Letter – John Erasmus Blackett to Thomas Blackett – 11 Jan 1785

Sir Thomas Blackett  Bart.                              Newcastle .   Jany.  11th. 1785

Bretton - Yorkshire



Dear Sir      Inclosed you will receive a Bill drawn by Bell Carr & Co. on Castell & Co. dated 11th inst. at a Months date for £1000 the Receipt of which you (or Mr Noble) will please to acknowledge.

     I understand that an Application has been made to you by the Revd. Mr Harris, to Succeed the late Mr Birkett in the Curacy of Chappel of Warden in Weardale, in the Gift of the Bishop of Lincoln as Rector of Stanhope, the Value of wch is from £65 to £70 the year, £20 of wch, is paid by the Rector of Stanhope, but the smallness of it has, I imagine, induced the Rector to Wave their right of Nomination, & the Appointment has usually been (with the Rectors consent) in the Proprietors of Lands in the Parish.  On the death of Mr Birkett, your Agent at Newhouse (Mr Emerson) acquainted me that Mr Rotheram (a near relation of the Revd. Mr Rotheram of Houghton) a man of good Character, had for some time before Mr Birkett’s Death, done all the Duty, with Credit to himself & to the Satisfaction of the Inhabitants; who were desirous of his Succeeding to the Curacy; I told him that if they were satisfied with Mr Rotheram, I believed that you would have no objection to him, but that I did not think it an object to trouble you with; I have since been informed that some persons who are rather Methodistically inclined, have prevailed on Mr Smith, the Curate to the Rector of Stanhope, to refuse his Approbation of Mr Rotheram; alledging that he is addicted to liquor, & notwithstanding he had a good Majority of the Inhabitants in his favour, his Election is set aside, & another day appointed for the Election.  I am not acquainted with Mr Rotheram nor ever saw him, but Mr Emerson informs me, that the Charge against him id groundless, & that he has been ill used.  I did not know till yesterday that Mr Harris had made any application to you, or that you had wrote to any person on the Subject; he is I believe a Man of very good Character, is well recommended & probably may be approved of by the Rector of Stanhope, & Appointed.  Least this Matter should be Misrepresented to you, I thought it proper to acquaint you with the whole that I know of the Matter.                             I am etc    John E Blackett





                                £1000 .                            Newcastle Bank  11th  Jany. 1785

                          One Month after date pay to the Order of John Erasmus

                         Blackett Esq.  One Thousand Pounds           Value received

                                                                        For Bell Cookson Widdrington & Co

To  Messrs Castell Powell& Sumner & Co                                    Thos Gibson.           

                London                                       Pay the Contents to the order of Sir  

No  5535                                                   Thos. Blackett Bart.     Value in Acct. 

                                                                                                                 JEB