Ennistymon Union Minute Books

Book No. 4 

Meetings held from 10th December 1847 - 4th January 1848

Meeting held on Friday the 10th of December 1847.

The register book was signed from No. 4992 to No. 4845.

The treasurer's book of receipts and payments was produced by which it appeared that there had been

Medical Report
The workhouse continues healthy, there are 35 patients in the infirmary and 26 in fever hospital. We had one death from fever which came into the house on Saturday in a dying state from cold and hunger.
We require the following necessaries;
Linseed meal, 2 stone
White ointment, 1/2 a stone
Vinegar, 1/2 a gallon
Hydrodate of potash, six cwt.
Common brown paper, six quire.
                                                        James Shannon M.O. 

P.S. I think the board of guardians ought to allow all the patients in the infirmary and fever hospital bread made from 2nd flour.

Proposed the alteration recommended by the master to give additional accommodation be forthwith proceeded with under the present distressing circumstances of the union for want of room.

Resolved
- that tenders be received from persons having suitable houses to let to accommodate paupers in any part of the union.
- that the Commissioners be requested to allow the numbers to be maintained in the workhouse to be increased from 650 to 700 and when the accommodation recommended by the master be complete that the maximum to be 900 and that for the present the order to be given for 700.

The clerk read a letter addressed to the board by the Reverend M. Sheehan in which it is stated that Patk O'Donnell of Moohena in the parish of Clouna to his own certain knowledge died of starvation and that a woman in a fit of despair threw herself into a boghole after her husband had been refused outdoor relief by the relieving officer.
Resolved
- that while making every exertion to get additional workhouse accommodation in the union and not succeeding and as the destitution of the ablebodied is beyond description we feel ourselves constrained to afford out door relief to them for the next fortnight against which time we expect to have the accommodation required and there being only few of the inmates of the workhouse who would accept the allowance under the 1st Sect.
- that Mrs. Molony's cheque be not drawn until this day week.
- that the stables be converted for the present into accommodation for paupers and fitted up for the purpose under the direction of the master.
- that this meeting do adjourn from day to day until the next ordinary meeting of the guardians.
- that cheques be drawn in favour of the following persons

- that tenders be invited for Indian meal and that this board do adopt the same system of baking as the Limerick guardians have and as recommended by Mr. Hancock.
- that the fever hospital be supplied with

Proposed that the extra diet given to the assistant nurses be reduced to the diet of the house.

Resolved
- that the master be required on Friday next to furnish the board with an accurate account of the loss or gain attending all the trades people in the house and withdraw accurate information as to the utility of each and whether any or the whole of them can be dispensed with.
- that we accept the tenders of Patk O'Dwyer for the following articles viz.

Resolved
- that the following cheques be drawn in favour of the following persons.

- that if the master do not get up the shoemaker's workshop on Friday next from the contractor that the contractor's bond be put in suit.
- that the following cheques be drawn up for out relief.

Meeting held on the 17th day of December 1847.

The register book was signed from No. 5046 to No. 5059.

The treasurer's book of receipts and payments was produced by which it appeared that there had been

Read Commissioners' letter of the 13th on the subject of the guardians of this union having proposed trying outdoor relief to ablebodied persons until room could be made in the workhouse. 

As much inconvenience and confusion has arisen from persons leaving the workhouse without cause, 

Resolved that no such person be relieved outside unless discharged by the board and it is further resolved that no person to whom the relieving officer shall give a ticket of admission to the workhouse shall get outdoor relief unless such persons shall produce the master's indorsement on the back thereof bearing equal date with the order that there is no such room. 

In as much as the master has reported that the shoemaker's workshop has not been given up to him in a finished state and as it appears that the contractor did not enter into the usual bond,

Resolved
- that our clerk do instruct the law agent to proceed against Pat Quealy, the contractor and against the 2 persons who agreed to become his sureties.
- that adults get one pound of beef for dinner on Christmas night and that children under 15 get half a pound each.
- that James Clancy, relieving officer for Miltown Malbay, gets a cheque for £50-0-0 for out relief
- that we accept the proposal of Peter O'Loughlin of Greyrock to supply the Kilonahen relieving officer with an office at £2-0-0 per annum.

Medical Report
We have 31 patients in the infirmary and 30 in fever hospital. There were 3 deaths, two children of infectious disease and one old woman of diarrhea. The windows on the southern side of the house are letting in the rain and the house hospitals and all are flooded and exceedingly uncomfortable this morning in consequence thereof.
                                                            James Shannon M.O.
 

Adjourned meeting held on the 21st day of December 1847.

In reference to the Commissioners' letter of the 17th inst. accompanying a memorial of Mr Curtin of Kilfenora,
Resolved that our clerk do express to the Commissioners that the statement put forward in said memorial is totally unfounded and untrue, and do call their attention to the several resolutions of this board as evidence of the anxiety of the guardians to afford relief to all classes in a state of destitution. 

Read Commissioners' letters
- of the 15th inst. refering to the resolution of the board on the 10th inst. to give outdoor relief for the next fortnight.
- of the 11th inst. requiring a return of rates.
- of the 16th December granting outdoor relief in food for two months from the date of said order.
- of the 9th inst. requiring from the medical officer his opinion on the numbers maintained in the workhouse. 

As the opinion of the architect referred to in the Commissioners' letter of the 8th inst has not been received,
Resolved that our clerk do respectfully submit the urgent necessity of converting the store, idiot wards, and all other apartments in this house now unoccupied into dormitories by measure of which the accommodation for applicants for outdoor relief would to the extent of 300 be available as a test and to request their decision with as little delay as possible.

Resolved that our clerk do advertise for contractors for converting the stables into a school room according to a plan that will be shown by the master as also converting the present school into sleeping apartments.

The register book was signed from No. 5060 to No. 5097.

The treasurer's book of receipts and payments was produced by which it appeared that there had been  

Resolved that molasses be used twice a week instead of milk.

Medical Report
The house continues healthy, 30 in infirmary and 23 in fever hospital. We had one death from diarrhea and one from fever. Being ordered to report on the additional accommodation which the workhouse could afford, I have to state that, taking into consideration the making a girls' schoolroom of the stable, which will answer very well by putting a large window on the southern gable, their present room will be sufficiently large for 24 beds thereby accommodating 48 children. The idiots wards, male and female, by taking all the partitions and making other slight changes -light and ventilation- would be large enough for 50 beds for the ablebodied. There is also the large storeroom under the female infirm ward which would accommodate 50 beds more. All those changes would be affected at very little expense and in a very short time. The two probationary wards which are not used for any purpose at present would be sufficently large for 24 beds so that, with the above changes, and considering the great proportion of the inmates will be ablebodied who will spend most of their day in the open air, I am under the mark when I say that you can accommodate 822 without any danger to their health.
                                                            James Shannon M.D.

Resolved
- that cocoa will be in future used instead of coffee for the inmates.
- that Greyrock is considred inconvenient as an office for the relieving officer in Kilonohen and that the getting of one at Knockatian is more central and that the relieving officer do select one there and in every case that the officer do report the most convenient place for an office.
- that linen ware of every description be advertised for.
- that the master do proceed to Limerick to purchase the material necessary to bake bread as recommended by Mr Hancock and that the bill for the expenses be laid before the board.
- that we accept Pat Morris's proposal to supply an office to the relieving officer at Kilshanny at 1-6 per annum.

Mr MacNamara gives notice that he will on this day fortnight move the board to appoint a committee to enquire and report balance due in the contract for bread made on the 8th of August 1846.
Proposed that an office be taken at Liscannor at £2-0-0 a year for the relieving officer.

Resolved that an office be had at Kilfenora for the relieving officers at £2-10-0 a year and an office at Carron for the relieving officers at 2 a year.

Resolved that the master do fit up the stabling for a schoolroom and that he does lay before this board the expense when furnished and the vouchers for the payment of all articles and work as the tenders this day received are considered too high. 

It appearing that the master can, by getting erected hotplates such as issued in Limerick Workhouse, be able to dispense with a baker and that he will also get the pauper inmates to do the business of tailor, shoemaker and dressmaker and as there would thereby be a saving of £103-0-0 per annum,
Resolved that the shoemaker, tailor, dressmaker and baker's service be dispensed with from this date giving them liberty to remain in the establishment until 1st January.

Resolved that cheques to be drawn in favour of the following persons for the following sums viz.

Resolved that the following articles be advertised for in one number each of the General Advertiser and Limerick and Clare Examiner. Tenders to be received on 7th February '48.

Linen ware of all description

All according to a pattern to be had on application to the clerk or master.

Meeting held on the 31st of December 1847.

The register book was signed from No. 5097 to No. 5112.

The treasurer's book of receipts and payments was produced by which it appeared that there had been

 Read Commissioners' letter.
- of the 27th inst. accompanying forms of the liabilities of the guardians on the 31st Dec '47.
- of the 27th inst. acompanying an altered form of minutes etc.
- of the 27th inst. accompanying forms of the monthly a/c of the union funds for December '47.
- of 22nd inst. accompanying a communication which was received from Mr P. Fitzgibbon relative to the destitution prevailing in Miltown Malbay which was also read.
- of the 22nd inst. accompanying a form of return which the collectors were required to fill up and transmit to the Commissioners and board of guardians.

Resolved
- that 2/10 be allowed the relieving officer, Ennistymon, for an office.
- that each relieving officer be required to post a list in the most public place in his district once a week in which lists the names and numbers relieved in each townland shall be mentioned for the information of the ratepayers. 

The chairman gives notice that he will on this day fortnight move to rescind the resolution of the board made on the 24th December inst. respecting the several master tradesmen and dressmaker and that a committee be appointed to enquire and report whether it would be for the advantage of the union whether to discontinue or continue said persons.

Resolved that 2/10 be allowed for rent of offices for the relieving officer at Miltown. 

Resolved that the following cheques be drawn in favour of the following persons -

 Adjourned meeting held on the 4th. January, 1848.

Resolved that a cheque be drawn in favour of Mr Francis £Walsh, relieving officer, for Ennistymon for 50-0-0

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