Letter – Michael Blackett to William Blackett – 26 Feb 1676

Newcastle Feb: 26: 1675/6

Honoured Sir

I have att present onely To advise you of occurrences at the Lead Mines w[hi]ch I shall doe God willing as well as I can, Soe in the first place the Condition of the severall Groves are as follows (vizt) Green Gill Inddiffrent good In two Shafts & they gett some Oare In the third Cole Cleugh Indifrent good In the low bed for the high bed itt hath beene poore this long time but Rich: tells mee hee hath <Dialled [drilled?]> oute a new Shaft, & is come to Indiff[r]ent good Ore In the first <dr> Sinkinge how it may prove hereafter is uncertayne R is allmost out of hope of Bates Hill soe Intends to give it over shortly Wellhope pretty hopefull Reed Groves Inddiffrent good In the low <Sale> but sore troubled with Water there The Slitts very good the Levell very hard butt gett not soe hard as formerly itt hath bene, Edw <Stoute> desires to know as soone as is possible whether you Intend hee should goe to Fallowfeild or stay where hee is hee seemes very willing to <Sturr> upon your order, But Richard thinks that if you continue your resolution of bringinge up a Levell there, there will bee noe greate need of him, but if you will resolve upon making of a Ginn hee thinks his presence There may bee very needfull but I finde by his discourse that except there were a greate neccessity of his goeing hee would not have him to <sturr> pretending hee is very usfull where hee is. all things very well at Mill [Dukesfield]  6 Harth goeinge, 5 Oare harths & one Slagg harth, & <preparations> makeing for 2 harths more here here is there nothing a wantinge butt Smelters, for most you have are either butt indiffrent workmen or Sicke. Fallowfeild workes Continues pretty good







the whole pay comes to as followeth              £668: 1: 3

the heads pay £244:10: 5 1/2 but p[ai]d Richard  £250

Planky pay    £ 80: 6:10 1/2 but p[ai]d Jno      £ 95

out of w[hi]ch hee will pay Wm <Lowe> the £10

p[ai]d att Mill                                  £226: 1: 2

p[ai]d att Fallowfeild                           £ 97:  : 1



                                                 £668: 1: 3



W[hi]ch money you had mad[e] at Duxfeild 103 Fodders Leed and 384 bings Oare brought to that mill as followeth (vizt)

From the heads        78 - 1 horse

From Read Groves      48 -

From Fallowfeild     255 -

From Jeffreys Grove	 002 -

As above             384 - h 	



Besides you have made att planky Mill 45 bing 5 <p[iece]s> Leed @ 112b:2 oare brought to that Mill from the following Groves vizt

From Colecleugh       30b 1h

From the heads        45:

From Reed Groves      37: 1	

                     112: 2	



What ore you have a fore hand is about 100 bings at Slitts 10 bings att Reed Grove, 30 bings att Cole Cleugh 100 bigge [?bings] att Fallowfeild & 4000 bings att Duxfeild Mill att least w[ha]t there is at Planky Mill afore hand Indeed I know nott for to tell you the truth I forgott to aske:  I understand by Jno you have some land att <Mesridgge [Melkridge?]> & Duxfeild without Tenants w[hi]ch hee say hee will be forced to lett much under w[ha]t formerly itt hath beene lett for This is w[ha]t I have learned & the needfull att present, soe praying for your health & happyness & earnestly craveing your blessing I remayne MB