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services, attitudes to poverty , developments in public health provision, and the care of the infirm, the destitute, children, and the mentally ill. The minutes also help to document the rise of nationalism.
Minutes of the Cork Dispensary Board/Committee for the 1890’s, and the Cork Rural Sanitary Board for the 1870’s.
Extensive correspondence in the form of incoming and outgoing letter books, principally with the Poor Law Commission (PLC) , and later with the Local Government Board (LGB), 1839-1918. Also found is a set of original Orders and Circulars issued by the Poor Law Commission in the earliest years of the Cork Union, 1839-1850. Financial account books, 1839-1925, including an extensive run of general ledgers, and day to day records, for example recording payments to suppliers. Also found is a printed Abstract of Account, giving receipts and expenditure and number of paupers relieved, compiled by Clerk of the Union and the Auditor, for year ending 29 Sep 1887. Outdoor / out relief records, consist of a partial record of boarded out children, 1901-1903, and a report book by relieving and medical officers of various districts in the Union, 1912-1933, relating to the provision of out relief, extending into the period following the abolition of the Board of Guardians. Records of the internal administration, and day to day management of the workhouse, 1847-1924, including storekeeping books, master’s report books, visiting committees report books, staff time and wages books; and registers of the Cork Union Boys ’ National School, 1873-1904. Records of inmates of the workhouse, 1840-1923, consisting of an extensive series of indoor relief registers, plus a less extensive set of indices to the registers, and an indoor relief list from 1924-1925. These series contain mainly personal information, and are thus a notable source for genealogical and family history research. A related series are the records of deaths in the Workhouse, which are also quite extensive, covering the period 1853-1931.
Register of Children at Nurse, recording of the fostering/boarding out of children, 1893 – 1924.
I nspector’s report, 1923, relating to an enquiry into the administration of the workhouse during the term of office of the Vice Guardians, who were appointed in November 1920.
The collection is of particular interest to the study of the 19th century and early 20th c. period, the Irish poor law system, and the Great Famine. It helps to document the social, economic and political history of the Cork Union, and covers many subjects and issues both local and national in scope.
(See descriptive list of items below for detailed descriptions of series and items)
Arrangement 1.Minute Books
2.Correspondence
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