Letter – Jonathan Hilton to Edward Cleaver – 21 Nov 1777

A Copy of a Letter sent The Rev. Mr. Cleaver 		Alston 21st Nov. 1777



Dear Sir,

Inclosed you have a Copy of the Nentforce Pay Bill and we intend making a Pay for Dowgang Cross Vein about the Middle of next Month I desire you will be so obliging as remit Twenty pounds by a Bill payable at London or Newcastle: That will pay yours & Mr. Walker’s share, and what you owe me otherwise and have something g for Monthly support Money after making that Pay will send an Account of particulars. We have raised very little Ore since you was here being prevented by the Sill running down & water rising in the Works; what is done since is sinking a shaft to try the Vein in the Firestone and Ironstone Sills with 4 men & Driving a Level in the Plate Bed above the Great Limestone with 4 men in order to drain the Ore Workings in the Little Limestone and to enable us to try the Vein in the Great Limestone which is the only account I can at present give you. Mr. Gilbert came here on the 7th last Month at which time I was in hopes of seeing your Father or you here, but I rec’d a Letter from your Father Dated 6 October which he desired me to shew Mr. Gilbert your Father’s Letter was, that Mr. Gilbert has acquainted him of intending to begin a Grand Level to try several Veins in Lower Sills than has been tryed in Alstonmoor, and as it will undoubtedly be a very expensive tryal your Father declined entering into so great undertaking. After Mr. Gilbert’s reading your Father’s Letter he said there should be a Boundary fixed betwixt Lord Carlisle & your Father relating the several Veins they now have in Lease & Grant, of which I acquainted your Father and thought it advisable for him not to enter into any contract till he was upon the Ground at which time I should be glad to see you. Mr. Gilbert made the Alstonmoor pays clear to the time he was here. The Ballance after receiving your father’s share of the Ore raised from Michs 1776 to Michs 1777 was £104.5.7¾ which I advanced of which I wrote him the 27th last month and have heard nothing from him since which makes me think the Letter has miscarried or he is from home. There is no Dead Work carried on in Lord Carlisle & Mr. Cleaver’s Mines in Alstonmoor at present but a Level by 4 men to cut Cooperdykehead Middle Vein; Greengill West End forehead is let to 6 men till Christmas next at 21/- p bing, the Roofs to 4 men till Do. at 25 & 4 men in the Old Yard is all the Men we have employed.

The Forehead at present is very poor.

      My compts &c. J.H.