SD1157. William Symons to Edward Moulton-Barrett (father)
Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 5, 378 (in part).
Easthams
near Little River P.O.
St James
Jamaica
25th August 1841
Edwd B. M. Barrett Esqr
Sir,
Having lately purchased this Estate, I find you have a run of Land adjoining, and being greatly in want of more grass land; I beg leave to know if you are willing to rent it to me Cornwall Spring |gut| contains I believe near 280 Acres is some distance from both Cornwall & Cinnamon hill Estates and has never been used except as provision grounds to the people attatched [sic] to those Estates; since the Freedom the grounds have been very little worked, and now very few of those people work it at all, indeed it is mostly used by lazy Negroes in the neighbourhood, who will not work on the Estates[.] There are not more than five Acres now in provisions and to keep that clear they burn off all the surrounding grass every year and destroy all the Trees. I applied some time ago to your Attorney Mr Jump but he declined renting or even allowing me to cut the grass to supply my cattle pen. The late Saml B. M. Barrett Esqr allowed the late proprietor of this Estate both to cut grass and wood. The abovementioned run of Land is nearly without any line wall, is greatly exposed to trespass, particularly by horses belonging to the Negroes upon Blue hole Estate, indeed they have from forty to sixty horses continually feeding there; and if the few labourers belonging to Cornwall and Cinnamon hill Estates, who have grounds there, were deprived of them, they would attend much better, to the cultivation of the Estates. my principal reason for wishing to rent your land, is its contiguity to the works upon this Estate, the nearest part not being three hundred yards from my house; and there being no public road to it, your people who visit it are obliged to pass through my yard.
If you are disposed to Lease the land to me for 14 or 21 years I will give you £100 Stg p annm I will engage to keep it in good order preserve the Trees, and build substantial walls and fences to the amount of £20 St. p annm for the first seven years and give such of your people who have provisions growing there, time to take them away or pay them the full value.
If the small quantity of produce made here, would be any object to you in the way of freight, I shall have no objections to Ship upon the Station or any other vessel you may have an interest in.
I remain Sir
Your Most Obt. Servt
WmSymons
Address, on integral page: Edwd B. M. Barrett Esquire / 50 Wimpole Street / Cavendish Square / London.
Docket, in the hand of the recipient: Mr Symons– / Jamaica / August 25. 1841. / Recd Octr 1– / Ansd Novr 15. 1841.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Eton College Library.
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