Letter – Henry Richmond to Walter Blackett – 9 Jan 1761

To Sir Wr Blackett Bt. M.P. to be left at the Cocoa Tree in pall mall London                       

                                                                                                        Newcastle 9th January 1761

Hon[ou]rd Sir  I made enquiry the beginning of Nov by your direction, whe[ethe]r Mr Crowhall [sic; Crawhall] was disengaged f[ro]m the Co at Fallowfield; Mr Cookson one of the p[ar]tners, told me some time ago that they had done with him, but I did not receive any ans[we]r f[ro]m himself till yesterday, when he called to desire I wo[ul]d acquaint you that he is ready to enter into your service as mil[l] clerk at Allenheads whenever you please, at the same salary John Lee has, wch is 20 [pounds] a y[ea]r. If you think proper to appoint him, Lee sho[ul]d have notice as soon as possible, that he may quit at Mayday the little farm & house which belong to that office. The inclosed Letter was bro[ugh]t by some freeholders at Sunderland; but I told them you were at Bath; & I beleived wo[ul]d not be in London time enough to be of service to Jona[tho]n Baker, in whose behalf it is wrote: so that it need not occasion any further trouble than you please yourself to take in the matter when you come to London. I have enquired of Capt. Bouver about it, & notwithstanding his state of the case, I think according to the custom, wch I am told their Lords[hi]ps have allowed to take place in regard to protections, that the man & the ship owners have some reason for complaint. Agreeable to that Custom, the ma[ste]r of the ship having lost one of his men, struck his name out of the protection & endorsed Bakers in his room, who made a voyage with him, but on the ships coming to Stockton, Baker was press’d, upon wch the Master bailed him, but while his friends were making intrest for his discharge the master took Baker to sea with him, who upon the ships arriving at Sunderland was there pressed a 2nd time, but soon allowed his liberty upon the s[ai]d bail. But now Captain Bouver insists on his being delivered up.



My father will by post remit to Mr Darwin a bill for £225, wch will be due the 16th inst, he will wait upon you with it or the money as soon as you return to London, & my father desires you will please to sign a receipt, to be a voucher to his account. As to the Election, I cannot find Sir Thos gains any ground tho’ his friends talk of very great matters. They were to have had a meeting on Tuesday next at Mr Wind’s in this Town, but it is postponed upon some acco[un]t or other. I was very glad to hear by < Coll> Delaval that you were  so well again & hope for a long continuance of your health. P.S. Mr Robson has I suppose wrote you that he has let Wm Pickering’s & the Rutter’s farms, & will go over to Berwick in a few days, & observe your directions in letting West Ord farm    I am etc   H Richmond