R3/4839

Letter Reads- Bennett is writing about a proposal for a school and says that it is always best when subscibing to a Charity or other Public Work to give money rather than "money's worth of material". This particular instance is at Ampthill. He points out that the value of the gift depends upon size and extent of the school and whether a master's house is included. Consideration must be given to whether timber is provided "in the rough" or "sawed out" and suggests that, in the former state "the Duke will be plundered by the builder and his work people whereas in the latter, the cost of the sawyer will be added to the gift and increase it considerably. Bennett recommends that, in addition to the promised building site, the Duke should subscribe a sum of money to the building fund and let the contractor buy his materials "where he best can". The Duke is aware of two claims upon him: The "British and Foreign School is now set to work". They have hired a room, got a master and have sent a plan of a school house they now wish to erect - the Duke had not yet seen this. It appears that two annual subscriptions are expected from the Duke - The National and the British and Foreign. He talks of arrangements for meeting the Duke in Bedford and then discussed the price of grubbing woodland and the plight of the poor people who cannot find a market for the wood they get up. He has burned a very large quanity of wood into charcoal for sale but can only use it for the Abbey consumption and Mr Hoare. He has two years stock in hand for them. He talks of the need to clear the ground but, at the same time, to get a surplus of stock out of the market. He suggests it should be done "gradually and quietly, a few acres each year". He points out that the cost of getting up large roots is not profitable but is useful in providing work.

18 Apr 1844

From: 1844 To: 1844

English

item

Haedy, C,
Bennett,
Hoare

CHARITIES, schools, timber trade, builders, sawyers, letters, WOBURN, Woburn Abbey, AMPTHILL, BEDFORD