Clifden Poor Law Union, Rough Minute Book, 1854
Includes:
-Report from the Visiting Committee stating it ‘was most gratified at the general appearance of the entire establishment as well as with the Lunatics, who appeared to be most orderly, the Master and other Officers were in their respective places’ (p226).
-‘Resolved that with relation to the letter on the subject of the emigration of Annie Ryne and her children whose husband is now a convict in Australia.
The attention of the Commissioners be called to the matter, and that they be requested to assist the Board in funds for the purposes of forwarding the party to the port of embarkation from which port their expenses are to be paid’ (p291).
-PLC reply ‘that they have no fund applicable to the purpose of assisting the family in question to emigrate, etc’ (p309).
-‘…a report was made to him (Relieving Officer) that a man was found dead on the morning of Monday last on the old road near Kylemore lake.
He learned the particulars of the case and found that he was a single man of about 25 years of age, named Patrick Burke, a native of Ballinakill, a lunatic…’ (p389).
-‘Letter from Mr Burke Workhouse Master stating it was with pain that a sense of public duty compelled me to report to you the improper conduct of Mr P Collins which report has been since his removal from office fully borne out ,as you are aware.
He never did keep my books but assisted with them until I found some errors in the accounts made out by him to which I called the attention of Mr Smith Clerk of the Union, who desired me not to permit Mr Collins to interfere with the account in future, since then he frequently requested to be allowed to assist with the Books but I at all times refused’ (pp408-9).