Letter – Thomas Dixon to Thomas Richard Beaumont – 16 Aug 1796

										1796

St. John’s Chapple Weardale Augt. 16



To the Hon. Col. Beaumont M.P. 

The humble Petition of the Committee of Weardale Miners



Sheweth, 

      That your Petitioners did in Novr. last forward a Petition to you which they believe was intercepted by E. Blackett Esqr. Newcastle that your Petitioners have both before and since that time received various insults from your agent at Newhouse and were we to inumerate [sic] all the advantages resulting from the works to the agent and his friends you would really be astonished; Suffice it to say that the Money he receives for one horse employed in drawing the Ore and Strata amounts to the enormous sum of 120£ per Ann and the number of horses employed in the mines at one third less price would afford comfortable livings to Several poor families of which a great many have no employment at present and notwithstanding the exorbitant price of Candles and Gunpowder and other Utensils and Your Petitioners have Candles of an Inferior Quality and on account of the long carriage they are much broke which renders them worse by 2s/6d per Doz. than those of which other Miners use and we are even bereft of the wrappers in which the Barrels are contained for the safety of the Powder and convenience of carriage which wrappers are delivered in <barter> at 8d per Stone to sellers of earthen ware.

      That your petitioners are very assiduous Workmen and not envious of any good to any Man, but at the present juncture are utterly incapable of supporting themselves and families by reason of the low prices given them for working in the lead mines, and when we turn Our eyes to the envious prospect of labours our Brethren in business receiving an advance of prices from the London Co. so far as 35s. to 40s. and upwards per Bing while ours remains parallel with the times when the necessaries of life were not half the value they are now. But at the same time a certainty remains in us that all this is unknown to you whose wisdom and goodness fills us with hope of relief. 

      They therefore humbly pray that you will interpose your authority in their behalf and order them Sufficient wages for their work. And one <guinea> per Month each Man for their present support a pay three months sooner than the wanted time and such treatment as Rational beings are entitled to which they have so long, so often, but in vain expected from the agent here with such regulations as you may think expedient. Then shall the name of Col. Beaumont be recorded in the annals of futurity as the saviour of this oppressed and dwindling Country. The weeping mothers shall suppress their tears and teach their lisping offspring to bless the preserver of their lives, while they themselves invoke the Almighty to shower down innumerable Blessings on the head of their Benefactor and long continue him in that exalted station for which Heaven has selected him to defeat the cruel Designs of unfeeling Individuals.

      And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, shall ever Pray



Edward Byres  John Robson, Thomas Dixon Joseph Warnoth  Thomas White  Cuth Trotter  Joseph Kirk  Ralph Coulthard  Joseph Lonsdale  Cuthbert Fairless  Featherston Brown  Thomas Dawson  George Robinson  John Eggleston  John Forster  Ra Featherston  Wm Fairless  Chris Gowland  Geo Furnace  George Robinson  John <Friend>  Ra Watson  Wm Vickers  Nicholas Whitfield  Thos Emerson  Thos Heatherington  Jos Watson  Jos Gardner  Jno Lonsdale  Isaac  Featherston  Thos Butler  Cuth Nattrass  Thos Rutledge  Thos Featerston  Jno Featherston Anty. Walton  Elisha Teasdale  Jno Kidd  Jno Trotter  Jos Walton  Nicholas Pearson  Titus Craggs  Wm Forster  Wm Brown  Joshua Featherston Milo Briddick  Saml Myers  Wm Blackburn  Cuth Dawson  Jno Watson  Thos Walton  Jos Maddison  Jos Stephenson  Thos Gascoin  Jos Fairless  Geo Watson  Wm Byers  Ralph Walton  Thos Gowland  Jno Maddison  Jno Elliott  <Nath> Race  Jno Teasdale  Nat <Sh>atton Thos Allison  Josh Walton  Josh Nattrass  Josh Heatherengton  Matt Robinson  Jno Stephenson  Nath Walton  Jno Roddam  Thos Nattrass  geo <Scotdale>  Joshua Featherston  Nathan Race  Arch Potts  Jno Furnace  Thos Walton  Geo Brown  Charles Workman  Jas Jackson  Geo Watson  Jno Nattrass  Whitfield Gardener  Josh Wearmouth  Jno Watson  Emerson Walton Wm Watson  Isaac Vickers  Thos Martindale  Jno Mitchel  Geo Field Thos Nattrass Ra Low  Geo Low  Th  Moor  Jno Cain  Jno Nattrass  Thos Brown  Jno Little  Jno Watson  Jno White  Wm Dawson  Jno Nattrass  Jos Featherston  Jno Little  Caleb Featherston  Jno Whitfield  Hen Whitield  Rd Holms  Jno Hodges  Geo Walton  Cha Maddison  Jno Featherston  Jno Emerson  Jno Johnson  Ja<b> Hutchenson  Tho Race  Wm Low  Jos Featherston  Thos Rodham  Jno Hetherston  Jos Nattrass  Geo Watson Jos Jackson  Jno Lowes  Jos Greggs  Jona <Modley>  Jos Watson  Cuth Jackson  Jno [obscured by fold]  Jno Dawson  Geo Lonsdale  Thos Low  Thos Lonsdale  Jos Gibson  Jos Watson  Wm Cragg  Jno Ridsdale  N. Race  Jno Walton  Jno Dawson  N. Rumley  H Hodgson  Nath Furnass  Jno Fetherston  Thos Harrison  Rd Robinson Geo Robinson  Jno Madeson  Isaac Thompson  Thos Hall  Jno Stephenson Jno Allison  Thos Gleason  Jacob Smith  Jno Robinson  Matt Riddsdale  Wm Rutherford  Edward Peart  Jno Teasdale  William Morley  John Stephenson  Jos Walton  Ralph Forster Jno Gibson  Hennery Whitfield  Thos Eddy  Rob Bee  Wm Featherstone  Jona Hodgson  Thos Thompson  Jno Readon  Jos Robinson  Jos Dalton  Jono Hodgson  Wm Gibson  Thos Brealy  Thos Hodgson  Cuthbert Peart  Emerson Peart 

[many signatures in the same hand, suggesting those named were unable to write.]



[at foot in John Bell’s hand:]

1796 Petition of Weardale Lead Miners