Letter – Nicholas Walton to John Ibbetson – 29 Mar 1779

To Jno Ibbetson Esqr                                        	Farnacres 29th March 1779



Sir

      The Commissioners under the Corbridge Division Act, being advised that they are not impowered by the Act, to give Greenwich Hospital an Allotment for the Parcels of Ground of His Grace the Duke of Northumberland, which have been Awarded under the Bonds of Submission, as Equivalent to the Lands &c of the Hospital at Alnwick &c, it has been suggested that the Submission and Award should be  suppressed and the Exchange directed by the award not proceeded in; that the Corbridge Commissioners should nevertheless in their General Award for the Corbridge Divis'n allot to his Grace a specific Parcel of Ground, in one Plot, equivalent to the Parcels above mentioned, which were awarded, and proposed to have been conveyed by His Grace to the Hospital, and after the Execution of the said General

Award, that his Grace should Convey the said Plot of Ground, to the Commissioners and Governors of Greenwich Hospital in Exchange for the Lands &c at Alnwick &c and by doing this every difficulty will be put an end to. The Commissioners for the Corbridge Division have accordingly staked out this Specific Parcel of Ground, and the Agents on both sides being satisfied that the Lands Awarded under the Submission, were in the judgement of the Arbitrators an Equivalent for the Property of Greenwich Hospital at Alnwick &c, and that the Parcel of Ground so Staked out, is of equal value. I have joined with the Agents of the Duke of Northumberland in a Memorandum, a Copy of which is inclosed, by which it is proposed, that the Commissioners and Governors of Greenwich Hospital shall enter upon, and hold, the said Parcel of Ground from the 25th March inst; and that his Grace the Duke of Northumberland shall in like manner enter upon and hold the the Lands &c at Alnwick &c, provided that the Parties themselves shall ratify and confirm  the Exchange, in manner as above explained. 

      The Tenants and Proposers for Farms in the Derwentwater Estate are now become so extremely dissatisfied, on Account of the Letting of the Farms being so greatly prolonged, that I am exceedingly apprehensive of the Interest of the Hospital suffering very considerably

and therefore beg leave again to urge the necessity of directions being immediately sent to this place, that the busyness may be proceeded in and compleated, without a Moments loss of time. 

      You receive herewith Christopher Hutchinsons Proposal for the Collieries in Hartburngrainge which together with the Inclosed Cash Account on which  there is a Balance of £462:4:1 1/2 in favour of Greenwich Hospital you are desired to lay before the Board. I am

      Sir Yours &c 

      N W Junr

      

PS You'll be pleased to acquaint the Board that a Remittance of £1500 has been made to the Treasurer's Deputy in discharge of the aboveBalance and in part of our rece'ts since the 28th Feby





Be it remembered that it is this day recommended by the Agents of his Grace the Duke of Northumberland and of the Commissioners and Governors of the Royal Hospital for Seamen at Greenwich in the County of Kent and agreed upon by them as far as they can or lawfully may, that the Lands and Tenements, Tithes and Hereditaments situate and being as

well in the Parish of Corbridge as in the Parishes of Alnwick Embleton and Warkworth in the County of Northumberland intended to be given and taken in Exchange by His Grace and the said Commissioners and Governors of the said Hospital respectively (altho' the said Exchange and the Deeds and Writings relative thereto are not as yet completed or regularly entered into) shall be entered upon and held by the said parties or their Tenants respectively from this day forward and that the Estates and properties so to be entered upon as aforesaid shall be deemed and taken for ever hereafter to be the Estate and property of the parties respectively to whom the same shall be so given in Exchange, provided the Parties themselves shall ratify and confirm the Exchange in manner as above mentioned; testifying the same under our hands this 25th day of March in the Year of our Lord 1779 

      Witnesses                                            Wm Charleton

      Chas Tesseyman                                  Hen[ry]  Coll[ingwood] Selby

      John Rennison	                                     Nich's Walton Jun'r