Letter – John Erasmus Blackett to Mark Skelton – 15 Oct 1792

Mr Skelton Esqr     Birthwait Hall                                                    Newcastle  15th  Octor 1792

               Wakefield  Yorkshire



Sir	Your favour of the 6th inst I duly received & note the Contents.  I have desired that, Mr Emerson & Mr Hunter would attend the next meeting of the Subscribers to the proposed Turnpike Road and provided they (the Subscribers) agreed to the insertion of the Clauses that I mentioned to you in my last letter, to Subscribe the Sum of £300 for Mr Beaumont, & in any other Matter you may be assured that I shall Act in the Manner I think will be the most conducive to his Interest; The Sum of £550 Subscribed for Alstone Moor, is by the Landholders etc of the Town of Alstone; I understand that the Commiss[ione]rs of Greenwich Hospital, the Gover[nor]s of the Lead Company as well as the Bishop of Durham intend to Subscribe to the Road.

	The damages which the Dams at Dukesfield & Rookhope Mills suffer[e]d by the late Floods, are repairing with the greatest expedition; the late & indeed the present Rains, have rendered the Roads almost impassable for the Lead Carriage, but we shall take the advantage of the first dry Weather of getting the Lead down to Markett.  A few days since Mr Pearson sent to the Office those Writings that had been left in the late Mr Wilson’s hands, a Schedule of which he said he would send.

	We had tolerable Weather the Week before last; the last was very indifferent, frequent Rains & close Weather which hurt the Corn much, of which one half is now standing out in the North West part of North[umberlan]d; this Week so far promises very bad

                                                                                                                 I am etc   J.E.B

P.S	I write to Mr Beaumont by tomorrows Post & inclose a Bill on London for £5000.