Letter – Henry Richmond to Walter Blackett – 13 Aug 1770

A Mr   Monsr. Le Chevalier Blackett  Seigneur Anglois          Newcas.   13th Augst 1770

  Chez  Mr Oglevy   á Spa   Auprés de Leige   par  Ostende



Honrd. Sir      Mr Darwin having wrote me that General Clavering alledges you promised Dotland Comon should be Tithe free for 12 years, two of which are yet to come, I searched & found the Memorandum you gave me some years ago which is as follows “Novr. 19. 1759 - This “  day promised Coll. Clavering that if I live till the Expiration of the Seven years for which Term the Lands which are to be divided at Dotland are to be Tithe free I will then for an Acknowledgement only let the proprietors have their Tithes for three years,”  --  Wr. Blackett

this promise is fulfilled; & therefore Mr Forster valued the Tithes this Year & found them worth £39. 4s. 6d, of which Genl. Claverings share comes to £16. 2s. 6d: & since that he has let the whole for £40 for one yr.  The Damage done by the head of Sweethope Lough giving way is only to some Grounds above Whelpington; by covering them with Mud, of which the Lough is now pretty well cleared - as the repairing it will not cost above 15 or £20 I desired it might be done.  Mr Ra. Forsters valuation of Lucker Estate this year is £106. 8s. 6 ½ d - I have taken the Medium of the Valuations for several years past & it amounts to £103. 13s. 6d after the fee farm Rents are deducted.  So yesterday I wrote to Mr Coll. Forster & offered the Estate to the Duke of Northumberland for £3000: which Sum Mr Ra. Forster reckons it worth: tho’ he thinks you may let it go for £2700 if you cannot get more.

     William Hall is not yet returned; but Mr Darwin writes that when he got to London the Duchess Dowager of Portland was gone to Lord Edgecumbe’s near Plymouth, & that as Halls horse was not able to travel thither He took your Letter from him & sent it by the Post & has received a Card from her Grace “that she is very sorry he has had so much trouble about Sir Walter’s Letter which she will take the first opportunity to answer that lays in her power, at present she has not time as she is continually engaged - it would have given her much concern if he had sent the person down to Cornwall.  She will return an answer by the post to Mr Brown, her Steward”.  Hall had your Instructions literally.

    Mrs Widdrington & the Nunwick family, with whom she has been for some weeks, are very well; she desires her Compliments and is much obliged to you for your Enquiry.    Mr Reed  of Chipchase is better; in cutting his Nail he had hurt his Toe & let the Stocking set into the Wound - by which, & not taking care of it in time, he has had a Confinement to his Bed of about two Months.

   Coxlodge Water has been sent to Dr Black, professor of Chymistry at Edinburgh; a Man I am told of the greatest Eminence in his profession & who undertakes the Examination of this Water on your Account.  The Mayor says he has sent a quantity of it to London to be examined by some Chymist mentioned by Mr Ridley - Dr Hall’s Lecture was not as well attended as should have been, there were only about 40 at it.   his Experiments shewed, in opposition to Dr Rotheram, who was there, but not convinced I suppose, that there is no Alum nor any Arsenical quality in the Water & that the <Residu    > contained an Alcaline Salt, a small Matter of Sea Salt & a large quantity of <col    > Earth.  Dr Hall intends printing his Lecture in a few Days.   The Several Stewards have been down from the Mines lately, but mention nothing new.  I have sold 10000 pds. of Lead at       tho’ I have not half the quantity at Market, by reason of the Wet Summer & bad roads.  but I thought it better to trust to the amendment of the weather than the precariousness of future Sales.   for a Week past the Weather has been hotter than usual & the roads much mended by it.   The Mayor & High Sheriff desire their Compliments & are much obliged to you for the Messages I delivered them about the Fruit & Venison for the Assize Week.   Sir Edwd. Blackett makes use of your house  in the Week, & desires his Acknowledgements to you for it.  I have wrote to Mr Ward of Nunikirk & shall observe your directions about writing to you when the Assizes are over.  This day se’night the post boy was robbed of the Mail on Gateshead Fell; but the Man that did it was taken up by the next day in this Town; he has confessed the fact & is sent to Durham Gaol.         I am etc    HR