Letter – Henry Richmond to Walter Blackett – 25 Mar 1767

To Sir Wr Blackett Bt in Half moon Street                                                Newcastle 25 Mar 1767

Piccadilly London

Hon[ou]r[e]d Sir

I have delivered Mr Rd Brown all Mr Robsons papers, but what concerned Yours & the D[uke] of Portlands estate. The Latter he was rather dissatisfied at my detaining, as he says his Grace has appointed him & Mr Geo Robson his Agents: but I shall keep them agreable to your Letter till I hear further. On examining Mr Robsons Closets we found £586 5s 1d <.> in Money & bank notes: & as there might very possibly be as much due to you from Mr Robson at the time of his death I took that sum & gave Mr Brown a receipt for it on your Acco[un]t till matters can be settled. I have left all Mr Robsons acco[un]t books & vouchers with Mr Liddell that Mr Brown may have recourse to them when he pleases & that no time may be lost in bringing the Acco[un]ts to a balance: w[hi]ch it will not be very easy to do as they have been kept in a very perplexed manner. They will I doubt oblige me to go often over to Wallington & as the Weather is very indifferent & I, tho’ well, not very strong I beg the use of the chaise & horses you allowed Mr Robson, till the hurry is over w[hi]ch his death has occasioned. Messrs Liddell & Laidler desire to know whether you would chuse to have the Barnflat in pasture this year. As to the Draw kilns they will take them if you please for a y[ea]r & furnish Lime on the same terms as Mr Robson did. But then they say the New Colliery at Rothley must be wro[ugh]t as they cannot get Coals else where for the Kilns. They say there are two Seams vizt an upper seam of 20 inches & an under one of 14 & that they are separated only by 18 inches of Stone that can easily be taken away in working the Coal. Mr Smith of Hawick is very ill of a Fever so that nothing can be done towards purchasing his Estate for the present. I was to have been with Mr Peareth on Monday about the Calculation of your profits by Weardale Mines: but Mr Brown kept me fully employed at Wallington till yesterday. I shall now try to fix him another day for him to go thro’ the Calculation & then Mr Cookson, who is still engaged, will take the papers & consider them as soon as his business will allow – after w[hi]ch they will meet & come to some conclusion. Your Lead Mill pays are to be made in abo[u]t three weeks time; w[hi]ch Mr Hunter writes me will come to £3400. It would be a great Satisfaction to me to know that you are better than when you wrote your Last Letter I am etc     HR