Journal entry – John Grey – 30 Jun 1834

Monday 30th June 1834



       Being Quarter day, inclosed the several claimants Cheques for their Salaries & Pensions.  A discovery was made some days ago that about 28 outside Deals which had been sawn from the Trees cut in Whittle Dean for flooring in the Public House at Throckley, had been stolen.  There seemed some reason to suspect a Person call Bell at Ovington, & I even heard that they would be found in a certain out House belonging to him.  I sent Mr Parkin early on Friday morning, who examined the out House in the Field, but they had been removed, if they were ever there, nor could he find any trace of them.  In Woods so widely squandered many of them difficult to access, I fear we are liable to greater depredations in this way than I am not always informed of.  And as it was certain in this case that the Articles have been taken away, I determined to take all the means in my power to discover & punish the Offenders.  I therefore went to the place today, where however I could get no tangible proof, but proceeded to Throckley where the Workmen are employed who cut the Wood, & from whom the suspicion of Bell originated.  I could only make out of one, that another person had accused Bell of having it, & from another, that it was said, he had had it in the out House & removed it on finding that it had been missed from the Wood.  Hearing however that a person named Carr had been heard to say that he had seen some deals carried off, I rode around to find him, but did not succeed, as he was working at a distance, I shall however send Mr Hunt in search of him tomorrow, and finding him shall offer a reward of £10 for the discovery.    The outside Slabs stolen, are of small value, but I understand that two Trees were carried off from that same Wood a year ago,& no inquiry made.  And to pass such things over, is to encourage theft.  Being at Throckley, I staid till evening, examining the state of the farms & plantations, while Mr Hunt took down the tillage.  Visited the Colliery, where they are producing little Coal, but have got some Iron Stone of good quality, which will be purchased by the Iron Works Company at Lemington.  When Mr Forster comes to view the Collieries he must fix the proportion of value which the Hospital should receive as rent upon this Stone.  I examined the Mill Dam & proposed to allow £2.10.0 as being about half the expense of repairing and cleaning it out, if the Miller would do the rest.  It is a poor Mill & does little business. 

       Received a Letter from Mr Sample, late Bailiff, which I forward in testimony of Mr Hoopers intention respecting the reduction of Dodds Rent, which I doubt not is quite correct. 

       Received also an offer from the Saw Mill Lessees of £10 a year for 61 Years, for the two Acres of Land by the Rail way, on a Building Lease.  The Land is gravelly & not worth £5 a year to farm, but its value is enhanced by its situation.  I consider the offer a fair one, as they leave all buildings at the end without compensation if accepted, there ought to be a Lease regularly drawn of which they should pay the Stamps, binding them to leave as well as maintain the fences, buildings etc in good order.