Letter – John Erasmus Blackett to Thomas Richard Beaumont – 6 Oct 1803

Coln. Beaumont					Newcastle 6th. Octr. 1803.

Portman Square London				



Dear Sir

       I have been favoured with your Letter of the 4th. Inst. & am happy in hearing so pleasing an Account of Mrs. Beaumont & her little one.   The Bill of £4,454 -11 -11 was received from Walkers & Co. & remitted to Ransom, Morland & Co. the 22d. Augt. & will become due the 22d. Inst.

       The Bank Committee have made a fresh Arrangement for the Payment of the Bills &c. of the Lemington Iron Company & have obliged the Surtees’s as well as the other Owners to sell wholely out, but not on so good Terms as has been offered by two Getlemn.  of Hull some short Time since, before the Committee had taken that Matter into their Hands.

       The Surtees’s were unwilling to part with that Concern, & I understand that J Surtees very improperly broke off the Engagement, by which Means the Committee were afterwards under a Necessity of making the best Agreement that they could for the Sale of that Property; the Payments are to be made, one fourth in this Month, the Remainder in 3,6 & 12 Months.

       With Respect to your taking the Bill out of the Bank of Ransom & Morland when it will be so near due,  it certainly will be looked on by them as leaving their Bank, but that I think is of little Consequence compared with your safety at this Time, you giving them the Reason for so doing which you mention: I am of Opinion that your making the Change to the Bank of Alexr. Davidson & Co. will be an advisable Measure, not only as to the Stability of that Bank, but on Account of the Offer which Mr. Davidson made you; which should I not make a pretty large Sale in the Course of a Month; you may be under a Necessity of accepting against the Lead Pay; should you make this Change – the sooner it is done the better.

       In August when I received the Bill for £4,454-11-11 I received another Bill dated the 9th. at 4 Months for the like Sum which is in the Hands of the Bank of Sir Wm. Loraine & Co. to answer the Payments for Subsistence, Lead Carriage &c. that Month exclusive of this Bill, that Bank has not at present above £200 – of your Money, there is about £3,500 – due for Lead, which I am in Hopes of receiving this Month to answer further Payments; but at present People are very backward in their Payments.

       The Lead Company & other Lead Holders of any Consequence stand at the Price of £32 & £33 - - the Quantity at Hull is very small, & I have Advices from Derbyshire & from Scotland, that since the Sale of the Lead of inferior Quality to the India Company that their Prices have advanced; I am satisfied that the London Houses are in great Want of good Lead, but in the present Situation of this Country, they do not incline to make any large Purchase: I this day sold to Walkers, Ward, Parker & Co. for their Works 600 ps. Ref[ine]d.  & Com[mo]n. & 25 Casks Litharge at £32 & 33; I am selling small Quantities for the Works of James & Co. at the same Price, & Litharge for the Glass Houses at £33 the Ton. – I yesterday received from Wm. Bates the Valuation of the Steel Hall Estate (exclusive of the Wood) which is rated higher than I expected, it is sent to Mr. Thomas, from whom you will hear; the Payment at this Time may be attended with Inconvenience .    T.Crawhall Jr. returned from Allenheads yesterday after paying the Workmen their monthly Subsistence; the Mines there, are at present rather poor those in Weardale more promising. – 

       John Lee of Rise Green near Allenheads, who I mentioned in a former Letter, is a most troublesome lawless Fellow: he paid no Regard to my Letter & says that he knows that his Letter to you was stopped at Durham; the Hexham Bailiffs dare not execute a Process against him; it would be well if you wrote him a very threat’ning Letter by Post & for Mr. Thomas to call on him afterwards; he is a most dangerous Person & keeps Possession of a House & Ground of yours paying no Rent and in Defiance of Law.   I am &c.-J.E.B.