Letter – Robert Hodgson to John Cleaver – 31 Jul 1784

To the Revd. Mr. J. Cleaver Malton Yorkshire



To the Revd. Mr. Cleaver 					Alstone 31st July 1784

I rec’d yours on the 8th Inst & wrote you the day following. I expected an answer ere this. Mr. Gilbert came here on the 14th Inst. the next morning by chance I met with him and had long conversation relative to the Lead mines &c with which he was well pleased, and said he would be glad to see me at any opportunity; I told him there was a probality I might be concerned with him in the Leadmines here having had a Letter of late from you desiring that I would attend your affairs in this Country; he said he would be happy to hear of that taking place & wished we had had an earlier connection. On Wednesday last was the pay day, I was sent for in the morning to Nentsberry, when I informed him I expected another Letter from you very soon in answer to one I sent you. I shewed him a part of your Letter respecting Mr. Hutchinson, he asked if Hutchinson was informed of it I told him not that I knew of Mr. Gilbert immediately called Mr. Hutchinson into the Room and told him you had appointed me to transact your afairs at Greengill &c he not giving any Satisfactory acct to you concerning the Leadmines, nay not even answering your Letters. Hutchinson’s answers were Evasive, having appointed his Son and he had caused the neglect. Yesterday I was in Greengill Leadmine and have fixed on a plan to sink into the Great Limestone which has Mr. Gilbert’s approbation. They had begun a sump & sunk 4 or 5 fathoms on the north side of the Vein, which Mr. Gilbert is now satisfied to be wrong. Mr. Hilton sunk on the Sun Side of the Vein into the Coal Sills, if he had sunk on into the Great Lime and then cut cross to the Vein in all probality it would have answered if the Limestone took the water, if not they would have seen into the Vein, but instead of his sinking he cut cross to the Vein on the Coal Sill & loosed some water which occasioned them to give it up. If we find the water over heavy to sink with we will use Endeavours to force it back in the Crosscut that Mr. Hilton cut, if that cannot be done we intend to sink another Sump near the old one on the Sun side of the Vein. I have not had an opportunity of being in any other part of Greengill or at Tynebottom, but Mr. Gilbert has given me an Invitation. I have not yet settled with Mr. Hutchinson, he paid ¼ of the paybill & I expect there will be £22.3 in his Hand on the last year’s acct. How matters were before I have not yet found out; so soon as I can get his acct settled I will send you it and a further state of the Mines with other Matters relative.

P.S. You would receive my last wrote by myself this is my Son’s who usually writes for me.

R H