“Laurence Strt., Chelsea, Feby. 18th, 1784.
“Sir,—I Wright to Inform yow how we are pretty forward in the pulling Down of the buildings at Chelsea. I think a little better than a fortnight they will be all down to the ground and Cleared of the primeses, wich I shall be glad to my hart, for I am tired of it. Mr. Lygo[60] says yow would wish to have the Ion Kiln Cum to Derby. Its hardley worth sending, for the Corners are a good deail burnt at the Bottom, and the sides are opend or Drawd so much as 4 or 5 Inches on each side. But if yow chuse to have it Cum, say how it shall be sent—by Land or Water, and I will send it. I wish yow will Lett me no if yow will have the mold of the Large figur of Brittannia sent to the warehous or Broake. Now, sir, as my time at Chelsea draws nigh to a conclution, I should beg of yow to Informe me by letter what yow mean to Imploy me abought at your manufactory, In case yow & myself should settle on Tirms agreable. Yow now allow me one Ginue pr Week, house Rent, and fire; and I dont make aney Doubght But I shall be found a very Uceful servant to yow if I Cum, & must beg of Yow to say if 25/- pr week will be to much to Give me, and house rent free, as I have always had of yow. I make no Dought but yow will please to say what yow will allow me for the Removall of my Famaley. We have 4 children, my wife and self, wich will Cost a deal of money—and thats an articall wich is scarce wth mee. I have had severall offers of places’s since the manufactory has bin pulling Down, but Refus’d them all, Becaus it would have been Wicked in me to have Left yow in such a [ ] till I had seen your property Cleared off. If I am [ ] Constant at the kilns, I must begg Leaf to [ ] at all; But I have no Objection to fire [ ] aney Rich ware in such a kiln as I have at [ ]; and if Tirms are such as yow may approve, pleas to say; but I Due not like to Cum so maney miles from London on an Uncertinty, therefore it will be nesesary to have articals drawd for 3, five, or 7 years, as is agreable to yow. I have carrid Mr. Lygo a bove sixty-six pounds this week, wich I found to be very seasonable. I was very much shock’d, sir, when I heard yow had been so Dangeresly Ill, But am happy to find yow are so much better than yow was, & God send yow may Continue to Gett mending for the Best. Should I Cum to Derby, I shall bring nothing with me but my Beds—Land Carridge Cums to a Deal of Money; in short, my Goods are But old, therefore they shall all be sold.
“I am, with Respects, your Obt. Humble Servt.,
“Robt. Boyer.
“Mr. Lygo desir’d me to wright to yow a bought my Cuming down, wich I should have Done if he had not Desired me.”
To this letter Mr. Duesbury, who bore a most excellent character for kindness and consideration towards his work-people and servants, evidently returned a satisfactory and pleasant reply, as is evidenced by the following letter from Boyer:—
“Chelsea, March 28th, 1784.
“Sir,—I have your letter of the 24th inst., and am much oblig’d to yow for all past favours, and am happy in finding that yow are satisfide with my past Conduct. Now, sir, as yow due agree to the terms which my letter expresses, and as yow have alway’s behav’d with a Deal of kindness towards me, I therefore Due asure yow that while I am with yow, yow shall ever find me a faithful and honest sarvant, and I further do asure yow that, I will make my self as sarvicable as it Lays in my power, so that yow shall have no Reason to find aney fault with me. I make no doubght but yow will find me very servicable, & will Due every thing in my power to forward your Bisness. I hope we shall gett done hear in a short time: the peopl are all busey in getting their things of the primeses as fast as they possibley Can. I hope to be Down at Derby with yow in a short Time, as soon as I can gett my matters a Little to gather. Yow shall have the Ion Kiln down by the waggon next week wth ought faile. I could not Lett it Cum this week on account of things I had by me wich wanted firing that I never had time to fire till this week. The Lapaderys wheel is packed in a hogshead now at sea, No. 16. Mr. Lygo has been Taulking wth me a bought the Burnishing: he complains of its being full of scratches, wich will ever be the Consequense if your burnishing tools are not kept in good order; that is to say, Lett them always be kept with a good polish on them, and then they never will have aney scratches to be seen on the gold. I wish you will let me no what I shall due with your 4 Chears, Table, Looking Glass, and Sofee, that is in the Dining Room at Chelsea. I sopose they may go to the warehouse. The Liqurs &ca. ought of the seller is gone there ever since a Little after Christmas.
“I Remain, with Respect, your Obt. Sarvt.,
“R. Boyer.”