| Description | ‘Dear Lord Sempill,
I have now heard from Mr. Hutcheon that he is prepared to (?) the old sheds and to erect the rear ones for the sum of £10, the boards and posts for the work being provided by you and delivered here ready for use. Mr. Hutcheon’s estimate is considerably greater than I anticipated and having regard to the expiry of my lease of this house at no very distant date, I am somewhat loathe to incur the expenditure insolved. If, however, you can use one as verbally promised last year, that I shall not be disturbed after May 1922, I would probably proceed with the scheme. I need not tell you that after such a long residence at Fae-Me-Well I dread very much, at my advanced age, the thought of having to make a move. As you are aware, my husband sank a large sum of money in the property, by adding on various occasions to the original small cottage, building stables and garden, and in providing a good water supply, all the benefits from which will eventually fall to you as landlord. My wish, if agreeable to you, would be to have a fresh lease of the house for, say several years, with the option to me to determine at Martinmas in any year, on giving six months’ notice. In the event of my death the house would be vacated six months from the date thereof, as my daughters could not afford to continue to live here. As this whole matter is giving me a great deal of thought, I should very much appreciate an expression of your views as soon as you can conveniently let me have it. Yours Sincerely, Mary A. Macqueen.’
|