Letter – Jonathan Hilton to Germaine Lavie – 21 May 1771

A Copy of a Letter sent Mr. Lavie				 21st May 1771



Sir,

As I was in want of Money to pay for some waste Ore raised at Old Greengill & also would in a few Days want Cash towards supporting my Lords Workmen in Alston Moor, I made free to take Thirty Pounds of Mr Ramshay of Naward as you wrot in your Letter that I might get what Cash I wanted from Mr Ramshay or draw on you; the Bellows were got to Stanhope the 6th Instant & we are now beginning to smelt & as the smelt mill and Bellows are now in good repair& the Ore that will be raised from my Lords Mines at present cannot keep the Mill going and as it will be much better both for the Roof and Bellows if the Mill was kept going than Standing, allso we cannot be so well supplied with workmen without having a set of our own which cannot be unless we imploy them constantly therefore I would advise buying a quaintity of Ore  to keep the Mill going I have taken upon me with the advice of Mr Ramshay to buy a small Quantity of Ore which I expect will be got smelted & carried to Markett this Summer but shall not buy any more without my lords or your Orders the flatts at Stanhope raise ore much better that could be expected & the law level proves much worse, I wrot you of our giving £3.3 p Fatham but are now Obliged to give £6.6 but hopes it will go at  a lower Pice in a few Fathoms driving we got Bacons Level railed to the forehead against Lady Day as I wrot you, & have now drove about 10 Fathams in whole Ground, & at Lady Day begun a Level on the North side of Howblagill which is drove about 16 Faths. North West. I wrot you on the 11th Feby Last where in I mentioned some things that I should have been glad you had answered before now relaiting the Management of the Mines Lead Mill & sale of Lead also on the 19th March I wrot you again desiring Lord Carlisle & Mr Cleaver might settle the manner of giving in Proposals to the Commissioners of Greenwich Hospital if that be not done soon there must be an intire stope put to the Howblagill Levels I must need say it gives me great concern that I have not heard from you in Answer to either of the said Letters therefore again Earnestly request to hear from you in Answer to them & this which hopes I will soon receive.

P.S. June 7th Wrote Mr Lavie an Abstract of a Letter sent him 19th March Last 1771.

      I am &ca Jona Hilton