Letters – Joseph Richmond to Walter Blackett – 10 Mar 1733

To Wr. Blackett Esqr.                        Newcastle March 10th 1732/3



Hon[ou]rd Sir

Mr Wilkinson has half of Fellon Coll[ie]ry 1/8 in his own right & 3/8 he Leases of Mr. Ald[er]man Clayton, & Mr Jos: Leedger of which Lease he has about 5 y[ea]rs to runn, Mr Clayton & Mr Leedger have a Tack from Mr Wilkinson of some ground to the rise of the Coll[ie]ry, which they work for Land sale, they pay you & Mr Wilkinson 3s. 4d for what they work, but they let the same Tack to others for about £45 a year clear profit as I am well informed, half of which is your Right, Mr Wilkinson being desirous of renewing with them, they Insist upon it as a Preliminary that they shall have their old Tack renewed at the same Rent of 3s. 4d a Tenn, with a considerable valueable addition of Ground, but Mr Wilkinson who wont purchase his own Intrest at the Expence of yours tells them he will renew their Lease as farr as he is concerned, (i.e) for his half of the Coll[ie]ry, but as to the other half they must treat with you for it. Mr Clayton & Mr Leedger were with me some weeks agoe about it, protested they made no more than about 5s. a year a piece by it, & desired I would press the thing to you to acquiesce with what Mr Wilkinson did for his part, but I referred them to your coming into the Country telling them that if it was a matter of no more Consequences than they alledged I did believe you would submit to their desires. I hear this day that Mr Clayton sett forwards yesterday for London, & as Mr Wilkinson & my self are apprehensive he will attack you <in> this <Quar> I thought it my Duty to mention it. The best Answer you can give him is to refer the matter till you come down having rece[ive]d no advise of it, if he press you to submit to what Mr Wilkinson does it is unfair, for Mr Wilkinson is obliged to comply to get his own Lease renewed, but your Right is free, & whatever Mr Clayton & Mr Leedger let the Land sale Coll[ie]ry <for>, the half of it is your Right if you please to joyn with them otherwise you can work her or let her as you please your self & either way she will yield you <£> 25 or 30 pr year. Mr Clayton is mostly Mr Mayors humble servant, he & his Bro.r Sorsbie were the only Magistrates who Confederated with the Mayor in making his Son an Ald[erma]n, but I must not forbear doing <Mr An. …> Justice to say he <dictates> he & his five sons at your Service the next Occasion, I am etc   JR