Letter – Joseph Richmond to Isaac Hunter – 21 Mar 1760

To Mr Isaac Hunter at Dukesfield 21st March 1760

Sir

I desire to know in what forwardness you are for the Mils pay, wch I want to have made as soon as possible. To pray hasten the quart accts. Rental and paybill without loss of time. I return you John Lee's acct according to your desire, he has been here half drunk, but says he is determined to live a sober life for the future and to attend his business very punctually but I have no faith that he will keep that resolution. He told me the reason he put Jan[ua]ry's Smelting into the Dec quarter was occasioned by the order to keep that Qua[rter]s acct open as long as he co[ul]d and he did not perceive anything amiss in doing it as it was only getting the smelters their money the sooner. But this practice is deceiving us in settling the stock at Xmas 563 p[iece]s of lead and would make his management in the produce just so much the better. In the last year near 6 bings of oar has produced only a fother of lead wch can be occasioned only by his mismanagement, considering the quality of oar from last y[ea]r to Allanheads Mil. In my Lre to you 13 April 1757 I complained of his conduct and desire you to inspect him narrowly, but in all your Lres you rather wrote in his favour tho I am informed that he has been idling and drinking in Hexham and that neighbourhood for ten days together wch I wonder you should take no notice of. Sir Wr will be going to London in ten days time and I am ordered to desire you answer within that time whether you think it is his intrst to continue and try John Lee any longer and if not who you think the properest person to succeed him. There has been application made for a son of Ant Watson a smelter at Acton Mil who I know nothing of and John Bowman spoke to me to recommend him if Lee be discharged. I do not at all question his intelligence but what is your opinion for you must be a much better judge than I can be who is the fittest person for that station. I dare say Sir Wr would be unwilling to discharge John Lee if there were any hope of his reformation. I am etc JR 

NB Mr Hunter refuses to give any answ, only send John Lee letter to him wch is upon the report file



[Written vertically in the margin of the above]

NB I acquainted Sir Walter these Lres and Mr Hunters answer inclosing Lees letter but he did not give me any directions about Lee tho I told him the loss he had by his negligence.