Letters – Joseph Richmond to Walter Blackett – 23 Oct 1759

To Sir Wr Blackett in Brook Street Grosvenor Square London		23 Oct 1759



Hond Sir

I am surprised that anybody should represent to Coll Clavering t[ha]t any stop put to that division of Dotland Comon by me or any other of your agents; for the division deed has been signed by you and all the other parties except Coll C a month before he came from Guadaloup and has been lodged with me ever since in expectation of Mr Mills the Colls agent here wo[oul]d call for it and send it up to his master to be executed; I have wrote to him and spoke to him several times abt it and his ansr always was that he thought the Coll[s] allotment sho[ul]d not be laid into one plot but divided among his several farms and that he would consult Sir Thos Clavering about it but the last time I saw him was about a month ago when on my pressing him for a direct answer he told me Mr Douglas was of the opinion that the Coll signed the division deed wo<uld> not be binding as he had only a life estate and therefore he concluded the deed would be lost, as it must be if the division cannot be finished before Candle[mas] next      You are sensible there can have been no delay on my side for I never pretend to understand or meddle in the divisions But the loss of the divisions is entirely the Colls own fault or his agents.  However I will send the deed by the coach next Monday and the Coll may sign it if he please and try whe[ther] the Comm[issione]rs can compleat the division in time        I will direct the deed to you.

Sir Ra Millbank has a bro[ther] who is a Comm[issione]r in the Salt Office York Buildings who is the only brother he has in England except Parson Milbank of Croft	I am &c  JR