Part letter from Joseph Pease, Darlington, to his father, Edward Pease, London, 7 May 1836 Discussing the behaviour of ‘some public characters connected with our district’: ‘Sir M.W. Ridley has not dared to oppose us but he is most treacherous, and Mewburn complains bitterly of his personally insulting conduct – to do us a mischief secretly seems his great object and upon the DSW Junction he is bitter against us – favourable to the So. Durham and I dare say prepared to vote altho’ precious little of the evidence he has heard. – Rippon – gives me the most shocking accounts of the meanness of the bids of York – the promoters of the So. Durham measure and still he seems perfectly cordial with them and ready to support them – he is supposed to have promised his Coals to them – and they are spoken of as necessarily going down their way whilst I know he has made an Agreement with the Stanhope and Tyne Co. to carry them – Ingham always seems friendly and must have been convinced one would think how very unfair it is to put a solvent respectable company against Bankrupt Beggars and still he seems determined to support the Durham So. West Junction because we do not at once submit to be trampled upon by the Clarence and reducing our dues to Simpasture – Bowes puts the most disgusting questions – for instance to Forster ‘Do the Landowners and do the Coal Owners in the district consider the Gentlemen of the Stockton & Darlington Railway a Company of highly public spirited and disinterested individuals – Answer – Yes, I think they are!!’; As regards the Tees Nav: Co’s proceedings I trust they will progress with the Jettees – tomorrow I shall see Storey upon the proposed alterations at the Ballast Staithes’ – From: Quaker families of Darlington,Pease family, Edward Pease (1767 – 1858)