Letter – Jonathan Hilton to Francis Gregg – 25 Feb 1776

A Copy of a Letter sent Mr Gragg 				25 Feby 1776



Sir,

      My Son wrote you on the 5th Inst mentioning to you that when Mr Gilbert was in this Country we expected that all the Lead which was then in NewCastle would be sold & its Value turned into Cash so as to enable us with £2000 which we would have Occasion to borrow to make the several Pays at Christmas & have Cash arising from the Silver Bullion to support the Workmen.

      We also at that Time had some hopes that Mr Cleaver would rest his Money upon Interest till we could sell Lead which we expected would be about Midsummer.

We have been disappointed in the first place by not having been able to sell the Lead on Account of the little demand in that Trade so that we have 1535 Pieces in Hand which are worth at the very least £1500 the Storm prevent our Refining so much that we lost work which would have produced as upwards of £300 worth of Silver Bullion & on our Writing Mr Cleaver about the resting of his Money his Ansr was that had en [he] not previously engaged it against Candlemas he should have had no Objection to it rest it to any Time we chouse but he had promised it & therefore expected it should be paid at his Time he accordingly procured what was right to send Mr Cleavers Amounting to £650 Charles Atkinson Esq The Mayor of NewCastle has agreed to furnish us with Money if you please to give him a Power to draw it out of the first Lead which may be sold to its Amount Mr Atkinson has ever since either of us was concern’d sold Ld Carlisles Lead by Commission & he requires Nothing than your Letter mentioning that by the derections of Lord Carlisle & the Trustees & you give him an Authority to advance the Money necessary to compleat the Pays & pay himself with Legal interest out of the first of Lord Carlisles Lead which comes to Markitt. 

      As we have not recd any Ansr to this Letter & it was sent from NewCastle 20 Days ago we are apprehensive it had miscarried & therefore give you the Trouble of this to desire you will please to give Mr Atkinson a Line empowering him to advance the Money wanted there will not be more than £2000 Necessary besides what is now in Stock of Lead at NewCastle but Interest must be paid for £3500 till what we have can be sold the workmen are now wanting pay for all the Work done since Michas 1774 at the Mines & the smelt Mill since June last and now if the Pays were made it will only be to Michas last & the Men will be 5 Months in advance. Therefore the Credit of the Mines will be hurt as the general Practice of making the Pays is at Christmas & paying to the Michas before we hope you’ll please to write to Mr Atkinson and dare say we shall immediately be supported with the Necessary Cash.

      I am &ca Jonathan Hilton