Journal entry – John Grey – 25 May 1835

Monday 25th



Prepared papers etc for going to Alston, made search among all the Plans in the Office for some relating to the Mining district which I wished to carry up with me.   Attended to the operation on the Rivers Banks.  



Tuesday 26th May



      Attended a Meeting of the Alston Road Trust at Hexham.  Received a report of the state of the suspension Bridge over the Tyne, which proves not to be in so bad a condition as I feared.  The main timbers are sound, but the platform is so decayed that the boards have sometimes gone down with Wheels passing over them.  This will have to be removed at a cost of about £230, which the funds of the Trust can ill supply.  The new Bridge at Alston now being built at the expense of the County requires a change in the line of Road at both ends, which leads it through Mr Hodgson’s ground, to which he objects.  Notices to him & his Tenant signifying the intention of the Trustees to take the road in that direction, were signed, fixing a day to meet & treat with him for the Land, & in case of his declining the offered terms, the Sheriff must be applied to to appoint a Jury to settle them.  In the mean time the Trustees requested that when at Alston, I would examine the Land, and give them my opinion as to the sum they should offer for its occupation & severance.  

      A Tenant of Mr Bacon Grey at Staward applied to me to get some Limestone from a Quarry in Langley on the following grounds, which he stated to Mr Hooper who promised that he should have the liberty of doing so, if on enquiring he should find his statement to be correct, but respecting which he never received any communication.  He avers, that when the small Estate of West Deanraw was bought from a former Mr Bacon, the Limestone was reserved for the use of his other Estates, & that the Hospital has no right to burn Lime there except for the use of the said Farm of West Deanraw or Sillywray but that as such Lime is conveniently situated for other tenants of the Hospital, Mr Grey does not object to their using it, provided his tenant may be allowed to work some stone for his own use in a Quarry near Langley Mills, which is in turn more convenient for him than that at West Deanraw.  This is perfectly reasonable, provided the circumstances be as represented.  And I have no means of knowing this, but by requesting that reference be made to the deed of Conveyance, which is I presume at Greenwich & which it had been Mr Hoopers intention to investigate.

      Since writing this I have found an abstract from the ConveyanceDeed, showing that the estate of Staward is entitle to the use of lime from Deanraw but not to the exclusion of any of the Hospital’s tenants, which is all I wanted to know. J.G

      Mr Alfred Hall came in the afternoon to Dilston to make a Proposal, that on account of some disappointment having arisen in realizing funds for the Bills given to his Creditors which fall due on the 2nd of June next, the Commissioners would accept of one half of their Bill of £252.5.8 then due, & allow the remainder to rest for six months longer, on which interest should be paid for the time, stating that all the principal Creditors being satisfied with the security, have acquiesced in the arrangement.  I made this communication to the Secretary, sending the Letter by Mr Hull to Newcastle to save this nights Post.