Letter – Thomas Richard Beaumont to Mark Skelton – 18 Jun 1793

										Tynemouth

										June 18th  93

Dear Skelton,

I wrote to you this day and enclosed the papers you sent executed. In conversation with Mr. Blackett, I find he only offered to sale 15,000 Pieces, and only sold to Kit Black 5000 Pieces – I cannot get any explanation about accounts from him or Straker, You had better write yourself without mentioning my Name, as wishing to know how the Accounts stand, and as he well knows you are empowered by us to act, you can explain what you wish in such a manner they must answer as you want. I am <tender> on the Subject, as it is evident to everyone he is low spirited, and does not want to have things settled – he says lead falls in price, & no demand, but when they talk about Lead at the Change, they want longer credits & lower price – there is a test of Silver to be taken off at Bladon Mills, Mr. Mulcaster sent me word, it is to be on Friday next. Mr. B – says the last was only 5.5d - & falling – I wish you would enquire the London price for Virgin Silver, for it is very likely as the same people have always had our Silver, they may want to make a job – Lead & Silver will never pay us at this rate, with Long Bills – I wish you could come over here – if Silver falls at the rate mentioned it will never pay for the smelting – I saw the other day at Bladon that several pigs of Lead had been cut, they all ways leave this lead upon the road, by which means any persons, which is the custom, cut any thing off they may want, and the carriers leave their loads as they think proper. <Query> was I to build a place round with a high wall & a house near it, or something to secure the lead when left, would it pay, as Several pigs are lost in a Year, and could not every person who carries lead be obliged to lay it in the same place, if nearly centrical? Are the people carriers responsible – I wish you could contrive it so, as to come over, about the latter end of July or beginning of August & then you can settle with them here, & come to us at Hexham – I think you will find there will be something about the enclosure, will call your attendance, & the Boundaries Bell mentioned have not I think been rode. – do contrive about coming here, and then we shall know by that time what Mr. Fearne says. I will send Mr. Williamson’s opinion when I get it – I hope you will settle with Lee & Louisa about their Money on the 24th inst. – as I would not have them to be a day without being settled with – she will want her Money, & you will know what he wants – either to have his Money or to pay what he owes us, because if we don’t mention to them that either we make the payment of the Half Years income, or make some agreement of settlement, they will never forgive our inattention & will always talk of it - & it would never do for us in the situation we stand with them, to give any opportunity of saying we were behind in payments, and especially as Lee wished to come to some settlement about the House, they are very much hurt about this last Business, & would be glad to lay hold of any <pretence> therefore we must not lay ourselves open, as he wrote to you about the purchase of the <Estate> might be settled. – I find they will not come to us since this last Business has happened she seems very anxious but the Family will not allow of it. <Wm> is gone over to Cockshutt to talk to him about it. I hope Louisa’s income will not be stopped, as it will only incur more expense – we have obtained now all we want on that <.....> -

I am Dear Sk[elton] Yours most sincerely

Tho. Rd. Beaumont –



N.B.

In a letter from <Hebden> of Leeds he requests my attendance at Wakefield on the 24th inst. on Canal Business at 11 o-Clock in the forenoon at the White Hart – his Letter is dated the 14th inst.