Letter from John Wesley Hackworth, Soho Works to Timothy Hackworth, King Street, Cheap Side, London

Soho Works Shildon Feb 27th/47
My very dear Father
We are in receipt of your kind letter in answer to which I beg to say that I was in plenty of time for the Shildon train and am happy to state that Messrs Backhouse & Co. have allowed me the pay. I purpose going to Sunderland on Monday to see Mr S Evans about renewing his bill the present one is due on the 4th I am sorry to say the bill due on the 3rd is to the Stockton & Darlington Co. amount £80-0-0 which I shall do my best to meet. Mr Young has got nothing while I have been absent. And now my dear Father I hope ...[?] this our road has been mad[e] a little straighter and that the Company see the affair in its true light and are disposed to treat us properly. As it regards any arrangements you must aggree to alter nothing but the cylinders in the present engines until we are furnished with drawings and that no part of the present work be kept back either to improve or alter and if the present plan of the engines is to have wrought iron wheels a plan must be sent for our guidence which we will introduce as soon as circumstances will permit. We have had a letter from Doctor Newton to say he can serve us on the 18th of March. On arriving I found sister’s & the children from Leeds who will be glad to see you home they all join me in kind love

from your affectionate son
John W. Hackworth