Letter – John Erasmus Blackett to Thomas Blackett – 6 Dec 1785

Sir Thomas Blackett  Bart.                                              Newcastle    Decem.  6th. 1785

Bretton - Yorkshire



Dear Sir       My last letter to you of the 2nd inst. was in Form, this will be more Acceptable as it contains a Bill of this date for £3000. drawn by Bell Carr & Co. on Castell & Co. the receipt of which you will please to acknowledge.  The Meeting respecting the late Duty on Lead was very small owing in some Measure to the badness of the day wch. prevented members coming from the West etc so that almost the whole Load of the Business fell on myself.  I have had an Infinate deal of trouble about it, & wish that we may at length Succeed.  You will see by the enclosed that I have entered into an Agreement with Mr Silvertop Junr. for your 1/12th share od Stella Grand Lease Colliery, wch. I hope will meet with your Approbation,  The terms are as good as we could obtain, and this Lease wch. is to granted to Mr. Silvertop Junr. is to be no Bar to you & the rest of the Proprietors, obliging his Father to Account for the Coals  wch. have been wrought by him from the time that he gave up the Lease & declined paying rent, to the Year 1782.  Mr Silvertop Junr. has made the following offer on behalf of his Father, wch. I believe that it may be advisable to accept of, rather than to enter into a Chancery Suit with him, especially as we cannot bring any Proof as to the Quantity of Coals wch. have been wrought in that Period;   

      He says from the Year 1760 to 1765 he wrought out of Stella Grand Lease Colliery 803 <Tons>,  of Coals (an Account of which he produces) for wch. he proposes paying 15s/ p <Ton>, from the Year 1765 to 1781 it appears by his Account this working have been very trifling some Years two, three, or four <Tons>, others nothing so that on the whole of the latter Period, he declares that with Paying the Way leave rent etc he has been a loser of upwards of £200 p Year by that Colliery.  This is a State of the Affair for your Consideration & when I have your Answer Mr Wilson & Mr Heron will prepare the Lease.    I am etc    John E Blackett





                    £3000 .                            Newcastle Bank  6th   Decem. 1785

                    One Month after date pay to the Order of John Erasmus

                    Blackett Esq.  Three Thousand Pounds           Value received

                                                                        For Bell Carr Cookson Widdrington & Co

To  Messrs Castell Powell Sumner & Co                                    Thos Gibson.           

                London                                       Pay the Contents to the order of Sir

No  7306                                                    Thos. Blackett Value in Acct. 

                                                                                                     John E. Blackett