Clifden Poor Law Union archive collection, Descriptive List, GPL3.pdf

Clifden Poor Law Union
The Union‟s operation was initially overseen by an elected Board of Guardians, initially 12 in
number, representing the electoral divisions of Ballindoon, Clifden, Renvyle and Roundstone.
The Board also included 4 ex officio Guardians, making a total of 16. The Guardians met
each week on Wednesday at noon 7 .
The Union was re-organised in about 1851 at which time the following electoral divisions
came under its jurisdiction, Clifden, Derrylea, Inishbofin, Ballinakill, Cleggan, Cushkillery,
Rinvyle, Bunowen, Derrycunlagh, Dunloughan, Errislannon, Bencorr, Illion, Moynes,
Roundstone, Knockbog, Owengowla, Silerna, and Skannive. The number of guardians was
also increased to approximately 21.
Dr Suffield, the workhouse doctor between 1848 and 1868, wrote that upon taking up his post
he had „…the workhouse, a fever and cholera hospital in Clifden, five auxiliary 8 workhouses
in different localities’ under his care (GPL3/37, f66).
The Clifden Board of Guardians generally met weekly in the Boardroom of the workhouse,
though during the early 1870s it only met about twice a month. Extensive minutes were kept
of their meetings together with detailed statistical information pertaining to the administration
of the Union.
When the surviving minutes commence in May 1849 the PLC was managing the workhouse.
Elections for new Guardians were held in November; a list of the Guardians is recorded in
the minutes (GPL3/10, p166). At that point there were 1,482 inmates in the workhouse,
including at the ancillary accommodation in Roundstone and Bunowen, and another 2,345
receiving outdoor relief.
The numbers remained high during the early 1850s but dropped significantly by the mid-to-late
1850s, at which time there were in the region of 120 inmates in the House, and often fewer
than 100. From around this time elections of new members and Chairmen generally took
place annually in April.
In December 1849 following appeals from a Relieving Officer for further assistance the Board
resolved that in order to give as ‘…much relief as possible with any funds which may be
available‟ that it would be advantageous to all concerned if the Relieving Officers would
„administer relief in money in preference to food’ (GPL3/10/238). At the same time a Medical
Officer advised that ‘disease and mortality are greatly on the increase in consequence of want
of proper clothing, and an insufficient supply of milk. The Board have to regret that the wants
complained of in reference to the clothing were occasioned by a scarcity of funds, and the
7
The Workhouse (http://www.workhouses.org.uk) (June 2004)
8
One at Kylemore, Bunowen and Roundstone
Cartlann Chomhairle Contae na Gaillimhe „…cuimhne dhoiciméadach Chontae na Gaillimhe a shealbhú, a chaomhnú agus a dhéanamh inrochtana’
Galway County Council - Archives „…to acquire, preserve and make accessible the documentary memory of county Galway’
ix.