John Hodgson Esq
You are quite correct in your statement of the quantity of Lead to be made by 14th March 1834 if Mr P[attinson] is correct and which I have no reason to doubt. You may also add 1000 Pieces of selected Ref[ine]d ch/w we supposed purchased by Mr Key. It is somewhat singular that Mr P[attinson] sh[oul]d state to you that he has no particular wish to visit the <Spe..sh> Mines – when he proposed it to me himself. I cannot tell how his partiality to Rookhope arises unl
Tuesday 24th December
Mr S Brewis of Hartburngrainge paid his Arrear of Rent. Paid accounts to several Workmen, altered the advertizement of the farms including Coastley & Woodhall Mill & changing the day for the proposals from the 6th to the 10th January on account of the latter. Sent an advertizement to the Berwick Papers, as well as the Newcastle, thinking the extent of Coastley might perhaps bring up a Tweedside tenant, though it is not a farm to my liking. Drew up an Adve
Wednesday 25th Christmas Day
Mr Mulcaster came asking for the Pension which he formerly refused, which I paid him, from the 12th May last to the end of the year £50.
Thursday 26th
Received from my Son the account of the outlay for building the Cattle Shed at Outchester, fold yard walls, Cribs etc, the roof being done with foreign timber & blue slates, the whole cost of which is £33.3.4 also received Davisons Arrears of Rent for Outchester which he paid to my son at the same time - received & answered letters inquiring about Chesterhill & other farms, but nothing occurred of particular importance. The inhabitants of the South part of Langl
Friday 27th December
Went to inspect the Buildings now finished & covered in at Newtonhall & Whittle & likewise the Quarry at the latter, from which Stone was got for the rail-way, to be assured that no damage was done to the Woods & property of the Hospital, which is very trifling if any. The Buildings at Newtonhall are done very satisfactorily & a great improvement in the offices has been affected at a very moderate cost. In raising the back part of the farm house
John Hodgson Esq Newcastle Dec 28 /33
The annexed letter will explain my observations to you in a former letter, upon the sum invested by Mr B[eaumon]t in the Allendale Road. I have taken considerable interest in it since it has fallen under my observation as Mr B[eaumon]ts representative and I am glad to be able to give you so good an ac[coun]t of its present prospect to pay at least a portion of Interest. When this was returned in the Executors List acc[oun]t it was considered of lit
Mr H l Pattinson
The weight of the piece of Silver sent this morning is 1147 1/2 Ounces. You will oblige me with a statement of the actual expence of smelting the different ores produced in Weardale, at Rookhope. Allen & Dukesfield Mills, also stating the expence of refining at Allen, Dukesfield & Blaydon.
BJ
Messrs Grace & Freeman
Above I beg to hand you Invoice of 200 P[iece]s of WB refined Lead shipped this day – which completes you purchase of 2000 Pieces in June last. Annexed you have statement of shipping charges of 4000 Pieces which you will please to remit me at your convenience.
WBÂ Lead Office Dec 28th /33
Tho[ma]s Key Esq
I have duly rec[eive]d your lre (letter) of the 26th inst enclosing seven Bills value £2151. 2s. 3d of which £1613.0s.6d we carry to the credit of the London Works & £538.1s.9d to the credit of the Exorship acc[oun]t debiting the same with £267.13s.6d paid for Ground Rents. We also credit the London Works with £598.6s.10d paid by you to Messrs Finlay Hodgson & Co on the 26th inst
WB Lead Office Dec28th/33
Messrs Finlay Hodgson & Co
I am in receipt of your lre (letter) of the 24th inst enclosing one from Mr Key with seven Bills value £2151.2s.3d of which £1613..0s.6d we carry to the credit of the London Works and £538.1s.9d to the credit of the Exorship acc[oun]t debiting the same with £267.13s.6d paid for Ground rents particulars of which we will thank you to furnish & also credit the London Works with £598.6s.10d paid to you by Mr Key crediting you with that amount Paid t
John Hodgson Esq
My Dear Sir
I beg reference to my official letter of Saturday last
The D[ra]ft of Lease from the Bishop has been forwarded to Messrs Griffiths at Durham his Lordship’s Sol[icitor]s & the Declaration of Trust to Mr Birks at Barnsly Mr Becket’s Sol[icitor]s. Messrs Donkin & Stable will see Mr Griffith next week when the lease will be endorsed & forwarded to Mr Beckett. Mr Donkin thinks there can be no difficulty in getting the Bishop to consent to h
Messrs Finlay Hodgson & Co
I duly rec[eive]d your lre (letter) of the 27th inst and Mr Keys statement of acc[ount]s for Dec .. on the Other side I send you statement of our stock at Blaydon on the 28th inst. I have this day forwarded to your address as usual by Jackson & Co Waggon a piece of fine Silver weight 1021 1/2 Ozs Yours Sir BJ
Tho[ma]s Key Esq
I have duly rec[eive]d your lre (letter) of the 26th inst enclosing seven Bills value £2151. 2s. 3d of which £1613.0s.6d we carry to the credit of the London Works & £538.1s.9d to the credit of the Exorship acc[oun]t debiting the same with £267.13s.6d paid for Ground Rents. We also credit the London Works with £598.6s.10d paid by you to Messrs Finlay Hodgson & Co on the 26th inst
WB Lead Office Dec28th/33
Saturday 28th December
Wrote to Mr Dickinson of Spency Croft, directing him as to the number & kinds of trees to be got at the nursery at Alston, for planting the piece of ground as ordered by the Board - and also as to the price he should give for pitting and planting the same. I have obtained the prices of young trees & thorns from several nurseries & find them very much alike.  The only thing necessary is to see that they are good and suitable.
Rode to the QuarriesÂ
Monday 30th December 1833
Robert Hunter of Newlands Town Farm came to the Office in consequence of my having written to him to come to some decision respecting his Farm, & according to the directions of the Board, I agreed with him for one year at the rent of £136, which will give an opportunity of making a better arrangement of those Farms than the present. Was engaged some time with Benson in examining his measurement & accounts of the several Buildings at Lipwood, Haydon Town,
Tuesday 31st December 1833
Was detained from eight o’ clock till twelve by a succession of applications for farms, inquiring for information & giving me in return information respecting themselves, their connections & qualifications.Â
Received several same from Tenants which they had left unpaid in November. Had a deputation from Newlands & Whittonstall expressing their thankfulness to the Board for the grant of lime to the district, but stating their inability to mak
Wednesday 1st January 1834
This being the Quarter day, I inclosed cheques to the several Parties for their Pensions or Salaries. Â Received various Proposals for planting the ground in Dipton Wood. Â I think it better to let the making of the pits only, by the thousand, & to have the planting done by our own Woodmen under the immediate direction of Mr Parkin, both that it may be more carefully done, & that greater attention may be paid to the selection of the kinds of trees best sui
Messrs Finlay Hodgson & Co London Jan 2nd 1834
On the receipt of your letter this morn[ing] I sent for Mr Pattinson and have now the pleasure to hand you our joint opinion of the value of Lead Ore suitable for making Common Lead delivered at the Wharf at Blaydon.
In Sep[tembe]r last I furnished you with a Statement of the value Ordinary & Slag Ore del[ivere]d at Blaydon from Mr Pattinson and Mr W[illia]m Crawhall selling Com[mo]n Lead at £14 per fodder. Mr Pattinson
Thursday 2nd JanuaryÂ
Received the Boards Minutes of the 21st December and made the communications required to Mr Wallis & Mr Grace. Â Was engaged all the forenoon in the Office with Benson, making up the building accounts, & Parkin arranging for the planting and making out the orders for the young trees wanted for the purpose, some kinds of which are to be had very good at Hexham & others better at Gateshead which I have ordered accordingly.
[Marginal note added here in p
Friday 3rd JanuaryÂ
Engaged with settlement of Accounts in the office & with parties enquiring the particulars of farms. Afterwards went through the Dilston Estate to see the progress of the embankment & to try to teach some men cutting hedges, to adopt a better method than they are accustomed to. Mr Stokoe a Millwright who had formerly been employed by the Hospital, applied for payment of an account of £8.8.0 for valuing Threshing Machines, which he had presented to Mr Hooper, bu
Messrs Finlay Hogson & Co London Jan 4th 1834
I have duly received your Letter of the 1st inst and note you Sale to Mr W[ilia]m Parker of 5200 P[iece]s Lead and 70 Casks of Litharge. Also your sale of 2000 Pieces Common Lead to Mr Key. These sales will fully establish the Price at £15-10 and £16 of which I have appraised the Duke of Cleveland. Mr Backhouse has made out the ac[coun]t against the London Works which you will find to agree with yours, excepting the Payment of the Leve
Saturday 4th JanuaryÂ
The morning being promising, to escape the interruptions of the Office, I set out in good time to make an excursion to the west, examining in my way the repair of the barn & building of some conveniences at Highside, now finished, the fences & draining at Woodhall, advising the tenants respecting some draining necessary at the Rattenraw Farms, inspecting the new buildings just now completed & measured off at Haydon Town Farm, which is substantially done.
John Hodgson Esq Jan 6th 1833
I had the pleasure to receive your letter of the 4thinst this morning and am glad Mr <W[alke]r> approves of all that has been <done> in his absence. I wrote to him at <….>gate on Sat[urda]y and Mr Donkin to the same place yesterday.
Mr Parker called this morning to say he sh[oul]d write [to] his partner Mr Walker to pay for the 15,000 p[iece]s purchased on the 7th of August last by three equal payments in Cash at Glyns &a
Monday 6th January1834
Had an early visit from Andrew Thorburn threatening the destruction of Gairshield by ploughing out as much Grassland as he is intitled to by his lease, well aware of the injury it would occasion to the letting of the place, and complaining of the restriction I had put upon him as to his Crop at Mirehouse.  I told him that I had applied to the Board for instructions, as to whether he should required to pay more rent for this year than his farms should be let for the
Messrs Lock Wilson & Bell
At your request I hand you Invoice as above and beg to acknowledge the Receipt of Tender for 20 Tons Malleable Iron Rails which I accept. BJ