Letter – Nicholas Walton to Peter Mulcaster – 23 Jun 1771

Document Type: Letter
Date: 23 Jun 1771
Correspondent: Nicholas Walton
Recipient: Peter Mulcaster
Archive Source: TNA ADM 66/96
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Mr Mulcaster 							Farnacres. 23rd June 1771

 

      Your Letter of the 17th instant I reced on Friday and yesterday went to Town to weigh the Bullion which is 313 1/4 Ozs but as our large piece and the one which succeeded it did not prove to contain of fine Silver so much as we reckoned I deducted 3/4 of an Ounce from the present Cake which will make up that deficiency so that you must reckon the present Cake only 312 1/2 Ounces being 2/8 less than you made it by your Weighing; so you see upon the whole our loss is very trifling. The Black Slag Lead Weighed 83Cwt & 4lbs. The Cake wch. Weighed 433 1/4 Ounces proved very faulty not only on the edges but in the inside and the Gentleman who buys our Silver acquaint us that there had not proper care been taken in taking it off. I think it necessary to inform you of this and am sure I need not say more about it. I would have you make Tryal of cutting off the foul edges and melting them in the Assay Furnace. The Cake now at Gateshead looks very well and I dare say quite fine; but it answers to the Assay quite badly it being no less than 25 Ozs 19 Dwts short; the whole taken together has however answered Refining very well. Lead now sells for £15.10 PFodder Refined and we have Sold all at Newcastle except about 220 pieces of Refined. Our G H R S OS & LS all gone at £15.5. Your Produce has been very good in Lead this time which is surely owing to the Slag Litharge not falling so much as the other kind does. I have given Orders that John Corbett have no more Bone Ashes til he makes a proper Submission. He shall not be paid more than 4d I assure you. Pray how has your Lead turned out upon the delivery for as all is now taken from the Mill you can tell whether the Quantity made and the Quantity delivered Agrees. I desire youll let me know this as soon as you can. I would not have you alter your set day upon any Acct for tho' the Hexham Carriers do not behave as they ought to do I would not have it said that we throw a difficulty in the way of Carriage of Lead. When Mr Smeaton comes I will consult with him about the Reducers in the meantime you must go on as well as you can; I expect he will soon be here. I am for him & Self.

      Your Hble Servt

      NW Junr



PS I have since writing the above looked in to the Memorandum made at Hexham abt. Carriage of Bone Ashes; and the prices fixed by Mr Smeaton & myself, by which we must abide, are

 

                                S  d

From Newcastle to Hexham P Cask 1  4 1/2

From Hexham to the Mill P Cask.    5 1/2d

From Newcastle to the Mill.     1 10

 

In the Operation Paper ending 25th May 1771, the last; I have altered the number of Test Bottom Lead made to 80 and the Stock of that kind to 245. I have also made the Total of Lead in Stock at the Mill to correspond with that alteration Viz 6369 instead of 6368.

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The Dukesfield Smelters and Carriers Project aimed to celebrate and discover the heritage of the Dukesfield Arches & lead carriers' routes between Blaydon and the lead mines of Allendale and Weardale. A two year community project, it was led by the Friends of the North Pennines in partnership with Hexhamshire and Slaley Parish Councils and the active support of Allendale Estates. It was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the generous support of other sponsors. Friends of the North Pennines: Charity No:1137467