Letters – Joseph Richmond to Walter Blackett – 6 Dec 1757

To Sir Wr. Blackett Bt. MP. at his house in St james's Street London

Newcastle 6 Dec 1757

Hon. Sir

	Inclosed is Peareth & Sorsbie's bill on Freeman & Stainbanks for £300 wch I desire you will please to advise the receipt of.

	Mr Silvertop says he took your 1/2 of Garesfield farm of me at £5 a y[ea]r advance. The truth is as follows. That when the other tenants at Winlaton were advanced f[ro]m Mayd[a]y 1755 he & I had some talk  on the Exchange ab[ou]t his farm when I told him he ought to pay you £10 a y[ea]r adv[an]ce & th[a]t he then said he wo[ul]d agree to pay you £5 a yr adv[an]ce if he co[ul]d have a lease for the remaind[e]r of the term he had in Sr. E. Blacketts lease, to wch I objected as a thing not in my power, but I did say I wo[ul]d order Mw. Rennison to take the £5 during yo[u]r pleasure, if he wo[ul]d pay it, But last y[ea]r when Rennison called for the rent, the Ans[we]r he rec[eiv]ed f[ro]m Mr Hudson, Mr Silvertop's Steward, was th[a]t his Ma[ste]r  said he wo[ul]d pay no adv[an]ce till he had a lease, so no more than the old rent of £20 was rec[eiv]ed, this Rennison will testify But now when Mr Robson has viewed the farm & finds yo[u]r moiety worth more money Mr Silvertop wo[ul]d take told [sic] of this handle.   We have not got the farm yet surveyd but Mr Robson f[ro]m a transient view thinks yo[u]r moiety worth twenty po[und]s a yr adv[an]ce. I beleive it is true th[a]t Mr Silvertop has greatly improved the farm But he has had it ab[ou]t 25 yrs, time enough to get in all his money with intr[es]t. Sr.Edwds. lease has 10 yrs to go f[ro]m Mayday next at £20 a yr & if you tho[ugh]t proper to take £30 a yr for the time I think it ought to be taken as a favour; for all that has passed between Mr Silvertop & me is out of the question.

	Sir Edwd. has sent Notices to Mrs Robinson & Mrs Cooke, who let out their farms at a considerable adv[an]ce to quit at Mayday next & Mr Robson sent Mr Silvertop the inclosd Notice at the same time wch I tho[ugh]t was right. But as he & I had some word abo[u]t the farm a few days before I did not chuse to beat with him any more about it.

	Mr Scott desires me to send you up the Examinations at Hexham, wch you will receive under three covers by this post & I desire you will please to peruse them & let them be returned to   your  etc   JR

PS. My Lady is not yet determined when she will set forward. - Mr Collingw[oo]d and Mr Fawcet are to make their Award before 23 Jan.





To Messrs Freeman & Stainbanks  Merch[an]ts in London

Newcastle 4 Nov 1757    £300

Forty days after date pay Mr Jospeh Richmond or Order Three hundred ponds the value in acct with Sir Walter Blackett place the same to acct as by advice from  Peareth & Sorsbie.