Letter – John Erasmus Blackett to John Stephenson – 31 May 1786

John Stevenson Esqr.    Hull                                            Newcastle    May 31st  1786



Dear Sir       Your favour of the 19th inst. I duly received & observe that you had wrote to your Friends, & upon receipt of their Answer you would determine as to your Purchasing of me the 100 Fodder of Lead:  I yesterday made a Sale of 20,000 ps. of Lead at £16 . 2 . 6 for Common & £16 . 7 . 6 for Refin’d, one half to Lancaster & Co, the other to Freemans & Co. the former would have taken a much larger Quantity, when this Quantity is delivered (wch may be in August) you may have 100 or 150 Fodder in the same terms, but you must take equal Quantities of the Refin’d & Common as I apprehend that I shall fall short of the latter; the terms of Payment for pretty large Parcels are Bills on London at 40 Days date in three Months after the Sale.  I was applied to Yesterday by Mr Maltby who has been with the Freemans, he has lately enter’d into Partnership with Messrs Walker’s of Rotherham, Fishwick & Ward, they have engaged in a White Lead Work in London, & propose Buying & Selling Lead in the same extensive manner as the Freemens now do, I have not yet sold them any Lead; but its probable that I may.  There is no Quantity of Lead at this Market at present, but it will come down very fast.                                   I am etc    J. E. Blackett