Letter – Nicholas Walton to John Ibbetson – 11 Dec 1778

To Jno Ibbetson Esqr                                       	Farnacres 11 Decem 1778

Sir  

      Mr Joseph Hilton finding an utter impossibility of  attending the Office of Moor master has acquainted us with the contents of a Letter which he has wrote to you desiring his immediate Resignation may be accepted and he has since left the Country, being recommended as Steward to a victualling Ship in his Majestys Service now setting out for America; the Hospital will therefore be in want of Agents and we beg leave to recommend instead of the Office of Moor-master & Clerk of the Deliverys being in one that there be two Agents appointed, the one as Moor-master to take care of the Mines and keep an Acco't of the Quantites of Ore raised and the other as Agent also to keep an Acco't of the Quantities of Ore raised, and see that it is properly dressed and delivered, and that the two sh'd be aiding & assisting in all cases where they can be of use to each other. 

      The Mines in Alston Moor bringing in so fine a Revenue to Greenwich Hospital it is of great Consequence to have a proper person as Moor-master and he sh'd be a man well acquainted with the Moor and Mines there as upon that a great deal will depend, and the Agent who is to see to see that the Ore is properly dressed and deliv'd must be a person conversant in the dressing of Ore. We have in our View several who we think may

suit one or other of those appointments but have not made such Enquiries as to enable us to recommend any to the Board.

      During this Interval we have desired Mr Hilton Father of Mr Jos.h Hilton formerly Moor-master to take care of the Business of the Moor which he has undertaken to do as far as he can, and as we have the best Opinion of his Integrity we are concerned his age and Infirmities will not permit us to say we think him a proper person to continue either in the one or the other of the above Offices.

      When we consider the abilities possessed by Mr Joseph Hilton, we cannot entertain any hopes of getting a Man equally well qualified to serve as Moor-master, but the Board may be assured we shall use our best Endeavours to find out persons acquainted with the Duties of the Offices above ment'd and that we shall recommend such only as appear to us the most likely to perform those Duties.

      The Office of Moor-master and Clerk of the deliverys being in one before and now proposed to be divided, as above recommended, the Moor-master sh'd undoubtedly be considered as the principal, and we beg leave to recommend that he be allowed a Salary of Eighty Pounds p annum, and the other Agent Sixty Pounds p annum which considering the Importance of these Offices to the Hospital, we cannot but think is as low as they can properly be fixed.

       Some doubts having arose as to the Duke of Northumberlands powers respecting the Exchange of the Hospitals Lands &c in Alnwick Embleton and Warkworth for Lands at Corbridge, we have wrote fully to Mr Everest on the Subject. We are

      Sir Your &c 

      N W Junr.   J.C.T.



PS It makes us very happy to hear we are soon to have directions respecting the General Letting.