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

GPL3/ Clifden Poor Law Union
­ Detailed opinion of the Board on the Medical Charities Relief Bill, stating that „These
opinions being opposed to the idea that the execution of the provisions of this law would
establish a beneficial result‟, and „This Union, pointing back to a period of three or four
years, was extremely populous, very destitute, and at one time awfully visited with
disease. However efficient or inefficient might there have been our means of affording
relief by food, still, it was never questioned that Medical assistance was wanting, nor was
there then, nor could there have been found any fault in the local provision for Medical
relief…..‟.
„In our present position we find ourselves with a comparatively small and very healthy
population while emigration seems to threaten that the whole population will soon be left
within the walls of the Poor house, our small insufficient and rigorously exacted rates are
totally inadequate to our daily wants, while our liabilities are increasing day by day. We
therefore earnestly hope and confidently request that the Commissioners will not in the
face of increasing health among decreasing numbers and the daily necessary but unprovided
wants of the Union compel us to tax the Union in a second rate for salaries and
medicines when food is wanting for the poor and contractors and officers remain unpaid
and that the Board protest against the carrying out of the Medical Charities Act as
unnecessary‟ (25 Feb 1852, pp14-16).
­ „…The Board of Guardians thought it was unnecessary to point out to the Commissioners
the perfect impossibility of collecting any new rate even if the Guardians were disposed to
strike one, and the palpable injustice it would be to the very few rate payers in this
deserted and miserable Union who have punctually and at great sacrifices paid the last
very heavy rate of 5/ and in some cases 5/6 in the pound to re-impose upon them the
support of this Union after having paid fully the portion which they were liable for,
particularly when the Guardians made every possible exertions to secure payment of all
arrears was obtained. The Board assure the Commissioners….but they must most
respectfully but firmly decline striking any new rate at present as they feel it would create
an amount of pauperism and emigration which would entirely destroy this Union‟ (3 Mar
1852, p13).
­ Report from the Roundstone Medical Officer advising „…there is a very great increase of
illness and mortality among the school children, which, in my opinion, is occasioned by the
want of proper liquid food. This I have repeatedly brought under your notice. It is quite
obvious that milk cannot be procured in sufficient quantity even for ready money. Ground
rice, the substitute I recommended and which was agreed upon by your Board and
sanctioned by the Commissioners has not been supplied for some time back…‟ (20 Mar
1852, p4c).
­ „Resolved that the Commissioners be requested to send down money for the supply of the
paupers in the workhouse, they being at present without a week‟s supply of provisions,
there being no funds for the purchasing of more, and the contractors refusing to give
further supplies without payment‟ (26 May 1852, p11).
[15.]
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’
5.