Letter – John Erasmus Blackett to Thomas Blackett – 21 Oct 1787

Sir Thos. Blackett  Bart.                                              Newcastle    Octo.  21st    1787

Bretton - Yorkshire



D[ea]r Sir       Inclosed I send you a Bill drawn by Eden Ridley & Co. on Castell & Co. dated 15th inst. at a Month for £1000 the Receipt of which you will please to acknowledge the other remittance which you mention shall be made you in the Course of the Year.  The Price of Lead continues at £19.15. & £20 the quantity of refin’d Lead sold is not yet compleated & we cannot expect much more Lead down this Year, there is little or none at Market unsold at present, except about 7000 Ps. of Common Lead of yours & I believe I shall not sell any more this Year for the London Market.  We are still in a state of uncertainty as to a War but there is reason to believe that it will not take place at least for some time &  I have great hopes that the present preparations (tho’ attended with considerable expence)  may be the means of preventing a War; should that not be the Case? it will evince the necessity of the Measure.  I was in hopes of seeing you before you left the North & had some conversation with you respecting the Supplying your Lead Mines with Candles.  Jos[hu]a Straker who is your Office has lately with another person engaged in that Business & I gave him encouragement to do so, being well convinced that they could supply a part of your Mines with better Candles than they have had for some time either from Hexham or any part of that Country they have got very good Workmen, have a Foreman from London who is Master of the Business, they do not make use of any Kitchen grease or any thing but the best Tallow, & I am satisfied that no person can serve you better, so I am in hopes that you will be pleased to allow them to have a part of the Business of supplying your Mines with Candles.  In part of the time of Sir Walter Blackett Frauds and Irregularities arose  from the Mine Agents furnishing Articles for the Mines, & it was found necessary to put a stop to that evil, since which it has been a standing rule in the Concern, as well as that of the Lead Company that no Lead Mine Agent (whose duty it is to receive and examine the quantity & quality of each Article) shall furnish the Mines with any one Article; however as you are pleased to direct that Mr Westgarth Forster’s Son  is to supply the Mines with Candles; I beg leave to recommend that you will please to allow Josa. Straker to have a part of the business in Case he should supply the Mines with as good or better Candles at the same Rate by which means there will be an emulation between them which shall furnish Candles of the best quality.                         I am etc    J. E. Blackett





                   £1000 .                            Newcastle Bank  15th  Octo. 1787

                   One Month after date pay to the Order of John Erasmus Blackett  

                   Esq.One Thousand Pounds                              Value received

                                                                        For Sir J. Eden  Sir MW. Ridley 

To  Messrs Castell Powell Sumner & Co                 Cookson Widdrington & Co

                       London                                                                        Jas. Wilkinson.           

                                                                                   Pay the Contents to the order of Sir Thos.   

No  11133                                                                  Blackett Bart. Value in Acct. 

                                                                                                                 John E. Blackett