Copy of a letter dated 1807 from Gerrard Rawes of Swindale, Shap, Westmorland (1747-1825) to his nephew Rev'd John Hodgson of Gateshead, Durham. Extracted from the memoires of the Rev'd John Hodgson by Rev'd John Raine. (Swindale Line to Hodgson Line)

Swindale Novr 19th 1807 Dear Nephew         Yesterday your Mother had Her/sale, I am happy to say she had a very / good one, after keeping more Householde Furniture than you will expect, she made / £80. All good Chaps, except one, viz Cast / and Wheels £55. She keeps them till she gets / security, I saw your last letter to your Brother / Christopher. I cannot think that your House / or Land should be offered in Sale till Spring / besides there is no necessity for it, you perhaps / may continue to help them, I cannot account / for your letter to Lowther being not answered, no / way but hurry of Business there, it may be / necessary for you to write again, for fear the / Purchase is missed - I can only add I am willing / to assist you in anything I can. but you may / be here yourself before anything need's be done by way of / selling.         I am Rev'd Sir Your Affectc Uncle Ger'd Rawes (Addressed to Rev'd. John Hodgson Wind Mill Hill, Gateshead) Notes:- Rev'd John Hodgson's mother, who is mentioned above, was Betty the wife of Isaac Hodgson and sister of Gerard Rawes. Betty was baptised Shap 21st Dec. 1755 and buried Shap 25th Aug. 1809. Copied by Julian Rawes of Cheltenham.

Copy of a letter dated 1809 from Gerrard Rawes of Swindale, Shap, Westmorland (1747-1825) to his nephew Rev'd John Hodgson of Gateshead, Durham. Extracted from the memoires of the Rev'd John Hodgson by Rev'd John Raine. (Swindale Line to Hodgson Line)

Swindale 25 Oct 1809 Revd Sir,         As your Brother Chris: would give / you all the particulars about the event which / has taken place at Rosgill, and he being there, he was most likly to conduct the affair / of the Funeral, which he did very well, the / the expences of which he would let you know, / I have nothing to say to you on that head - / but I do not think that your sister keeping / the two Boys is likly to answer well, one / reason is, they will get Master of her / another they are too far from School; and your Uncle has / written from Bromley, to enquire what was to / be done for them, I have answered him, saying / that I would write to, that if you would take one boy, I would take the other, for as you spoke / of keeping House, Richard might be very useful to you in taking care of your House / he is an active Boy, you might give him Lessons / to improve him as much as at School, he is too Masterful at Home / I have had a Chapman for your Houses &c. at Rosgill / who I told if he offered likely, I would write to you his proposals, it was Gerd Rawes alias Dick Gerard / but as he only proposed to give £160 or £170, I told / him it would not do-if you are determined to sell them I think it will be best to try them / in public Sale, not would I take anything / under two hundred for them, for I think they will / let to pay five per cent or more, at that rate. I am sorry to hear you have been unwell /, pray / as you not sit to late at Nights to read or write, / Your Constitution is not strong, so you must be / careful.         You will be, kind enough to let me know what / you think is best to be done with the Boys, and as / I suppose Christopher Speaks of being hear, he may then settle the matter we are all very well.         I am Revd. Sir Your Affectionate Uncle                 Gd Rawes Mrs. Abbot was Interred this Day (Addressed to Revd. Jno. Hodgson, Heworth Shore, Gateshead) Notes:- Rev'd John Hodgson's sister was Elizabeth, baptised Shap 11 Jan. 1787. She would have been aged about 22 in 1809. John's uncle was Richard Rawes who owned the Rawes Academy in Bromley. One of the boys in question, Robert who was born circa 1797, may have been sent to live with and be educated by his uncle Richard as he later settled in Dean Street, Soho, London, practising as a bookbinder. In the 1820's he returned to the north to die, possibly of TB. The other boy may have been Isaac, born circa 1795, who became an apprentice sailor. He died aged 16 or 17 on his first voyage. He was sailing to Jamaica. The origins of Gerard Rawes alias Dick Gerard is not known. It appears from the gist of the letter that the relationship was not close. Copied by Julian Rawes of Cheltenham.