Schull workhouse Board of Guardians (BG145)

Schull Board of Guardians

IE CCCA/BG/145

1 Nov 1921 – 15 Oct 1923

Includes:

27 Nov 1921 Inmates: 0. Out door relief: 80 persons. Letter from the clerk of Bantry union stating ‘we have no room for the child mentioned in your letter. We are packed up and are going to send out three children who were taken in under similar circumstances. We cannot take in any of the hospital p atients referred as it is full up’. 12 Dec 1921 LG Dept letter including an extract from an answer received from the vice- guardians of Cork union setting out ‘the basis of calculation on which the charge of £1 : 1 : 0 per head is made for maintenance of inmates in Cork Union Workhouse’. The board are ‘not satisfied to pay this extra - ordinary charge for a healthy mother who is working in the institution and a child of 18 months old’. [See also 16 Jan 1922, where the Cork union threatens to return Schull inmates and not to take any more unless amounts owed are paid.] LG Dept letter pointing out that medical officers are entitled to vacation and to have their substitutes paid out of the rates. It is added ‘other unions have been similarly circumstanced regarding financial difficulties and have not thought it necessary to economise at the expense of their officers’ rights’. 16 Jan 1922 Clerk’s letter submitted the board’s annual estimate and demand to the County Council for the year to 31 March 1923, ‘total amo unt £2339, which shows a decrease of £2247 on the current year’s estimate’. 17 Apr 1922 Letter from the medical officer, Schull dispensary, stating that no fire has been lit this year in Ballydehob depot, adding ‘it is like a prison -camp in this weather’. [See also, eg, 15 Oct 1923. In a letter read on 15 May 1922 he complains that medicines ordered three months ago have only now arrived]. 12 Jun 1922 Clerk’s letter reporting that he was put out of his room in Mr Roycroft’s house on the o rders of Mr Connolly, IRA officer, Skibbereen, and that he has since gotten a room from Michael Sullivan, to which he has removed the union books ‘and am having my office in that room since’. LG Dept letter including reference to a relieving officer’s report on boarded out children, calling attention ‘to the irregular attendance of such children at school’ and stating that foster -parents should be warned that unless an improvement is effected children will be removed to other homes. 17 Jul 1922 Letters from Cork County Council: the first states that arrangements are being made for the reception of aged, infirm, and other inmates at the new home in Clonakilty [for the unions in the western part of the county]; the second states that a religious order has taken the mansion at Bessborough. Blackrock , and will ‘devote their attention towards the reformation of unmarried mothers and their children and for deserted and

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