Journal entry – John Grey – 23 Jan 1835

Friday 23rd January 1835



       Dispatched the Plans of the different Allotments in Wark Manor, with an explanatory Letter to Mr Fenwick.

       Sent Mr Hunt to Haydon Bridge to collect the rents of Cottages & small tenements of which the occupiers are not called to attend on the rent days.  Received from the Hospitals late Tenants, the Rowells, a Petition to the Board for a farther reduction of their Arrears, on account of the failing produce of the Crop on which they reckoned for their payment.  The circumstances of their former reduction are fairly stated in their Petition, & I believe it to be the fact, as set forth in it, that they lost their Capital by holding the Hospitals Farms at too high rents, but of course, they have no farther claims upon the Commissioners than such as a feeling of commiseration for their reduced circumstances may create.   There is a Field near the Glebe Land at Wark which was entitled to be included in the Sale to the Duke of Northumberland & which as he has since declined to purchase it, remains in the possession of the Hospital.   This Field, I find, was granted to the Incumbent there at a nominal annual rent of 5/- upon his Petition setting forth that the Land attached as Glebe to the new Church there was bad in quality & of too small size to supply him with domestic accommodation - on visiting the place last summer, I found that instead of deriving such accommodation from its occupation, he was in the habit of subletting it for £9 or £10 a year.  (I believe as many as he had been in possession of, I told him that the Commissioners had intended to sell that Field as well as the other property on Wark, that it had only been omitted by an oversight, not having been found in the Rent Roll, & that I thought it likely that he must not count upon the future occupation of it on his present terms.  He expressed himself willing to give a fair Rent for it.   But as he can sublet it to advantage it seems to be of more value to others than to him, and perhaps the Commissioners may think it right to give the other Inhabitants of Wark an opportunity of offering for it.  I shall be glad to receive instructions, whether the Rev Mr Baggs is to hold it as at present, or to be treated with privately, at a fair Rent; or whether the field is to be let to the best bidder, and offers to be received, of which Notice may be given by hand Bill in the village of Wark.