Letters – Westgarth Forster to John Erasmus Blackett – 7 Nov 1794

A[llen]heads Nov 7th 1794



Sir

      The time of our being down at Newcastle for the subsistance for the Workmen at Allenheads will be on Monday the Seventeenth of this month, when I shall wait upon you on Tuesday when most convenient to you, the sum wanted will be £600 for the subsistance and wood payments against that time.

      My nephew John Forster who lives at Wolfcleugh and has a small farm there, and he and his late father Delivered the Gunpowder and Candle there for this 19 years & looked to the washing and delivery of the ore, he is a very fine young Man between Twenty and Thirty years of age has got a wife and lives upon place, he is both a joiner and Engine Wright and knows the Mines very well I was desired to bring hime up in that way by the late Sir Thos Blackett Bart and he always goes throw the mines with me or my son and such a person you should not loose, he never had any thing but 14£ per year which was allowed by Sir Walter Balckett Bart, but I allowed him the Drawing of the work for the Workmen with two horses which made it something worth his while, should he take it as a most particular favour that you would continue him in the same for Mr Emmerson must have one as he lives at greater distance from te works than I do and it will be highly necessary to have one upon the place and one who knows his Bussiness, as to me I never had one sixpense for Directing the works at Wolfcleugh but gave up the horses so as to have a person that I could confide in constantly upon the place.

      I am Sir yr, most Obt hbl Svt

      Westgarth Forster.