Letter – Joseph Richmond to Lancelot Allgood – 20 Feb 1731

To Lancelot Allgood Esqr.			Newcastle 20th Febry 1730,

Sir

      I have your Lre [letter] of the 9th wherein you are pleas’d to say you have clos’d an agreement with Col. Liddle. I shall be glad to know upon what Terms, & whether Mr. Blackett is the Purchaser of Kenton, for wee have it variously reported, The favour of a Line concerning your Article with Mr. Blackett will also be very acceptable.

      The Lead trade is at present very dull, & the price abt. £14. I hope it will advance with the Spring, but if Affairs won’t allow of waiting that Markett, I shall sell for the best price I can get, if that comodity fall under £14. I do assure you, you will find it expedient to Lessen the workings on Weardale, for the oar got in these groves come so dear, that when the Rents are laid on, they will not turn to any Accot. even at that price, pray has there been any treaty wth. the new Bishop for those groves

      The low price of corn will certainly break half our Tenants, severall of them are greatly behind hand, as you will observe by the within accot. of Arrears, what shall I do with <Parc[eva]l?> Hindmarsh one of the Rothley  tenants who now owes three half Years Rent, & will I am Confident be in a worse condition if further Indulged. 

      Wee have at Blaydon 2100 ps Lead and in the Chest £1800 the  Debts in Town are about £1100 a small part of wch. will be not in till trade comes on by that you’ll perceive how farr I am able to answr. your occasions for money,

      I have made some further enquiry into the Coal measure & find <two/240> corves of <15 peks> each, or 22 wagg.n of 19 [?] <Covs> each is usually reckon’d to a X  and that such X will yeild about 17 Newcastle Chaldrons.

      William Robson tells me that Stephenson plows where he will, will not be stopt by anybody & that he has allready greatly Impoverish his farm, wth. Intention of going off at 3yrs. end, when heel leave it £30 a year worse.

      I have obtain’d an ordr. for the inlargeing the key at Blaydon, to wch. the lead Keels can’t now come but at spring tides, This being the proper Season, wait your Order for beginning it. The charge will be about Sixty <po[un]d>. I have sent Mrs Pye  the Guinea you ordered. With my Service to Mr. Allgood I am

      JR



Kenton                       Mayday 1730 Arrears

Dodds & Atkinson             £55 are poor and have not Stock to 

                             manadge their farm

William Selby                50



Wallington			

Thomas Anderson              14

William Winship              4.4.0

William Spearman             20.12.6

<Parcl> Hindmarsh            20.12.6  ..a year’s rental at

                             Mayday has no stock to answer it

Jo. Winship                  14 

Esther Coxon                 25…..

George Hall                  4

Isab <Wanlass>               5

John Story                   5.5.0

                             Qu: what arrears to Mr. Hunter

William Cook Hawick          20.0.0  goes off at Mayday next, 

                             one Robinson a Tenant of Mr.                

                             Ainesly has taken his farm for 

                             the next Year

Edwd Hedley                  5.         

William. Cook                3.15

Jno Atkinson Kearsley Collry 10

Margaret Dixon Fenwick       52.10

Jno Cook                     23.10