Letters – John Erasmus Blackett to Thomas Richard Beaumont – 15 Jan 1797

Thos Rd Beaumont Esqr                                                               Newcastle    15th Jany 1797

M.P.       Portman square London



Dr Sir!	I am favored with your Lre of the 12th and am glad to hear that Mrs Beaumont & her young family arrived safe and well in Town, I hope they may continue so.  I observe by the letter of Mess Surtees, Burdon & Co (which you enclosed) that the Ballance of Cash against you is £21,000 which I am concerned to find, and in the present state of the Lead trade, I am quite at a loss to say, when, & in what manner the Lead Pays are to be made; Mr Burdon called on me on friday morning, but I was gone to Winlaton on your concerns & did not see him; in a letter from him yesterday he desires that I would have a conference with Mr J Surtees on the business, which I shall tomorrow.  Mr C Blackett’s friends in London made me an offer a few days since of £15-10s for 4000 Ps Com. Lead & £15 for 1000 Ps Slag Lead payable in nine Months, which I refused, as that long credit cannot be complied with; I offered them the quantity at £16 & £15-15s per For payable in six Months.  I met your Lead Stewards at Hexham last Monday with Subsistance for the Workman amounting £3100 there were no material alteration in the Mines since they were last down.  The loss of Lead stolen on the Road has of late increased to an alarming degree, there was lately ten pieces stolen one night , I had Advertisements dispersed offering a handsome reward on the discovery of the Offences, & used every endeavour for that purpose, but with little or no effect; from some suspicious circumstances Mr Mulcaster had reason to suspect some persons at Winlaton, I went with him to the Justices in Gateshead & on his information being taken they granted a search Warrant, I went with him, Emerson & the Constables early the next morning, We searched several houses, but could not make any discovery, we found two small pans in which Lead had been melted, which tho’ very suspicious as well as a confirmation in our opinion of the guilt of the Person, did not amount to a proof.  I observe what you say as to Mr Newton, and the building going on at the Abbey, & I shall on tuesday have some conversation with him on those matters, I do not see the necessity of his Son going there so frequently as Mr Bell mentions, and when he is there he should be more explicit with the Masons, particularly with Mr Johnson the Mason; but he leaves them too much in the dark, as to his Plan;  The front to the West was got up the first Story but there was a Balk across each bow window that I did not approve of, which appeared to me would reduce the height below the Bow, near a foot; I shall talk to Mr Newton about it;  It appears to me that it will be necessary that Money should be advanced towards Workmens Wages, the purchase of lime, Slates, & some Iron work, as well as carriage but I do not see the necessity of any further advance at present.  Mr Pearson informed me that Mr Wilson of Pomfret has thoughts of disposing the House & Office that you rent in Westgate, & that in a few days he would let me know the price that he set on it; you pay £36 per Ann & at the death of the late Mr W Wilson Mr Geo Anderson was desired by his Executrs to set a value on the House; which I believe was £600 or 600 Guineas should that price be fixed? I think that you should purchase it.

                                                                        I am etc   J.E.B