Letter – John Erasmus Blackett to Thomas Blackett – 6 Apr 1787

Sir Thos. Blackett  Bart.                                              Newcastle    April  6th. 1787

Bretton - Yorkshire



Dear Sir       I received your letter of the 25th Ulto. & am glad that you approve of what I wrote to Mr. Brooks, I have not had an Answer to my letter & I imagine that they do not intend to give me any, but I would strongly recommend that you keep on good Terms with the Bp. if possible as I am satisfied that it will be for your Interest to do so, & in case we could agree wth. him for his Lot Ore, even at £500 p Ann[u]m. instead of £350, & with the Rector of Stanhope for his Tithe Ore for about £450 instead of £315 it would be Advisable to do it rather than they should take both in kind, as you will observe by the inclos’d Account of the Ore got in the Weardale Mines for the last Nine Years & the Average Price of Lead Ore for those several Years, besides the delay & trouble in separating & keeping an Acct. of the Lot & Tithe Ore, which will be attended with a great deal of difficulty & inconvenience, & Considering the present good State of the Wolfcleugh Lead Mines, & the high Price of Lead I should be very sorry were you not to Agree with the Bp. & Rector.  We must avoid giving them an Account of the Ore got in those Mines, but they will have it in their power of obtaining from the Smelters at Rookhope a pretty near guess at the Quantity.  The failure of some of the Mines in Aldstone Moor, & the consequent want of employment for the Smelting Mills will be an inducement to the Proprietors to offer terms to the Bp. & Rector for their Lot & Tithe Ore; This is another Argument for an Agreement between you & the Bp. etc.  When you are in Town it will certainly be right that you should wait on the Bp. but I would recommend it to you to avoid entering on Business, & should he mention it to you (wch. I imagine will not be the Case) you may say that I will correspond with his Secretary or Agent on the Subject.  Mr Wilson goes tomorrow for Leeds on a Commission, & I believe intends waiting on you.  The Boundaries of the Manor of Hexham may be rode when ever you think proper this Summer after June, but it will be necessary to have some Previous Consultations on that Matter, the oldest & best evidence examined & engag’d, & proper Notice given in the Newcastle Newspapers.  Please to favour me with your Answer on the business respecting the Lot & Tithe Ore.    I am etc    J. E. Blackett