Letter – Nicholas Walton to William Corbett – 19 Jan 1744

To Wm Corbett.                 				Ravensworth Castle January the 19th 1743/4



Sir

       In Answer to your Letter of the 8th of December last relating to Peatstack Hill being Advertized we have Inclos’d Sent you an Advertizement agreeable to the Moor masters Report at Christmas last ; in which you will be pleased to observe Peatstackhill is not Comprehended not having yett been given up by the Execrs of Geo Liddell Esq and Partners.  We would have sent this Advertismt Sooner but waited for the Moormasters Acct which he Could not Sooner Send by reason of the delay in Settling the Accts of the Lead ore dues, with Lead Compy Agent; which we Send you a Copy of Corresponding with the Abstract of the Moor Masters Reports Except a Small matter which the Execs of Geo Liddell Esq & Prtners are to Acct for; as you will be pleased to observe by Comparing the Abstract Sent you herewith with the Moormasters Reports formerly Sent you and those you will receive this post.   We have Inserted the Limestone Quarrys at Scremerston to be Lett which we Apprehend may be done to advantage without putting the Hospitall to any Expense & when the Board have approved the Advertizemt it will be proper to insert it in the Newcastle Papers in which we will wait their Orders.

       Since we received yours in regard to Throckley Colliery Wm Brown has amended his proposal Five pounds P Ann. on Lease for 21 years, So that he now Offers Forty pounds P Ann. and Twelve Shills P Tonn for all Coales that Shall be Water bore And as we have reced no other proposalls nor Expect none further we think the Colliery sh’d be Confirm’d to Wm Brown unless any better Offers have been made to you.

       In Answer to the Boards Minute of the 6th of December last we have Examin’d as narrowly as we can in to the Cause of Berwick Hill Coll being Sett to work and Cannot find any Collusive managemt between Mr Armorer and Mr Stokoe but that it was Intirely Ow’d to the water draining thro’ the Strata from Berwick Hill by means of the Winn[in]g at Scremerston which Mr Stokoe Could no way avoid.   And we realy think the Hospitall should allow Mr Stokoe the difference between £220 P Ann he agreed to pay ano £125 P Ann which the Colly is now Lett for but as we offer this only as our Opinion, we begg Leave to Submitt to the Boards Consideration and we are 

       Sir Your most Obed Servts

       N Walton H Boag



[There follow several tables of Alston Mines employees and mines at work available as a separate spreadsheet TNA 66 107 Alston Moor dues tables, tabs covering March to Dec 1743, together with tables calculating financial value of dues between Sept 1741 and Sept 1743]