Collapse of corn prices: letter pleading for a ruined farmer
Letter pleading for leniency from the landlord, 1816 (D603/K/16/73)

Bromley Park 11 Febry 1816

My Lord
Permit mee to lay before you my sons Case at Bentilee Farm he began with fifteen Hundred pounds and he has had upwards of nine Hundred pounds of mee since his Farm was stocked – and I am afraid it is all sunk – it is not only his total Ruin but is a great injury to mee and my Family there is great Reason for him being insolvent
I have taken an account of what the Farm has made Each year and the Expenses against it –
	£	s	d	
In 1813 his Corn made	251	15	-	
His Cheese	90	-	-	
50 Sheep and young Stock Say	100	-	-	
	441	15	-	
Taxs Poors Rates Servants and Laborers Wagges
and Tradesmens Bills	477	10	10	
Pd Mr Watkins for Hay Straw and Coming on the Farm
and Ploughing	125	1	-	
Rent	421	5	-	
	1023	16	10	
Makes him a looser of	582	1	10	
				
In 1814 his Corn and Cheese made	423	9	2	
50 Sheep and young Stock Say	100	-	-	
	523	9	2	
Taxs Poors Rates Servants and Laborers Wagges
and Tradesmens Bills	417	6	6	
Rent	421	5	-	
	838	11	6	
Makes him a looser of 	315	2	4	
				
In 1815 the Corn and Chees made	482	6	6	
Sheep and young Stock	100	-	-	
	382	6	6	
Taxs Poors Rates Servants and Laborers Wagges
and Tradesmens Bills	437	19	3	
Rent	421	5	-	
	859	4	3	
Makes him a looser of	276	17	9	
				
and the difference in Saling up now and the time
of buying in will not be less than	500	-	-	
and the [sum] of the three years is	1174	1	4	
and the totall Loss will not be less	1674	1	4	

and there is nothing Reconed for Nessesarys in the House Keeping Except the Butchers Bills and Maltsters – and clothing and Market Expenses Accounts somthings for further Losses – for as near as I can Estimate the Stock he has Sunk between Eighteen and Nineteen Hundred pounds –
I hope your Lordship will have the goodness to Alow him for the Repairs in Building and Turfing and Lime and Manure Bought as under:
	£	s	d	
Bricklayers for Repairs of Building	18	18	-	
Carpenters for Repairs of ditto	35	15	8	
Glasiers for Repairing Windows	7	1	-	
Presses for Bricks and Turftiles	19	11	-	
Pd for Turfing	42	5	-	
Lime and Manure Bought	78	5	-	
	201	15	8	

Bentilee was taken at a very unfortunate time. Markets was high and they have been lowering ever Since and the Farm in a bad Condition, it was a near bed of Black Scutch and the Fences in a very bad state wich has cost him a great deal of money, if Markets continue in the state they are in, and the same payments continue such Farms as Bentilee will scarcely be worth Cultivating though it a deal improved – it is very cold deceitfull Land, when they have got a Crop no man can Gues what it will yield – his Crops of Wheat this Last year, was very promising had such Crops been upon good Land they would [have] been near thirty Bushels per Acre and they will not be more than Eighteen Bushels per Acre.- Mr Hodson has got a security for a Years Rent to be paid at Lady day – and I hope your Lordship will consider his losses and Alow him the other half years Rent for the improvements.
I am your Lordships
Most Obedient Humble Servant
G Booth Senior