Letter – Henry Richmond to Walter Blackett – 8 Feb 1772

To Sir W. Blackett  Bt.  MP.  in Half Moon street                               Newcas 8 Febry 1772

Piccadilly  London



Honr. Sir

	By your Letter, which I received last night, I think you have not received mine of the 1st instant, therefore I have inclosed a Copy of it.   I have seen Mr Simpson  Mr Peareth  Mr Blackett  Mr Beag & the Recorder & they all agree that no Alteration can be made in the Resolution come to, with Mr Thompsons Consent, at the last Meeting for the Ponteland road, & that there is no reason to apprehend disturbance, except in Mr. Thompson’s mind from the abiding by those Resolutions   Mr. Cuthbert tells me Mr.Thompson has been obliged to lower the price of his Coals six pence a fother, since that Meeting; which gravels him very much , & has made him assert Falsehoods, that he is easily convicted of, such as denying that the Resolution at the Meeting respecting him, was read to him; which all that were present remember was done, with this Circumstance that he made an Exception, after his Agent, as to paying toll for himself & his Agent, wch. was agreed to - So that he has mist the popularity he arrived at by his publication & is looked upon as a Bad-Man capable of saying any Thing.

	There is a probability that the Opposition from this Side of the Water, to the Bridge, at the Javel Group will diminish; & that a Jealousy of the Gateshead people will succeed it - but I hope not withstanding the present prosperity Gateshead by getting a post house & Market etc & there will on the Arrival and concurrence in opinion of Messrs Milne & Wooler be produced a unanimity of Sentiment for a Bridge in the best place.

  Some of the Opponents are puzzled about the function of these two Architects; but Dr. Hall who was Chairman and subscribed 5 Guineas for an opposition was heard to say to day that perhaps these Two Gentlemen coming down together might be the best Way of adjudicating matters - Mr Ridley  has not written to Mr Simpson or any of the Aldermen about the Bridge that I can hear of. I have seen Mr. Aubone & delivered him your Compliments.  I found by him that what he had wrote you about was a £40 Warrant in 4 <Cha> 1.st which is the same Year that the £40 Warrants & proceedings thereon were had of which you have a Copy in the office from the Corporation Book - What I mentioned about the Bp. of Durham’s having said to Mr Milne that he had delegated to you a power to judge for him in Matters relative to the Bridge was from an Accot. given me of what was produced at the Meeting of the Opponents; but I find his Lordship has written to Dr. Fawcett that he had given Mr Milne for Answer that he had full Reliance on the Corporation of Newcastle that they would do in this affair what was for public Ability & the more so as they had you at their head & that not knowing much of the matter himself he totally acquiesced in what the Corporation shod. think the best - As to the road from the new Bridge going by the Forth banks to the Neglect of the Sandhill etc I find it would occasion a general Clamour of all those residing in that part or the Town, if not of the whole Body of Inhabitants.  so Difficult it is to reconcile the public utility & local considerations together.

	Since my last Mr. Maddison & Mr. Thomas Swinburn are dead.  And we have had a great fall of Snow so that it lay about two feet thick on level ground on the Country & the frost has been so very intense for three days that nothing but the high Tides attending the new Moon prevented the Rivers being frozen up - But yesterday & to day we have had a thaw tho so moderate one that I hope there will not be any great Flood

	Mr Jonon Sorsbie says he has an order & as soon as he gets cash will pay me One hundred pounds which you have paid or are to pay Mr Wooler, for the Corporation - if he pays me this morning I must give him a receipt for it & Charge it in my Cash Accot.  but as Mr Wooler, ‘tis said now, is coming hither, he might pay him himself if you have not already done it, which please to let me know - I do not hear any Thing yet from Mr. Wm. Hunter of Hexham about the Surrenders that were to Compleat the Title of Overhuntsrods Estate.              I am etc   HR