Chippenham <1>
8th Decr 1825
Dear Sir,
In reply to your Letter of the 3d Inst I find that the difficulties are entirely removed with respect to the largest Purchase at Melksham <2> & that the Conveyance is ready to be engrossed – The other Purchases are, I believe, all ready for your Signature at Mr King’s <3> & I will endeavour to expedite the principal one, which is with Mr <Tilby?> at Devizes –
With regard to the Plan of leasing out the Houses upon Lives, I should think it a very good one at Abbotsbury <4>, which I understand, is inhabited by Persons of some Property, but I much fear that at Lacock there would be very few Persons found who would be able to take such Leases – This Plan was adopted by some of your Predecessors & it has generally happened when such Leases have fallen in that the Property was in a miserable condition & no effects left to pay Delapidations <sic> – If you will let me have the two last years Bills I will endeavour to make out just such a statement as you wish – I think it possible that some Plan might be arranged for dividing the Town into Districts, say about 12 Houses in each & get some Persons of Property to take one of such Districts upon repairing Leases, for Lives – if such a Plan could be carried into effect, it would also lessen the chance of Arrears – I will try to find out what could be done in this way, so as to get rid of repairs in the Town if possible – but it will never do to lease out to Cottagers at Lacock for they are so very poor, that they could not keep the Roofs in repair & the Timbers would soon be destroyed –
I should suppose there are about three or four of your Tenants who have Votes for the County –
I am Dear Sir
Yr obliged & obedt Sert
W. H. Awdry
W. H. F. Talbot Esq
at James Frampton’s <5> Esq
Moreton
Dorchester
Notes:
1. Chippenham, Wiltshire: largest town near Lacock, 3 miles N.
2. Melksham, Wiltshire: market town near Lacock, 2 miles S.
3. Of William Read King & Son, solicitors, London.
4. Abbotsbury, Dorset: home of William Thomas Horner Fox Strangways.
5. James Frampton (1769–1855), High Sheriff.