Letter – Henry Richmond to Walter Blackett – 27 Jan 1761

To Sir Wr Blackett Bt. M.P.at his ho[me] in Charles Street near St. James’s Square London                                          Newcastle 27th January 1761

Hon. Sir    The obstacles in the way of renewing the Lease for years with the B[isho]p arise from Mr Halheads objections to three articles in the accot. of the profit you have made by that Lease to wit. to the deducting the ore got in the common pastures, to the deducting a fifth part for the Lot & tithe & to making the computation for 30 years. The reason for deducting the ore got in the common pastures is that the antient moor masters patents ( wch were for one life only) granted all the lead mines in the two parishes of Stanhope & Wolsingham “ so they be not in any mans several “ or inclosed ground” wch reservation related only to Halls Lease afterwards Barb[ar]a Sanderson’s, & was altered, on obtaining the Act for granting the office of moor master for 3 Lives, into an express Exception only of “ certain Lead mines wch were formerly granted to Wm. Hall Esq & afterwards to B[abar]a Sanderson” & this as the only Exception in the present moor ma[ste]rs Lease. Now as the moor ma[ste]r is by his Grant to enjoy his office in as ample a manner as any former moor ma[ste]r ever held the same you have a right to limit Sandersons Lease by that old Exception; & as common pastures cannot be deemed “ any mans several or “ inclosed ground” any more than the wastes themselves can be, many of which are appropriated to Towns[hi]ps as well as these large out pastures, they undoubtedly, I think, belong to the moor ma[ster]s Lease. And the more so as it can be shewn that Mr Wharton wro[ugh]t in & let Leases of sev[era]l of these common pastures only as moor ma[ste]r. 

The reason for deducting 1/5 for the Lot & tithe was that, those dues were yours independently of the Lease for years, namely by the composition, wch wo[ul]d have intitled you to have taken them during the B[isho]ps & the Rectors Lives, whoever might be the Lesse of the mines. The B[isho]p therefore having an Equivalent for his Lot & that under a distinct contract/ a copy of wch is herewith inclosed/ cannot equitably require of you how to pay a Fine for the advantage you may have made by that contract, especially when it is considered that you might have suffered a loss by it if the mines had not been good. Yet this is what Mr Halhead requires of you, because he says you got the better of his Lords[hi]p in making the composition. As to his objection to making the computation for 30 years, I was in hopes of obviating that, by making it only the 14 years elapsed of the Lease, as in the inclosed accot.; But when I saw him it at Durham he told me that wo[ul]d not do neither. So that I imagine he wants to have the computation made just for the 4 best years after the Slitt Grove was won! A thing very unreasonable in my opinion. While his Lords[hi]p insists on your giving up the two first articles, & no medium can be found for the third I do not see what you can do. To offer any sum till his L[or]ds[hi]p sets a Fine, wo[ul]d answer no good purpose I apprehend; & to give up the common pastures, or suffer the least alteration to be made in the Lease for years might render the Lease for Lives scarce worth renewing.

Inclosed I have returned Mr Westgarths Letter; what he proposes abo[u]t your joining the Gentlemen of Newlandside in order to reduce to reason the person who is engrossing so large a part of Bollyhope Fell, may deserve your concurrence in proportion to your Estate at Woodcroft. But as to his complaint abo[u]t the mil[l] smoke or his Expedients of selling you his Estate, or your letting Harrison have the taking Mr Hutchinsos farm in his own name, it will be better, if you please, to write him you will consider of them, when you come into the country. The direction to him is To John Westgarth Esq at Unthank near Stanhope in Weardale by Durham. I have given directions as you ordered about Mr Crowhall & John Lee. 

I sent on Saturday last by Mrs Lee’s waggon, the box of linen etc; there is in it a shagrene case containing a pair silver buckles, a diamond ring, & a pair of Gold sleeve buttons; but the box of jewels etc, wch you mentioned sending at the same time, I think you lock’d up in the dressing room. I shall send the key of this box in the waistcoat pocket of Jo’s Livery, wch I expect here for Wallington on Fryday & shall forward by the coach. I have given Mr Gibson the 20 guineas you ordered for Mr Eden.

I hear nothing but that the business of the Corporation proceeds in a direct & even channel. Sir Thos. Clavering’s friends are much displeased at Mr Vanes & Mr Shaftos new advertisement; because it seems to question the very great Encouragement he says he has met with. There is no abatement in the health of any of your friends, that I have discovered, since you left this place, the Improvement in your own is a satisfaction to them all. It is a very great happiness to Hon[ou]rd Sir  your faithf[ul]l & most obed[ien]t serv[an]t 

                                                                              Hen Richmond