Letter – Jonathan Hilton to Germaine Lavie – 23 Nov 1774

A Copy of a Letter sent Mr. Lavie 				Alston 23rd Novr 74



Sir,

      I was at Stanhope 24 & 25 Instant & find we shall have 1000 Ounces of Silver Bullion ready for Market the 9th of next Month & as you said when hear that you would write me what you sold the Silver at p Ounce which I sent to London & give Directions whether you would have the rest of the Bullion sent to London or I should sell it at NewCastle I therefore take the Liberty of acquainting you that I should know by the Return of the Post I intend making the Stanhope Lead Mine & Smelt Mill Pays the 16 & 17 next Month & money cannot be raised from the Lead Against that Time so if the Silver is to be sent to London I desire you will be so obliging as give me an order to draw on you in NewCastle for the Amount of the above 1000 Ounces of Silver I made a Second enquirey when I was last at Stanhope Relating what Mrs Simpson said to you about the Irish Man threatening her Husbands Life by Cuting the Rope &ca this Quarrel happened in Feby last Simpson let a Bargain to some of this Mans Partners in January & in February he took it into his Head to discharge them from working the Bargain he had let the Men would not take his discharge but told him they would work their Bargain so he took their Worktools from them and locked them up and three of the Ptners came to Alston & told me their Complaint I than wrote Simpson what they said & if the Bargain was let as they said I Thought he had no right to take it from them I went to Stanhope soon after and found the Bargain to be let as the Men Had told me and at that Time Mrs Simpson was made the same complaint against this Man as she did to you in consequence of which I called all the Men that was present when the Quarl Happened & they all declaired that he said no such Words as Mrs Simpson had told me they beleaved that the only thing that affronted Simpson was the Man telling him that that he would not be turned of work by him if he was to be turned of it should be by the Person who set him on but according to your Order I took the same Method & the Men declairing the same as before so I then told Simpson what his Wife had said to you & what orders I had from you & that no proof could be had of what his Wife had said, I then asked Simpson if the man had ever Threatened him by themselves he said no but he was a bad fellow. I told him if it was to be called a Quarral is was of his own begining for if he had suffered the Men to work their Bargain their would have been no Quarral.

      Stanhope Lead Mine is at Present very poor. Greengill West End never was so good as soon we shall raise 788 Bings of Bouse Ore & 40 Bings of Cutting Ore at Greengill West End before Michas last besides paying the Duty which is one fifth of all the Ore that is raised except the Cutting Ore will be delivered before we can possably make Alston moor Pays the whole Amount of which at 50 p Bing for the Bouse & 45 p Bing for the cutting. The Price I agreed with Mr Cleaver for his Shair amounts to £2060 I have not yet got in all the Accounts of Expences but from the Best calculations I am at Present able to make I think I can safely say the Expences at Greengill West End Howblagill & the new Level is in Garrigillburn will not exceed £1860 so that their will be a Profitt upon the Mines in Alston Moor from Michaelmas 1773 to Michaelmas 1774 of £200 On the 29th Instant we had delivered from Stanhope Mill 2011 Pieces of Lead 1½ Cwt each which are Equal to 143 Fodders & 9 Pieces I have not lately enquired to know exactly how much of this Quantity is sold as I intend either by myself or Son to call upon Mr Atkinson about the 12th of Decr to get some Cash of him to make the Stanhope Pays at the Time before Mentioned but I knew very well that the Money which will be then in his Hand will not be sufficient without the Value of the Silver Therefore I must again desire you will be so Obliging as let me know as soon as Possable what I must do with the Bullion Immediately after my being at NCastle will let you know what Lead is sold & the Time the Money is to be paid & then I hope that we will be enabled to fix the Time of making the Alston Moor Pays I hope all the Ore we have at Stanhope Mill will be got Smelted against the middle of January if we are not prevented by frost after the Ore is all Smelted we shall be enabled to know the value of the Sundry ores better than ever before.

      I am &ca Jona Hilton