Letter – Joseph Richmond to Walter Blackett – 13 Jan 1761

To Sir Wr Blackett Bt. M.P. to be left at the Cocoa tree in Pallmall London                  [Newcastle] 13th January 1761

Hon[ou]rd Sir   I was in hopes to have made a pay in Weardale this Spring for your own mines there being a year due at Chr[ist]mas, but I find I cannot accomplish it. As for the <ye> p[ar]tners[hi]p mines, there are 2 years due, wch looks badly, but if I had the money I could not pay them, without Mr Bacon; who I do not find makes any preparation tow[ar]d it. I have given notice to pay the Leadmil[l]s, & Allanheads & Coalcleugh mines in March, as soon as the stewards can get ready with their Accts. , wch I expect will amount to between 7 & 8000 £. & I hope in March shall be able to remit you £ 500 at the same time I send you the £600 you ordered before, so think you need not borrow it. The int[e]r[es]t & other payments with the deficiency in the paym[en]t of the rents seem so high, & the price of Lead still so low, <the> I am obliged to sell, that matters are hardly kept a going. You have 10000 p[iece]s of Lead at Blaydon, & I should be glad to know, whether there are any hopes of a peace this spring; for the price at present is only £12.5s.0d for the common sort & 12.10.0 a foth[e]r for the refined; little more than it costs you when all the expensive tryals are bro[ugh]t to accot. When two pipes of wine arrive I sall send one of them with your Lre to Mr Collingwood, & will order in a pipe f[ro]m Mr Stephenson agreeable to your directions. Sir Thos friends now give out that he has got promises of 856 single & 550 split votes, that he will certainly stand the poll & offer wages that he will be returned one of the members; but I hope it is all puff & that he will be mistaken as much as he was before; however he continues taking a deal of pains; for with half a score of his friends he went again yesterday abt. this town; but I am satisfied they have not got a man by it.

I am much rejoiced by a Lre wrote Mr Thos Airey f[ro]m Bath, that you are in good spirits & look perfectly well; the long continuance of wch is the fervent wish of   etc    JR



Thos. Thompson of E[as]t Ord is in Arrear £411 due at May day last his rent 180 <g> a year

Mr Anderson of Unthank is in arr[ear] £165 due at May day last     his rent 110 <g> a year

Mr Moraley of Kirkheaton do           £119 due ditto                    his rent £46 a year

Mr Moraley jnr Ditto                  £ 78 due  ditto                    his rent £22 a year



As Mr Fawcett gave his opinion, that if an heir at Law should recover Kirkheaton Estate you would be obliged to make good any Loss that should happen by too much forbearance you ordered Mr Robson to distrain last year, but it is not yet done.

There will be a Loss by Wm. Pickering & Thos. Robson

The Hexham tenants are many of them greatly in arrear.