Letter – John Erasmus Blackett to Thomas Blackett – 12 Dec 1789

Sir Thomas Blackett Bart                                                        Newcastle  12th Decemr 1789

     Bretton    Yorkshire



Dear Sir	I received your favor of the 20th ulto & have accordingly subscribed for you Twenty Guineas to be applied towards the relief of the distressed Families of the unfortunate Seamen who perished in the late Storm for which the Charity is much obliged to you the Subscriptions we expect will Amount to £2000.  I have been disappointed of seeing Mr Blackett of Wylam both at Alnwick & this place, but I have wrote to him about the straw Bonnetts etc__I[n] a former letter I acquainted you that the London Lead dealers had enter’d into a kind of Combination for the purpose of reducing the price of Lead, Mr Walkers Partner, Mr Fishwick, was at the head of it & the occasion of its taking place when the last Sale was made;  On Saturday the 5th ins[tan]t he & Doctor Hall separately applied to me & made the Offer of taking all your Lead at Blaydon at £16 per Fodder Payable in July & August next in Bills at 2 Mo[nth]s date; at the same time acquainting me that a large Sale was made at Stockton at £17 & since that at £16-10- w[hi]ch in our Fodder is equal to £16-4-6 & £15-15-‘

	I refused their Offer & told them that neither the Price not time of payment would be accepted off, but made them an offer of £2,000 at £16-10- per Fodder (to be paid for at the usual times) provided the other two Houses of Freeman & Preston came in for their proportion  they promised me to write to London & give me their Answer as soon as possible.  As I was desirous of breaking this Combination this Combination I acquainted Mr C Blackett that he might inform his Friends Freeman & Preston with the <Offers> made me by Dr Hall & Mr Fishwick, he wrote Messrs F & P who thought themselves very ill used & have by this Post offered me £16-5- for 20000 p[iece]s half ref[ine]d & half Com[mo]n to be paid for in March & April __ Yesterday Mr Fishwick call[e]d on me, I offered him & the other Houses 24,000 p[iece]s on those terms but he not having a Power to conclude the business, I thought it for your Interest to accept of Mr C Blacket’s Offer for Mr Freeman & Mr Preston   The Lead is Sold on much better terms than that at Stockton & I hope that the Combination amongst the buyers is broken through __ I have been the more particular in this transaction that you may be prepared in case of any application being made to you by Mr Walker of Mr Lancaster on the business.  I hope that what has been done will meet with your approbation                    I am etc   J.E.B