Letter – Henry Richmond to Walter Blackett – 25 Feb 1771

 To Sir Wr Blackett  Bt.  M.P.  in half Moon Street                           Newcas.   25th   Febry 1771

       Piccadilly, London



Honrd. Sir      Inclosed is a Copy of Mr Fawcett’s Opinion about pressing the Hospital to a Suit at Law about the Tithe of Wallington.  & also an Estimate how much the several Things you have ordered will cost.  Mr Fawcett promises his Opinion in a post or Two on the Notice given by the Lessees of Unthank Colliery,

   Mr Bell is at Berwick receiving the Rents and will not be home until Saturday or Sunday; when he will go to Hexham and let you know the value of the Curacy and School & the other particulars in your Letter of Thursday last.  the Clergy in the Neighbourhood have promised to do the Duty till a Person is appointed - but since this Curacy was augmented it became subject to ecclesiastical Jurisdiction & the Churchwardens obliged to take care of everything during the vacancy.

    I think the giving the New Rector of Stanhope an Account of the ore raised in his parish for the last seven Years should be declined.  Because such an Accot. can be no way conclusive nor convey any Idea of the value the Tithe will be to the Rector.   It was this Tithe and the Lots being in your hand, under an easy Composition, that produced the Ore - if the Rector takes the Tithe into his hand he will soon be sensible there is no Connection between a time of Composition and a time of payment in kind & that this want of Connection arises not from Meer will on your Side, tho you have the power of laying in the Groves when you please, but from the want of an adequate profit or the risk of the Money necessary for Carrying on the Groves with Spirit when the Lot and the Tithe are paid in kind.  If an Accot. is to be gone into, it will be a work of time: and while we are reasoning about it, the Ore must be sent to the Mills  So a negociation of that Sort does not seem to be practicable.  The Rector must either take the £315 a year for his continuance in the benefice, if you think proper to give it him; or the £350 or £400 if you please with a Liberty of giving up on 12 months Notice as in my Letter of the 8th instant, or else take his Tithe in kind as Dr Keene did, that is 1/10 of the remainder after the Bishops Lot is taken out.

     Sir Edwd. Blackett mentioned his Design of applying to parliament for a Division of the part that you and he have in Comon in Winlaton Lordship.  I think a Twenty one years Lease from him of his half of a house that your Refiner lives in & the Closes thro which the Water Course is brought to the Refining house  would convey to you all the benefit you would receive from such a Division  - but this matter may be Considered more particularly next Summer; when I hope Sir Edward and you will be in the Country.             I am etc    HR