Journal entry – John Grey – 8 May 1834

Thursday 8th May



       Had another early visit from poor old Thorburn, informing me that in his absence yesterday, the Sheriffs Officer had attached his Goods & anticipated my warrant of Distress.  Showing me an Inventory & valuation of the Stock, to prove that it was sufficient to defray his Debts & indemnify the Hospital, as well as to leave a surplus for him to continue the Farm of Gairshield with.   I could not however act upon this representation so far as so allow of any part of the Stock being sold by the Creditor without first claiming the settlement of our Arrears & Rent up to last Martinmas, on account of which & the regular Notice of demand, were given to the Officer in possession of the Stock.  As the Sale was under execution by the Sherriffs Warrant, may be made in three days after the seizure, & if not previously compromised will take place on Saturday, we cannot unfortunately include in our demand the rent for the present half year, which only becomes due on Monday next, & for which we may have no security save the ensuing Crops of Corn, should the Stock turn to bad account, as is likely on such short notice of Sale.  

       Mr Barwick, Surgeon in Haydon Bridge, who has succeeded Mr Hutchinson in the occupation of his house & part of Mrs Routledges Garden & Field, came to complain that the contumacious Lady will not allow him to put a Spade into the half of the Garden now attached to his house, but had removed some fruit trees out of it.  And that she had disposed of the Hay grown upon the Hospitals Field to her brother, Mr Todd who is a Tenant of the Hospital at Tofts, without leaving him a particle of Manure instead.  That on his remonstrating with Todd about removing the Hay contrary to Mr Hunts promise to him unless an equivalent quantity of Manure should be restored, & on fastening the Gate against him, he took a Saw & cut it down in the middle.  It is the Hospitals Gate of course.  

       I did not proceed to act upon this ex parté statement but promised to investigate the matter on the spot, on saturday first.  Mrs Routledge has the character of being a quarrelsome & most unaccommodating person, whose removal would be blessing to the neighbours and her brother is somewhat of her disposition, accompanied by extreme greediness.  I shall not soon forget the specious pretexts with which he attempted to induce me to grant him permission to plough an old Grass Field on his Farm, but which he gave up the moment I said that I should first examine it, well knowing that I shd at once see, as was the fact, that it would be a very great injury to the Farm, & could only be proposed with a view of obtaining an advantageous Crop or two, & then giving up the Lease.    Rode out to see a boundary fence between the Dilston Estate & the Duke of Northumberland’s to the West, which is in great need of repair, it is said to belong to the Hospital, as I think be some management or other nearly all the boundary fences & boundary roads do.