Letter – John Erasmus Blackett to Edward Blackett – 29 Sep 1801

Ryhope 29th Sepr 1801

Dear Brother

	I hope this may find you & Lady Blackett perfectly well after your return from Worthing, that you enjoyed the fine Weather on the Pleasant Coast, & left Mr & Mrs Blackett very well, that they are very Happy in each other I have not the least doubt, & that you both are equally so in your Daughter, who every one speaks highly of, my Daughter Stead is quite delighted with her; I fear that my Daughter Collingwood will not have the Pleasure of waiting on Mrs Blackett before her return to the North; her Husbands short stay & confinement at Portsmouth detains her there till his departure, at which time the lateness of the Season will hasten her home & possibly prevent her paying her respects to Lady Blackett & you, should you not be returned to Thorp Lee; her Daughter Sarah is gone with her Aunt to Wadley, a more agreeable place for her than Portsmouth, after having seen her Father & I imagine in the course of a week or ten days that he will rejoin the Channel Fleet & possibly remain on that station the greatest part of the Winter. I came with my Grand Daughter to this place on the 22d that she may have a few dips in the Sea before Winter, I am satisfied with dry bathing but I enjoy the Sea air & the Walks about this place which are very pleasant, the Village is three miles south of Sunderland, very neat & clean, the roads good, the House an excellent one, it belonged to a Mr Carr who the late Dr Hall of Newcastle  ruined in Mining & the Hotel very well conducted, by very civil People, & we are fortunate in meeting some very Pleasant Agreeable People, Doctor & Mrs Prosser Bart of Gatesh'd her Sister, Miss Wigg, & two Miss Davidsons from Nottingham & we have a party at Whist every evening & spend our time very pleasantly, Sir Ralph Millbanks resides at Seaham two miles from hence where I dine on thursday with Doctor & Mrs Prosser; Sir Ralph is unpleasantly circumstanced at present by Mr Burdons declaration of withdrawing himself from Parliament, as he may possibly be drawn into a Contest, but I do not apprehend that it will be the case, for altho Sir H. Vane Tempest is not Popular in the County & that he should come in for the County & his Brother in law & Mrs Taylor for the City does not go well down; but it does not appear that there is anyone likely to oppose Sir H. V. Tempest; Lord Eldons Son has been named, but it is likely that his Father would support him in an expensive Contest, when he is scarce known in the County; Sir J Eden or Sir Thomas Liddle might have come in without any Contest, Sir H.V. Tempest would not have opposed either of them, but they both declined it, I am rather surprised at the latter, as its said that he has Views to the County hereafter; he certainly might come in without opposition & in case of his supporting Ministry it is far from being improbable that he might succeed to the Title of his Great Uncle Ld Ravensworth.

      It is said that Mr Burdon having given his support to Mr Russell at the late Election for the City of Durham contrary to his promise of standing Mentor, had caused the Gentlemen of the other Party to unite against him, & thou they might not have have thrown him out, they would have caused him considerable expense; this, with his inclination for a more quiet retired life is said to have induced him to retire from Parliament; he is a man of business & attended to his duty & I think that the County will not exchange for the better.

      About a fortnight ago I spent a couple of days with the Beaumonts at Hexham Abbey, their little Boy was recovering fast & I imagine that if they have not already left the Abbey for Bretton that they are about it; I went with Mrs Beaumont one morn[in]g to Matfen, she walked about the Gardens & seem'd much pleased with the place which look'd very well indeed, my Brother Harry & self are much obliged to Lady Blackett & you for some very fine fruit, I would have sent some to Mr & Mrs Williamson had they been in Newcastle & when Dobson sent some for them they were so far gone I br<ought> in the Carriage that they could not be used.

      My Brother Harry has had a bowelly complaint <wch> been very prevalent, but he thought that his was some thing <Gouty>, he is now much better, we shall sleep with him on friday & return home the next morning as I am obliged to be at the Election of the new Mayor on the Monday following, Wednesday 30th. This morning was very Pleasant by the Seaside the wind had come about to the NW & I counted at one time above 100 Vessels going to the Southward, the Weather changed at noon to rain with a fog & I fear that we may now take leave of the fine weather.

      Mary <Patience> desires to write with me in Love & best wishes to Lady Blackett & yourself & I am 	Dear Brother Yours Most Affectionately

	John E Blackett



I hope that you may find Mrs Scott & family very well, our affectionate regards to them