Item 3 - Letter from Rowland Winn to Richard Monckton Milnes

1 folded sheet.

Pontefract. - Presumes Milnes knows about his loss of the brickyard he occupied on a tenancy from Milnes' father. Gives his own account of what happened: the visit to the yard in Jun. 1843 of Nicholas Lee and William Chartrey, who measured areas where the clay was being extracted and where it was only being tempered; the subsequent visit by John Harvey of Ferrybridge, who re-measured the areas; the notice to quit issued by [Michael] Mitton jr. in Jul. 1843, who also sent a bailiff claiming the 'enormous sum' of £558.9.16. Winn submitted 'under the influence of a most diabolical threat of N. Lee of utterly ruining myself and family'. A 'considerable portion of goods' seized were sold under Winn's name, including 'a mare then grazing in Pontefract Park'; this was unjust, and also defrauded the Excise. Has appealed to Milnes' father, with no success; Mr [James?] Muscroft has tried to intervene, though unsuccessfully, and has Winn's gratitude. Winn is 'utterly ruined' and asks for Milnes' help in the matter.