Letter – Joseph Richmond to Nicholas Halhead – 2 Sep 1760

To Mr Nich Halhead at Auckland Castle 2nd Sept 1760



Sir

    As it was agreed between us that my giving an answer in writing to the paper you delivered one would only be attended with replications and prolong the matters being br[ough]t to a conclusion, I have according to your desire sent you inclosed the particulars of the estimate delivered by Sir Wr Blackett to my Lord Bishop as taken from the quarterly acct or pay bills that any person may examine that his Ldshp shall please to appoint.

    Since I had the pleasure of seeing you at Newcastle I have accidentally met with a copy of an old lease granted the Moormaster in 1641 in which it is mencond that he had a power to sink work and in any place within or thro' the 2 parishes of Stanhope and Wolsingham, so it be not in any man's several or inclosed Ground, which seems to infer that common pastures are held under the moor master lease. And on further inspection the quarterly accots or paybills I find that 12d a bing estimated for the charge of wood and contingencies is far short of what has been the real expense.    As to the fifth part of the ore being deducted, it is hoped that his Lrdsp will think it right, as Sir Wr Blackett holds it of his Ldsp and the Rector of Stanhope by composition and if the composn had not been accepted when his Ldsp came to the See of Durham I can with truth say no more co[oul]d have been given by Sir Wr Blackett and the winning of the Slitt Grove wo[oul]d not have been attempted, for it is the having the dues under composition that it is the encouragemt to make expensive Tryal, of which few are attended with success. It must be granted that Sir Wr has gained by the composition but if his Ldsp was sensible of the small profits he makes by Weardale mines with all the advantage of the composn he would think him well intitled to it, for laying out 8 or £9000 a year as it appears in some years he has not made 5 p.cent of his money. As for the computation of the profits being made for 30 years it was believed hid Ldsp wo[ul]d be desirous to have the annual value brought to as great a certainty as could be in order to <settle> the fine on equal terms as lead mines are of so uncertain a Nture. And as to the future success it must be owned to be very precarious. You now know, or may know, all that is in my power today before his Ldsp for his consideration. I am etc JR



[margin note near top of letter]  at Sanderson's lease of the mines in the inclosures