Letter – John Erasmus Blackett to Thomas Blackett – 6 Jul 1789

To Sir Thos Blackett Bart  Bretton                                                         NCastle  6th July 1789

                  near Wakefield  Yorkshire



Dear Sir	Not hearing from you when I was at Harrogate, I imagined you were from Home on a Visit & my Bro[the]r & Self took around by Liverpool & Windermere Lake in our way Home  the Weather was very unfavourable for we scarse had one fair day __ Your Lead Stewards have been with me this Morning for Subsistance Money for the Workmen; Forster tells me he has cut a new Vein at Great Allenheads w[hi]ch has a very promising Appearance & I hope may open out some fresh Veins & do very well, at Weardale & Coalcleugh they are doing much the same.  Next Week I shall remit at Bill for £2500 to Mr Noble on your Acct.  I am sorry it is not in my power to give you a better Acct of the Lead Trade, we have not had any demand, the London buyers stand off & will not make any offers at present.  2000 p[iece]s Lead were sold the last Month at £20 per Fo[dde]r  I wish we may get that price for a large quantity.

	I shall be glad to know when you intend be in the North.

	Mr Ord of Fenham died Yesterday Morning a Consumption carried him off very suddenly.  My Daughter joins with me in best Comp[limen]ts to yourself, Mr & Mrs Beaumont & Miss Wentworth                 I am etc   J.E.B



Messrs Walkers’ & Fishwick applied to me this Morning for some Lead for their White Lead Works, I offered them some at £20 per Fo[dde]r which price they refused & rather than they should get it elsewhere, I agreed to let them have 5 or 600 p[iece]s a Week at the next price we sell for the London Mark[e]t.  Mr Fishwick assured me that he has purchased small  q[uanti]tys of Com[mo]n Lead from £18-5s to £18-10s per Fo[dde]r & had refused a q[uanti]ty at £19 per Fo[dde]r.  about 2000 p[iece]s was sold at Chester at lately for £18-15 <....> is at that place £48 more than ours - The East India Company have not yet contracted for the Lead the[y] send out the next Year, but I am told they have Contracted for 2700 T[on]s of Copper wch is much the largest quantity they ever sent & I wish it may not in some degree lessen their demand for Lead - I was concerned to hear of poor John Hawdons Death.