Letter – Henry Richmond to Walter Blackett – 21 Nov 1760

To Sir Wr Blackett MP London                                                       Newcastle 21st Nov 1760



Hon Sir

    Mr Shafto's intrest among the freeholders in this town and Gateshead, I think stands full as well as when you left Newcastle. Mr Dodd gave a treat last week to those in Gateshead. And intends one tonight for those in this place.  he will continue to do this as often as shall be thought necessary, tho Sir Tho has given none, that I have heard of since that at Parkers. 

    I have been at Wallington this week receiving your rents; but many of the tenants fell short in their payments among whom Mr Pickering, Geo Tweddle and Edwd Shotton were the worst; the first paid nothing at all, tho there is almost 2 yrs rent due from him at May day last. 

As to the Kirkheaton tenants, 4 of them paid ½ a yrs rent but Jno Moraley notwithstanding the promise he made in his letr to you brought no money but an excuse that he had not got his cattle sold. His son did not appear at all. The payments at Wallington were near £700 for this <1/2> year.

I shall as soon as Mr Darwin sends me an abstract of the depositions taken in the dispute, wherein Mr Wharton was pl[ain]t[iff] and the Bp of Durham and Sir Wm Blackett def[endan]ts, draw up a state of the two cases about the Bps dues and the comon pastures in Weardale I am Honr Sit Your Faithful and most obt svt HR