Ennistymon Union Minute Books

Book No. 6 

Meetings held from 5th December 1848 - 2nd/3rd January 1849

[81]
Meeting held on the 5^th of December, 1848.

The register book was signed from No.8045 to No.8066.

The outdoor relief register was signed from No.16441 to No.16866.

State of the workhouse for week ending 2nd December 1848.

[82]

[85] Medical Report:-
The house is in a very unhealthy state at present particularly with respect to fever, of which there were 63 new cases during the week ending Saturday last and  altogether 211 cases remaining in the fever hospital.  There are 142 in infirmary suffering from various diseases. Diarrhea and dysentry seems somewhat on the increase. We had 21 deaths, 8 from fever, 4 from diarrhea, 3 dysentry and six small pox.
                                                                            James Shannon, M.D.

Clerk's Report:
The clerk reports that the master is ill in fever since the 26th November in consequence of which the weekly relief list and abstract, and the several clothing accounts were not produced.  The clerk reports that a supply of stationery is required for the use of the union.

[86] Read commissioners' letters:
- Circluar - Monthly return of collection of rates, No. 907 30th Nov, l848, requiring the returns by 6th December.
- Circular - Monthly return of expenses and liabilities No. 899 requiring the return by 12th Dec. l848.
- 30th Nov. l848 - Intimating the appointment of Mr. Sims as auditor.
- 2nd Dec. l848 - Enclosing queries to be answered by Mary McInerney as asst. schoolmistress and John McInerney as porter at Miltown Fever Hospital.

Resolved:-
- that the clerk do write to Messrs. J. Banatyne & Sons, that before declaring a contractor for the supply of rice and coal for the workhouse and its auxiliaries, that they be requested to forward samples of the rice, and that Messers J. Bannatyne state what kind of English coal is to be supplied.
[87] - that the mangel wurzel on the workhouse grounds be  disposed of to Mr. Con O' Brien at 10/- per ton being the highest tender.
- that the clerk do invite to Messrs. Leslie for a supply of medicine for the workhouse as per list handed him by the medical officer.
- that the master be directed to attend strictly to the scale of dietary adopted by the vice guardians on the l7th October and on no account to deviate from it except on the recommendation of the medical officer of the workhouse.
- that the clerk do invite tenders for the supply of blankets, men's clothing, 200 suits.

[91]
Meeting held on the 12th day of Dec, l848.

The register book was signed from No.8067 to No.8080.
The outdoor relief register was signed from No.16867 to No.16901.

[92]

[95] Medical Report
The house continues in a very unhealthy state and the fever of a very malignant type owing to the overcrowded state of the fever wards. We have 237 suffering from fever, 42 new cases during the week, half of which number one half came from Lahinch Auxiliary Workhouse. There were l6 deaths from fever, 8 from small pox, 2 dysentry and one diarrhea, there are l49 in infirmary. In our present difficulties with respect to getting a temporary fever hospital convenient to the workhouse, I can only advise the vice guardians to make an infirmary of the addition lately made to the male idiot wards and converting the present infirmary into a fever hospital.
                                                            James Shannon. M.D.

Clerk's Report:
The clerk reports that the master died on the 9th inst. of typhus fever.
Ordered that in consequence of his death that the clerk do advertise in the local papers, and by handbills inviting tenders from competent persons to fill the above situation, salary £40 per annum.
[96]
Read Orders:-
Outdoor relief sealed order bearing date the 5th day of December l848, authorizing outdoor relief to all persons with the exception of able-bodied women who have not been married, and able-bodied men who have not more than one child to continue until the 5th day of January, l849.

Read commissioners' letters:-
- 6th Dec l848, requiring the summary of expenses to be forwarded.
- 6th Dec l848, enclosing form to be filled up by medical officers to the numbers the house will contain.
- 8th Dec l848, enclosing colonization circular.

Resolved that the tenders of Messrs. J. Bannyatyne and Son be accepted for the supply of coal at 25/6 per ton to be delivered free of carriage at the workhouse and its auxiliary, the contract to continue in force until lst December, l849.
Resolved that the tenders of Mr. P. Keating be accepted for the supply of rice to the workhouse and its auxiliary up to the 20th March, l849, at £17.l0 per ton to be delivered free of carriage.
[97] Resolved that the clerk do inform the various contractors and others having claims against this union, that accounts are only to be paid for the future once a month, and that on the first Tuesday of each, and that all bills must be lodged with the clerk on the previous Friday when payment is required.

[1] Meeting held on the l9th day of December, l848.

The register book was signed from No.8081 to No.8169.
The outdoor relief register was signed from No.16902 to No.16957.

[2]

[5]
Medical Report:
The house still continues in an unhealthy state, not so many new cases of fever, but death increased. In infirmary 156, fever hospital 260, 56 new cases during the week, 30 of which came from the Lahinch Auxiliary Workhouse. There were 34 deaths - l9 from fever, 7 diarrhea, 4 dysentry and 4 small pox.  From the number of children sick and delicate, I would advise that the vice guardians change the dietary of the class under 9 years of age to white bRead in place of brown. I am sorry to inform the board that the matron is laid up with fever.
                                                                        James Shannon. M.D.

Ordered that pursuant to the report of Dr. Shannon white bread be substituted for brown for the class under 9 years for the present.
[6] Letters of the commissioners and others were read
- from the Central Board of Health, 7th Dec, 1848 about the Nuisance Removal Act.
- 12th December l848, about the use of rye and barley meal.
- 13th December l848, Mr. Hynes, R.O. requesting an increase of salary.
- 13th December l848, approving of the appointment of Dr. Costello as medical officer of the auxiliary workhouse at Miltown at £30 per annum.
- 13th December l848, requiring information about the number in workhouse according to the minutes.
[7] - l3th December l848, enclosing an anonymous letter from a heavy rate payer about the appointment of Anthony Considine as a steward.
- 14th December l848 stating that summary B was received in due course.
- l6th December l848 requiring a return of lunatics by the 1st of January.
Ordered that the clerk be directed to forward the return required by the commissioners' letter with as little delay as possible.
[8] Resolved:-
- that the clerk be directed to inform the commissioners that in consequence of the death of the master the workhouse books have not been produced.
- that the clerk do enquire whether the commissioners object to the employment of a few of the able bodied paupers under Section 2, in sweeping, cleansing the streets of Ennistymon, the vice guardians deeming such a still more stringent test than stone breaking and condusive to the sanitary condition of the town - the manure so collected when sold to be applied to the credit of the electoral division.
- that in pursuance of the sealed order of the commissioners dated the 22nd November, the vice guardians will in future hold a board meeting on each Tuesday in the week at Crough for the electoral divisions of Burren, Carron, Drumcreehy, Killonahan, Rathborney, & Kilfenora, commencing on Tuesday 2nd January, l849, and that the relieving officers of those divisions give the necessary publicity of the vice guardians intentions and that the ordinary weekly meetings of the vice guardians be held in the boardroom of the union workhouse for the business of the remaining electoral divisions of the union, on each
[9] Wednesday in the week commencing on Wednesday the 3rd of January.
- that Michael Sexton be employed at 1/ per diem to direct and oversee the division of the stream of water into the workhouse grounds and through the womens' privies there by establishing the continuous cleaning of same, the excavation and other necessary work to be effected by the pauper labour.
- that the vice guardians recommend for the approbation of the commissioners that a R.O be appointed temporarily for the electoral division at Killonahan at a salary of £25 per annum with a distributing depot at Greyrock.
- that on reconsideration, the vice guardians are desirious of fixing the salary of the master at £50 per annum so as to obtain the services of an efficient individual.

[1] No meeting held on 23rd of December l848.

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

[1] Meetings held on Tuesday and Wednesday, 2nd and 3rd day of January l849.

The register book was signed from No. 8170 to No. 8238.
The outdoor relief register was authenticated from No.16958 to No.17096.

State of the workhouse for week ending 30th Dec. 1848.

[2]
The treasurer's book of receipts and payments was produced by which it appeared that there had been

[5] Medical Report:-
There are 205 patients under treatment for fever and 178 for measles and other diseases since the 26th of December up to this day, there were 40 new cases of fever and 53 of measles and other diseases in this and the Lahinch house, the greater number of them from Lahinch, the matron of which is in fever. In this house fever is diminishing fast. I had no new cases of any kind this day and expect that the room at my disposal for the sick will be found in a short time to be sufficient to meet the wants of both houses. I think the Lahinch House should be at once white washed, the kitchen is in a very bad way and, in fact, the entire house with the smoke from it and requires to be at once attended to, this house is in a bad way for lime. I cannot get things as often as I want them.                                                                                                           Charles Finnucane

Master's Report:
The master requires the following for the use of the workhouse, and its auxiliaries, 2 milk tubs, l dozen trays, l doz buckets, l patient scale, l set of small weights, a beam for weighing coals, 4b Read knives, 200 boys platters, 100 2nd class boys blotters, 400 pint saucepans, 4 gross large iron spoons, 1000 yds of shrowding, l dozen sweeping brushes, l dozen white wash brushes, l syringe, 4 bedpans, and 8 feeding cups.

[6] Letters Read:-
- 21st December l848, requiring a return of the number of inmates and deaths in the workhouse since l844.
- 22nd December l848, circular about the Nuisance Act.
- 22nd December l848, acknowledging receipt of report about Henry Daly, relieving officer for an increase of salary.
- 22nd December l848, acknowledging receipt of report about the memorial from rate payers in Rathborney.
- 22nd December l848, about forwarding the minutes if possible on the day after the meeting.
- 22nd December l848, approving of the appointment of John McInerney as porter of the T.F. hospital at Miltown and a salary of £10 per annum.
[7] - 22nd December l848, stating that the weekly balance sheets of the collectors were not received for week ended 2nd, 9th, and l6th inst.
- 22nd December l848, approving of the appointment of Mary McInerney as school mistress at a salary of £10 per annum.
- 29th December l848, requiring a return of tenements in the Union.
- 1st January l849, acknowledging receipt of report of l8th inst.,
- 1st January l849, approving of employing the able bodied paupers to sweep the streets of Ennistymon.
- 1st January l849, acknowledging receipt of report of the l8th inst., about M. Hynes application for an increase of salary.
- 1st January l849, intimating that they had refused the clerk's letter to the vice guardians about being allowed car hire, while attending at Crouagh.
- lst January l849, approving of appointing of a relief officer for the E.D of Killonahan.
- Ordered that in pursuance of the above letter the clerk do advertise for a R.O. at a salary of £25 per annum for the E.D of Killonahan, the election to take place on this day fortnight.
[8]
The vice guardians proceeded to elect a master for the Union workhouse when the following candidates appeared, James Hall, Michael Guthrie, John Hanlon, Maurice Finnucane, Charles Carrigg, Pat Mulqueeny, W.H. Pollen, John Molony, James Casey, Thos Kean, Michael McNamara and John Linnane, also applications with testimonials from John Love, - the different candidates having been duly examined it was resolved that W.H. Pollen be appointed master at a salary of £50 p.a. with ration, etc.
Resolved that the tender of Cornelius O'Brien of Birchfield be accepted for the purchase of
broken stones at Liscannor at 6d per cubic yd.

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