Letters – Joseph Richmond to Walter Blackett – 8 Nov 1754

To Sir W.Blackett Bt. MP. to the care of the Postmaster at Ferrybridge

8 Nov 1754

Hon Sir

	The hhd [hogshead] of Claret, wch you ordered to be returned to Mr Stewart, cannot be sent back to London without a deal of difficulty at the Custom house here & every Hazard of having it stopd by the Officers in London, for by some Mistake when it was first down here in March 1753 a Sufference was taken out for it at the Custom house in London as a hhd [hogshead] of Port Wine & the proper officer here passed it as such, as it was directed to you without any Examination w[hi]ch if known to the Comissioners might lose him his place. Mr Stewart must therefore dispose of the Wine here, for it cannot safely be removed to any other place; & Mr Greenwoood tells me th[a]t Mr Rudd at the Kings head is willing to take it & has wrote Mr Stewart to that purpose by this post.  If Mr Stewart is determined to have it sent up, he must make an affidavit that the hhd [hogshead] of French Wine w[hi]ch he sold you is part of what he paid all dutie for in London at such time, w[hi]ch affidavit must be sent down hither, & then Mr Greenwood must make Oath th[a]t this is the same hhd [hogshead] w[hi]ch by Mistake was sent down hither under the denomination of port wine; But even then the Officer here will lay under the lash for letting it pass & it will probably occasion all y[ou]r Goods being strictly examined for the future.

I am etc ...