Letter – Henry Richmond to William Westgarth – 30 Jul 1764

To Mr W[illia]m Westgarth at                                                       30 July 1764

Coalcleugh  



Sir                    Sir W[alte]r Blackett has ordered me to write to you & to Mr Maughan & Mr Hunter that after this qua[rte]r he will not have the hired serv[ant]s either of his Stew[a]rds or of any other person put into bargains or employed in any shape in any of his Groves. For he is satisfied that the Grovers will work with more spirit & with more advantage to him when they are to have the full benefit of their own earnings than when other people are to have the benefit of them.

J[o]n[athon] Ritson of Limestone Brea died lately intestate & left an estate, for wch there are sev[era]l claimants. One of whom called J[o]n[athon] Liddell alledges that he is descended from Mary Ritson sister of old W[illia]m Ritson of Kersley, who was G[ran]d Fat[he]r of the s[ai]d intestate John Ritson. But I am told that it is a question whether if s[ai]d W[ilia]m Ritson had such a sister, or whe[the]r she was married to Edw[ar]d Liddell the G[rea]t G[ran]d Fat[he]r of the claim[an]t J[o]n[athon] Liddell as is by him alledged  As Karsley where the s[ai]d old W[ilia]m Ritson lived is in your neighbourhood you are desired to enquire of some old people whether they remember any such person as this Mary Ritson. Sir W[alte]r is very willing to admit the claim[an]t if he can prove his pedigree; but as he proposes doing it only by hearsay Evidence S[i]r W[alte]r thinks it necessary that you sho[ul]d make this inquiry: wch you will do before the head court at Hexham in Octo[be]r next. You will take down in writing what you can learn that you think will be of any consequence. I am etc   Hen Richmond