Tuam Poor Law Union, Board of Guardian Minutes, 1863-1864
Includes:-
-Letter from Peter Curran, RO, Headford, regarding various individual’s applications for relief, such as Thomas Tully, who left Tuam voluntarily to seek employment, and Edward Spelman, and James Walsh, ‘affected with paralysis’ (pp49-52).
-Warrant for removal of Honor Higgins and her five children from the Union of Leigh in Lancaster (p108, see also p128).
-Application to assist Patrick Tully, Headford, and Mary Mullins, Hillsbrook, to emigrate (p149).
-Chargeablity of Mary Griffin (p149).
-Case of Patrick Ronan and Mary Ronan, Cathill (Dunmore), and (2nd husband) Thomas Kelly (pp189-90, see also p208-9).
-Mary Murphy absconded (p207).
-Dr Brodie, PL Inspector reported to the PLC and ‘does not represent the financial condition of the Union to be in a satisfactory state. That the consideration of the Workhouse does not enable him to report favourably of its internal management by the Master and Matron, and having regard to the facts reported it appears to the Commissioners that the Master is unworthy of further confidence, and they recommend that he be called on to resign’ (p349, see also pp373-5).
-Case of destitute woman, Margaret Hunt (p350).
-Transcript of a letter from Peter Curran, RO, Headford, refuting claims made against him by Rev Thomas Ronayne regarding various persons in receipt of outdoor relief, such as Mary Hynes, ‘I offered a ticket and conveyance (to the workhouse) and her mother said on the occasion that she never would allow her into a Workhouse where she would remain nights and days locked up in a room without as much as a drink and one to attend her’ (p409); and also Mary Casey, and Mary Higgins (pp408-412).
-The Board expressed full confidence in Curran and also pledged ‘to dis-counterence by all means in our power the unsparingly extensive system of outdoor relief, which has unfortunately crept into certain districts in this Union, owing to causes which we need not now more particularly allude, a system which we deplore as being ruinous to the ratepayers and demoralising to the people’ (p413).
-Cecily Loftus ‘is a dangerous lunatic’ (p447).
-Transcript of a letter from Peter Curran, RO, Headford, regarding the case of John Glynn who refused to go to the workhouse and subsequently died (p449).
-Michael Walsh, 2 months, child of Michael Walsh to remain the workhouse (p451).
-Two women from the Separation Ward, Honor Tierney and Margaret Naughton, absconded (p467). They were subsequently ‘sentenced by the Assistant Barrister to nine months imprisonment of hard labour’ (p487).
-Tender of Martin Cleran accepted for supplying yellow Indian meal at £7.9.0 per ton (p469).
-Margaret Hession, 2 years old (father and mother in America) to be changed from the ED Claretuam to the Union at large. Ellen Berrire, infant, deserted, to be changed from the ED of Moyne to the Union at Large. Margaret Hanley, aged 52, to be changed from the Union at Large to the ED of Tuam’ (p508).