TALBOT2594

Chippenham¹
16^th Feb. 1833

Dear Sir/

I have rec^d both your Letters of this Week & will lose no time in consulting with Captⁿ Fielding² M^r Harman ³ & Tho^s Moore⁴, on the subject of letting Land to the Poor – it strikes me, that a sufficient quantity to enable each family to raise their Potatoes & other Vegetables, would answer best in every way & certainly at the commencem^t of the Plan – as it would enable us to judge of the ability of the Parties to find manure for the Land & pay their Rent &c & when that is ascertained, then to increase the Quantity to such Persons as may be able & willing to cultivate it, instead of being relieved from the Poors [sic] Rate – All this, however, shall be fully discussed & I will report to you the opinions of all Parties, for your determination upon the subject –

I expect a good deal of opposition from the Farmers – as I believe they are in general opposed averse to the System upon any extended scale – but I hope we may be able to convince them, that in time it must reduce the Poors Rate – With respect to the Land to be taken for the purpose, I think it must be done equally from the four large Farms, as they have all got arable Land near to the Village & if it is an inconvenience to part with such – it should be borne by all in proportion – I have got some very good regulations for letting Land to the Poor in this way – on the Draycot Estates,⁵ which having answered – I shall be able to recommend for adoption in the present instance* – I hope by the end of next Week to have seen the different Parties & to write to you again –

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

P.S –
I have paid £80 to your Account at Gundrys⁶ –
The Circumstance you mention about Ring, shall be enquired into immed^ly –
*I enclose you a Copy

W. H. F. Talbot Esq, M.P.
31. Sackville Street
Piccadilly
London