Letters – John Erasmus Blackett to Thomas Richard Beaumont – 3 May 1799

Thomas R. Beaumont  Esq.                                                Newcastle  3rd May  1799



Dear Sir        I wrote to you the 28th inst  to which I refer you.  You will be surprised at receiving a Letter from me at this Place when you expected I was at Allenheads, but, I realy durst not venture to encounter the very severe, cold Weather at this Time, with the Rheumatism in my Head & flying about me; & it is well that I did not, for my Complaint has increased, & the Weather continues very unfavourable; Mr Bell & Thomas Crawhall went with the Lead Stewards on Tuesday, the latter returns on Sunday when you shall hear from me. From the further enquiries that I made, I do not find that the placing a Turnpike Gate at High Team will prejudice your Concerns, & of Consequence does not call on your opposition to the Measure; but it will be necessary that any other Gate being placed on the road to take in all your Lead Carriage from Dukesfield (which I believe that Mr. Silvertop has in Contemplation) should be guarded against. Mr Mulcaster having informed me that the Agents of Sir Thos. Clavering & Miss Simpson were taking in & inclosing considerable parts of Barlow Common in the Parish of Ryton the Property of the Lords of Winlaton; being sencible that a Discharge would not avail & pulling down the fences might be looked on in an inviduous Light, I gave Mulcaster directions to imediately set about inclosing about forty Acres of pretty good Land Contiguous to your Farm; this may bring them to reason, & should either Sir Thos. Clavering or Miss Simpson make any Application to you on this Matter, I would recommend that you answer them, that the inclosure is by your Directions & that they set you the Example,  but that in Case of their desisting with their Inclosure & pulling down that which they had already made, that you would do the like, & join with them, in a Bill for the Division of that Common at a small Distance in the Latter of which Mr. Standish has a Share.       I am etc    J E B