as ready Money, & when our finances are in such a State to allow of our paying ready Money for Gunpowder etc they will be glad to deduct 5 per ct. & take the Bill on London at a Month; Mr Davison has I know been of great service to Sir Wm Loraines House, when the Stopping of Burdons Bank took place, & a Run on other Banks apprehended, Davison went instantly to Mr Baker, & offer’d him 10,000£, to send down directly, Mr Baker accepted 5,000£ & took it himself to Newcastle, & when they found they did not want it, & return’d it, he would not suffer them to make him any recompense, we had this from Mr Baker, & also from Mr Davison, you will if you please not name it to anyone; -

      we have not rec’d the Valuation of the Wood on Mr Hunters Estate at Steel Hall, w[hic]h we shall be glad to have, Mr Bowns has the Valuation of the Land, w[hic]h we sent him from London, I have the Old Valuation they gave us in 1800, & in that the Rental was taken at 264£ per Ann: tho’ at that time it was only Let at 131£ per Ann: & the Wood valued at 1916..10s..0 , since which time it has been much weeded, whatever the Land & Wood is now Valued at we conclude we are obliged to Purchase, as we acceded to Mr Hunters proposal, of his naming one Person, & ourselves and thee; it appears to us 28 years Purchase is very high to rate Land at, at this time, & the Annual Value they state at 216£ - but as Mr Wm Bates on our part has agreed, we can have no recourse I fear, he must as well as Mr Donkin have taken it into consideration that the Estate was of consequence to us, which was not right to do so; it would have been better if we had not acted so kindly to Mr Hunter in excusing him Interest on the 900£ for so many Years previous to 1800, w[hic]h we did under the Idea that he would offer us his Estate at a fair price, & give us Security for the 900£ from that time; we will thank you to let T. Crawhall make out for us the Year the Debt commenced, & we shall then see what Sum we gave him; - the late Mr Heron’s Negligence has I fear occasion’d many losses to my late Father & ourselves, & if we find his Son continues to do the same, he will oblige us to make a change when our Scandalous suit with the Bishop is concluded; if you think it could be of any use for T. Crawhall to write at our desire to any of the Partners & send them a Copy of the Paper we shall be glad to have it done, perhaps it may be worth making the trial what a civil application from ourselves may produce; I am afraid our Account with Mr Newtons (the Architect) Family has never been settled, all those little things are better to be soon settled, or they are forgot; I wrote to Mr Thomas to get an Account of the transaction with Mr Errington from Mr Ball & have it settled; we are getting in all our small debts in this County, & shall be glad to do the same in Northumberland; has Mrs Foster paid the sum that remain’d for Interest on her Bond? when she paid the principal I recollect there was something remain’d unpaid, w[hic]h should be got, could we not give her Son an order on his Mother for part of his Salary? Excuse my naming these things, but it would be better for all these trifles to be applied for & settled, w[hic]h can easily be done by T. Crawhall; - I am sorry you have not had any application yet for Lead, when you do make a Sale, we hope it will be at a Good price, I think the Lead buyers imagine we shall be obliged to Sell, they depend on our necessities this Year bringing us to lower our price, but they will find themselves mistaken; I enclose you a Copy of a Letter from Mr Burdon, they don’t appear to consider the inconvenience they occasion their Friends & Creditors; - I am afraid it will be troublesome to you reading so long a Letter, it is rarely my little Girl gives me half an Hour of leisure, that I have now taken advantage of it – 

our best Comp[limen]ts attend you & Mrs Collingwood –

      I am Dear Sir very Sincerely Yours D Beaumont