Letter – John Erasmus Blackett to Thomas Richard Beaumont – 2 Jul 1803

Colonel Beaumont M.P.			Newcastle 2d. July 1803.

Cheltenham Gloucestershire.   



Dear Sir

      I refer you to my Letters of the 30th. Ulto. & the 1st. Inst. I now enclose you a short State of your Account with Messrs. Surtees’s Burdon & Brandling, as it stands in your Books, exclusive of what you may have drawn from the Bankers in London since the 7th. June, and likewise a State of your Account with Easterby & Co. –

      The Notes of their Bank that were paid to your several Lead Agents on the 27th & 28th Ulto. on Account of Subsistence for the Workmen, have of Course been refused in Payment & some of the Agents have already come down with the Notes, I expect the Rest of them:   I am apprehensive of the Workmen being clamarous & may possibly stop working; I have told the Agents strongly to recommend it to the Workmen to continue at Work for the present, & that very shortly something will be done to give them that Relief & Satisfaction which has been interrupted by this unfortunate and unexpected Stop of the Bank of Messrs. Surtees’ & Co.; at the same Time I have recommended it to the Agents to postpone the letting of the Bargains till they hear further as it may be thought advisable to reduce some of the Works particularly the Dead Work, & the new Trials for the present.    The Publick are very much dissatisfied with Messrs. Surtees’ & Co. for not coming forward with some Proposition respecting their present Situation &c – which has prevented the other Banks & the Country from giving them support which they were inclined to have done, on my making Application to them, I could not get any satisfactory Answer, as to their future Proceedings; Mr. Burdon is expected down on Monday or Tuesday, when it is thought that some Declaration will be made of the State of their Affairs &c.; As to their carrying on the Bank for the future, it is the general Opinion (and it is said their own) that it cannot be attempted: they have certainly lost the Confidence of the Country. – I should suppose that Mr. Burdon must have given you some Intimation of this very unpleasant Event; you certainly had a good Right to expect it, & have amongst them been very ill treated.-

      It was expected that as this was the Market Day, that there would have been a considerable Run on the several Banks from the Country, but it has not been the Case; the Demand has been trifling; the Subscription entered into has been the Means of preventing it, & of causing great Confusion in the Country, Stagshawbank Fair will be on Monday next, when the Resolution entered into, will I have no Doubt have the like good Effect in giving that Confidence to the Country which is highly necessary at this Time.  

      I am &c.-J.E.B.



I am at present quite at a Loss what is to be done respecting the future Subsistence of the Workmen, as well as the conducting your Concern: I shall use my Endeavours in collecting what is due to you for Lead sold. -