TALBOT1865

Chippenham ¹
26^th Sep^t 1829

Dear Sir,

On the other side I send you the Proposals which I have rec^d for renting Inlands Farm ² – as the three last appear to be the only admissible ones, I will confine my observations to them

With respect to Richard Knott ³, I think he is a very honest Man as well as an industrious one & he states that he has sufficient Capital to stock the Farm – this I should hardly have supposed, but he assures me of the fact – still I doubt his Capacity for managing a Farm of that size & altho’ I should gladly let him a small quantity of Land I can hardly venture to recommend him on the present occasion – The next, David Clark ⁴ is at present a Tenant of Lord Crewe’s ⁵ near Calne ⁶ & he has referred me, as to his responsibility, to M^r Atherton – I have therefore no doubt of his eligibility in that respect – but I know nothing of him personally –

The last – Christopher Beaver I have known for many years, He rented a Farm of M^r John Awdry ⁷ for a long time when I was his private Steward & I always found him very regular in his payments & a good Farmer – He is also a Man of Property & on that account, considering the present precarious state of agriculture, a very desirable Tenant & was it my own Property I should certainly prefer him for a Tenant altho’ his offer is a trifle lower than the other two –

I tried hard to make him advance another shilling p^r Acre but could not succeed. – With respect to Crocker, he has not made a decided offer for the Farm at the highest price on the List – but wishes a week longer to make up his mind & in the mean time will endeavour to ascertain whether he can make an Arrangement as to the Stock on the Farm – the Validity of the Deed of Gift being at present in dispute & I have told him that unless this is satisfactorily settled it would be out of the question to entertain any proposals from him –

Perhaps you will have the goodness to give me your sentiments as to the choice of the three Candidates I have named during the ensuing Week in case Crockers proposals should not be admissible as I could then make Arrangements for the letting, w^ch is desirable, on acc^t of preparing the Land for the next wheat crops – at the same time mentioning your address w^ch will enable me to write again if Crockers offer should render it necessary –

I am Dear Sir Y^r Obliged Ser^t
W.H. Awdry

W.H.F. Talbot Esq^r
Post office
Glasgow