Gort Poor Law Union: Minute Book, 17 April - 9 October 1854

Includes:-

- ‘The Guardians entered into the following Agreement with Mr Gibson of Ennis.

I do hereby propose, and engage to convey any number of Emigrants from the Gort workhouse to the Port of Quebec at the rate of £5.6.0 per Adult, and Children under 14 years of age at the rate of £2.15.0 per head; I further agree to five two stone of best oatmeal to each Adult, and two stone to each child, in addition to the Government Parliamentary Scale as per annexed list, and also supply them with new beds, and bedding, and cooking utensils, and I will undertake to forward them before the end of May 1854, or be subject to a penalty for every week they are not removed from the Workhouse after that month….; reserving to myself the option of sending them from Galway, Dublin, Cork or Limerick my paying all expenses of their transit from the Workhouse to the place of embarkation….’ (1 May 1854, p57)

- ‘Resolved that the surplus materials for clothing in the Workhouse stores be applied for clothing the paupers about to be emigrated to Quebec after receiving a proper stock and that the Master have the same made up forthwith’ (p83).

- ‘The Master reports that at this season of the year the practice of absconding becomes very frequent particularly among the Schoolboys.  He begs to suggest to the Board the necessity of cautioning the Schoolmaster to be more vigilant in his department after School hours to see that the Boys who are at  [__] are kept at work and not to be allowed to idle, and to impart instructions in agriculture as far as practicable to the Boys in that class and duly enter their names and nature of work in the Labour Work’ (p367).