Letter – Nicholas Walton to John Ibbetson – 5 Sep 1778

To John Ibbetson Esquire 				Farnacres 5th September 1778



Sir

      Having got from Mr Hilton a State of his Debts, we are astonished to find they (exclusive of £264:6 – due to his Father which he remits) amount to upwards of £1200 – about £150 of which is for Liquor & Victuals given by him to the Hospitals Workmen, at various times without any order from the Receivers or their having the least knowledge or Idea thereof.  He has already been in the hands of a Bailiff, and his Creditors are looking upon him, so that there seems no Possibility of his being in a Capacity of acting for the Hospital and we are of opinion if they were even to accept of a small Composition for their Debts it would by no means be proper to make a further tryal as his Neglects have been so great respecting the Ore Accounts as to be very inexcusable, and his imprudence & inattention to the Works at Low byer, such as to occasion a considerable additional Expence, all which we beg leave to assure the Board gives us real & very great Concern, at the same time we must observe to the Directors that it cannot but be owned Mr Hiltons Abilities have been exerted much to the Improvement of the  Hospitals Mineral Concerns and we therefore feel with the utmost regret that a Person so extremely well qualified to serve the Hospital & in whom there was so much Confidence placed should abuse that Confidence and so far neglect his Duty & himself as to be under the Circumstances he now is.

      The Board will be pleased to give us Directions as early as possible with regard to the above, and in the mean time we shall get Mr Jonathan Hilton late Moormaster, & Father to Mr Josh Hilton to take care of the Business & whose Attention we doubt not.

      The whole of the Duty Ore having been sold & all Arrears delivered to Michaelmas 1767 since which the Dues have been smelted at Langley Mill, the several Ore Accounts have been brought forward from that time to Midsummer last taking in a Period of 10¾ Years and we now inclose you the Reports for one Year to Midsummer last which is all that are in Arrear & we flatter ourselves there will not be any loss in the Arrears of Duty Ore none of which are of consequence except those mentioned in our Letter of the 14th Ultimo.

      The Tenants of Scremerston having been called upon by Process from the Crown to make good their Proportion of a deficiency which happened in the Payment of the Land Tax for the Parish of Ancroft in the Year 1749 they were obliged to pay the same together with the Charges of the Extent amounting to £35:1:8 which we allowed them last Receipt as will be seen in our June Cash Account & we doubt not this will meet with the Boards Approbation, the like Allowances having been made by the other Owners of Estates in the Parish of Ancroft. 

      Robert Dickinson the Tenant of Keswick Tolls still complaining of Difficulties in the collecting of them, we should be glad to receive the Boards Directions herein.

      You receive herewith our Cash Account for the Month of July on which there is a Balance of £1130:19:7½ in favor of Greenwich Hospital, as also our Contingent Account for three Months ending the 31st May last amounting to £82.2.2 & two Proposals for Lead Mines all which you will be pleased to lay before the Board & to acquaint the Directors we have remitted the Treasurers Deputy Mr Edward Boxley Bills to the Amount of £1500.  We are

      Sir Your etc

      NW Junior  J.C.T.  





Contingent Payments made on Account of the Derwentwater Estate from 28th February to and with 31st May 1778 as follows

1778

Mar 13 Paid Mr John Smeaton for Blocks and Sheaves for

         the Ore Crane at Langley Mill                    £-  8  6

Apr 30 Paid Mr Joice for Trees Planted at Newtonhall          8  9

       Paid Ditto for Trees Planted at Whittle             9 15  6

       Paid Ditto for Trees Planted at Thornbrough         7 12  6

       Paid Ditto for Trees planted at Dilston             8  4  3

       Paid Wilson & Co Coles and Evans (the 25th Inst) 

         For Parchment for Plans of the several Farms in 

         The Derwentwater Estate to annex to the Leases   10  2  6

       Pd Expences of N Walton Jnr going to and in London 

         attending Parliament & Returning from thence     30  3  9 1/2

May 13 Pd John Robson and others for Carriage of Materials

         For Rebuilding a Byer & Cottage at Harsondale    13 15  9 1/2

       Paid Thomas Robson for Carriage of Tiles from 

         Harsondale to Langley Mill                        -  8  -

       Pd Mr Peter Mulcaster for Stakes &c for marking 

         Out the Track of the Alston Turnpike Road         -  3  1

    20 Pd Mr Nicholas Chancer for making an Estimate for

         a Sett of Housing at Newlands                     - 10  6

    30 Pd John Bell for a Box for the Plans of the Manor

         of Alston Moor                                    -  8  -

       Pd Matthew Walton for Glazing the Chancel Windows

         at Alston                                         -  1  -

                                                        £ 82  2  2

Farnacres 5th September 1778

Errors Excepted

NW Junior JCT