Letter – Henry Richmond to Walter Blackett – 14 Jun 1770

A Mr. Monsr. Le Chevalier Blackett, Seigneur Anglois                     Newcas.   14th  June 1770

  chez Monsr. Oglevy - A Spa En Germanie - <  >  Ostende  



Honrd Sir      Your Letter from Antwerp gave me That Satisfaction which the Assurance of your Health must ever give me,

     Since my Letter, directed to Hope & Cos, Mr Ward has paid his Money, and I have made Dukesfield pay which came to near £5000 - but the Ferry is not yet paid for, as Mrs Jurin etc have not completed the Conveyance.  it will be done at the next Court at Hexham, and then I am to pay the Purchase Money.

     In my way from Dukesfield I called at Hexham, where I had the pleasure of seeing the Bridge made almost passable for Carriages and the Men at work with the Battlements.  Mr Heron has had an Inflammation in his other Eye, which he says has prevented him from proceeding against those that wont grind at the Mills, but he is now better and intends to proceed directly, especially as the Miller complains very much.  he says the Cause against the Hospital Tenants, for not doing <Suit> at the Courts, will not be tryed this year - Nor will there be any further Issue about Blanchland.    My Brother is proceeding against Mr White on the Assignment of Anthony Hunter’s bond, and expects it will be tryed this Assizes - and he is to call upon Mr Silvertop about laying his writings before Mr Fawcett.  As to the Wallington Tithe Cause, the Receivers of the Hospital have agreed that you may set up Bounder Stones where we say the fences formerly ran that divided the Titheable from the Untitheable ground,  & then they will examine their Witnesses and let us know whether they are right placed.  For since I told them that you would abide by the <antient>method of paying Tithes they have admitted that some parts of your Estate were Tithe free and that they only want to have them ascertained; which Mr Forster & Mr Sadler will get done.



The Stewards give a good Account of Allenheads & Coalcleugh both of the Ore that will be raised this year and the price of it. But in Weardale Wolfscleugh will be obliged to be laid in I think, and <Langlihead> is wrought to the Bounder End in the upper Sills and will not last above half a year in the great Limestone.  but the new Grove in Middlehope is promising & that is the principal thing in Weardale.        Mr Ridley desires his compliments to You; he is very well and says Sir Matthew is so, & that he expects him home soon.  he told me he had written you by Mr Bigge all the News he could think of before he left London - since I waited on him he has sent me the inclosed to be forwarded to you.    The Mayor proposes writing you soon upon Corporation matters  -  I do not hear of any Thing material; nor has there been since the Remonstrance was sent away, any further Stir about Grievances: the Party is seemingly at rest but probably Michaelmas will put them in motion again. & if they had, as they assert, a Majority in each of the Twenty three Companies which they say ordered their Stewards to sign the Remonstrance the Electors will probably be all of the party.     Lord Ravensworth is still in London, ill of the Gout, wch does not come to any Crisis.  Sir Edward Blackett  is not expected till after the Races  -  Nor do I find the Duke of Northumberland is to come sooner: when he arrives I shall remember your order about Lucker.    Our Merchants say there is no way of sending any thing from hence to Antwerp but by Holland where the Importation of Malt Liquor  is utterly prohibited. & as to any thing else I cannot think what would be acceptable more than Kitted Salmon or Char in the Season.    The Fire that was in Scremerston Colliery is extinguished and Mr Douglas & partners are still talking of giving up your Colliery.

      We have had so little dry Weather  that Coxlodge Water cannot be yet taken up pure enough to send to Dr Black at Edinburgh for his Examination of it.    The Easterly winds have been so severe this Spring & have continued so long, that Mr Duffield says the Wall trees have suffered more than he ever knew them - both Apricot and Cherries having many branches killed and several Peach and Nectarine trees being very much blighted - the Apricots Peaches & Nectarines are nevertheless a pretty good crop, but the Plumbs and Pears a very bad one,  The Grapes in the <Store> he says is a good crop - that he has saved greatest part of the Pine plants  that should have fruited this year to fruit the next & that he has raised very few Melons for want of Dung.  He has, as was settled, no more Men than just what will keep the Gardens in order.   Robt. Scott says there will not be any Wall fruit in these gardens that the Pine Apples will many of them be late of ripening and that the Grapes is but an indifferent Crop.

    Mr Forster’s Account is that the Tenants are doing better to their fallow grounds this year than usual - that the Stones are mostly won for the Wall from Ewesley gate to the Guide Post - that the Wall in the Park will be finished in two or three months - that  the stones are all won for the plantation Walk in Kirkhill grounds which will be begun directly - that the buildings which were proposed in Sadler’s farm at Dunham  are postponed for this year by Lady Loraine’s desire.  that about a thousand roods of the Hedges have been cut and seasoned the last Season - that Mr G Brown is repairing the roads as usual, & has covered some parts anew with Limestone and intends doing a good deal more So this Summer.  that the Coal drift thro the Park is stopt for the present, by a Quick Sand; which Mr Willm. Brown is to try to get the better of, the doing which will take some time.  that they are working a pit on Rothley Moor for Lime Kiln Coals which he thinks will be of better Sort than was got there before.  that Mr Sadler says the Deer are Healthy & look well - & lastly that there is a prospect of a good crop of hay at Wallington this year.  And indeed the Corn and grass are said to look well every where & ‘tis allowed there is a likelyhood of great plenty.  Such a Blessing will I hope be productive of peace - at least among the lower Sort.   but the want of some of the Higher are not to be so easily satisfied nor can peace find so easy an admission into minds made desperate by ambition and imaginary wants - < Junius  > , not deterred by a verdict found against Mr <Al   on>, for publishing one of his Letters (That to the King) is uttering others full as bad.  in one of which he asserts that the King Lords and Commons have acted like the Roman Triumvirate & have established a detestable Union among themselves upon the Ruin of the Laws and Liberty of the Commonwealth!    I find Sir Thos. Clavering is, on Acct. of his Laudable behaviour in Parliament, become very unpopular with all of the Bill of Rights party & doubt if there was an Election immediately they would make a very disagreeable opposition to him & indeed to all that have been Eminent in opposing their Doctrines.

    Sir Joseph Yates died this day se’night of a Stroke of the palsy.

Friday 15th    I had written so far yesterday - since which I received your Letter from Amsterdam and shall take Care to remit the £1000 to Mr Simond in August, and to send him Mr Trevelyan’s £100 in July agreeable to your Letter to Mr Darwin.   Mr Blackett desires his Compliments to you.  he and all your Friends here are well and glad to hear You are so.  A Continuance of your Health is what I daily wish for                     I am etc    HR

PS.  Mr Fenwick of Bolam is dead & Mr <Bs> Ellison of <Sand   > has got the Living