Journal entry – John Grey – 11 Mar 1835

Wednesday 11 March 1835



A heavy rain in the night & the melting of Snow on the high grounds, brought down a considerable flood in the Tyne.  I went with some anxiety to see its effects upon our unfinished job at Widehaugh, & found that it was making some impression upon the South point of the breach which we had not yet reached, but though it might cause a little more labor, the damage would not endanger the safety of the embankment.  We had fortunately got the worst part made pretty secure, or it might have been of serious consequence.  I then rode through the adjoining Farms & Woodlands, to see where Hedges & brushwood could best be cut.  The immense excavation of the Bank swallows a great quantity of such stuff, & the expense of leading is much increased by the distance we have now to go for it.  The Tenant of Whitley Mill came towards evening, to say that one of the blue Millstones had gone into two pieces, while at its usual motion & without any cause that he could assign; & wished me to provide a new one.  I told him that he was bound to the repair of the Mill & though to find a new Stone so soon might be more than he calculated upon, he must do it in the first instance.  Should it appear on examination that the Stone had been faulty & that no mismanagement had produced the fracture, perhaps the Commissioners might make an allowance.  I advised him to consult the Millwright join the practicability of binding the two broken halves together by an Iron hoop & laying it for the nether stone, & fitting the one at present below, for the top which would save a considerable expense.