Reference
D197
Title
Letter from William Woodley, St Kitts, to Messrs R and T Neave, St Kitts.
Date free text
21 November 1803
Production date
From: 1803 To: 1803
Scope and Content
Will observe instructions not to draw any more bills to discharge additional accounts against the estates, late of Sir Gillies Payne. Mortified as he had pledged himself to pay the debts ''at the instigation of Sir John Payne''. Need to spend considerable sum to make estate profitable, no pen, stall, wind mill or any stock to take off the canes with a Horse Mill - ''few placed there are distroyed immediately''. ''sick house a perfect ruin''. Negroes ''are notoriously the worst gang in the Country from improper treatment''. Sandy Point Estate needs Negroes. Lose no time in setting up windmill, If family unwilling to do it, let it out to Woodley at rent of 2000 guineas pa for the 2 Estates [French Ground and Sandy Point], pay the debts due on the Island, give up the estates after 10 years with wind mill erected and works in order. Could raise £3000pa for investment of £3000 to repair them and stock them properly. "Gentlemen in England know so little what their property in this Country requires, and are in general so miserable served that it is far better from them to rent at two thirds of what their plantations may be estimated at than allow their estates to be starved and mismanaged here". Pay Mr Fahie bill for £57. Had to pay Parish Taxes. Now withdrawn promise to pay; estates will in March be sued by every creditor - law ''miserably expensive'' here."
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Level of description
item