TALBOT1283

Chippenham ¹
July 13^th 1825

Dear Sir,

I am obliged by your Letter of the 10^th Ins^t & will give directions for the Sale of the Wood &^c at Melksham ² taking care that it shall not be sold for less than the Valuation – The reason of my writing now, is to mention the death of Richard Taylor ³ the Bailiff, after an illness of a few days – I felt so satisfied with his integrity & diligence in your service, that I can not but lament his loss very much. – He had no Children nor any one who assisted him in his employment, in a way to become acquainted with it & I have therefore to do the best in my power to select a Person qualified for the Situation – Three Persons have applied, Edward Barton, James Blackham ⁴ & Philip Phelps ⁵ the latter is very strongly recommended by M^r Paley ⁶ – He was formerly in Lord Pembroke’s Stewards office & for some years past has been a Surveyor of Taxes & is now residing at Lacock – The amount of Taxation having been so much reduced, he has a good deal of time unemployed & being quite independent of Trade & consequently of the Work People, I place great confidence in the prospect of his co operating with me in reducing the expenditure upon the Estates – The other Applicants I beleive [sic] to be Men of strict integrity, but not of equal knowledge in Agricultural concerns, nor of superintending Repairs & therefore I feel bound to second M^r Paley’s recommendation in behalf of Philip Phelps –

The next thing I have to mention is with about a small Piece of Ground originally taken from the Waste near Bowden Hill ⁷ on which a Cottage stands, now in so dangerous a state as to be unfit to live in – I can not recommend its being repaired as it would cost nearly as much as rebuilding to do it effectually – The People who rent it would give a fair Value for the premises to purchase it as it is n[ear]⁸ the Canal & they sell Coals – The Ground is quite detached from your other Property & I see no advantage in keeping it if you should approve it, I will get it estimated & report for your consideration –

I have been desired by M^r John Awdry ⁹ to state to you, that a small Cottage very near his Premises at Notton ¹⁰, w^ch is lately fallen into your Possession by the death of an old Man – will be a very desirable thing for him to purchase & if you should be disposed to sell it, he shall be glad to give the full value of it – This Cottage is, like the one I have described above, quite detached & is situated between his Gate & a Farm of M^r Montagus. You will, I trust, beleive that in the relative situation in w^ch I stand towards him, I should not think of mentioning this application unless I was quite satisfied respecting your Interest.

I shall feel obliged by a few Lines as soon as convenient respecting the Bailiff, as it is of consequence to have the Situation filled – on the other subjects of this Letter you may prefer taking more time for consideration –

I remain Dear Sir Y^r obliged & Obd^t Ser^t
W. H. Awdry

W. H. Fox Talbot Esq
The Albany
Piccadilly
London