BG/65
IE CCCA/BG/65 Clonakilty Board of Guardians
Identity Statement
Reference Code:
IE CCCA/BG/65
Title:
Clonakilty Board of Guardians
Dates:
1850 – 1924
Level of description:
Fonds
Extent:
78 items
Context
Creator(s): Clonakilty Board of Guardians
Archival History The surviving records of the Clonakilty Board of Guardians were deposited in the Archives in the early 1980s.
Administrative & Biographical History The Clonakilty Board of Guardians was the governing body of Clonakilty workhouse and poor law union. Clonakilty Poor Law Union was established under the Poor Law (Ireland) Act, 1838. It was one of 16 unions in the overall County Cork area. Each union was centred on a city or market town and its hinterland, and this union area sometimes ignored existing parish or county boundaries. In this central town was situated the union workhouse (usually built between 1838 and 1852) which provided relief for the unemployed and the destitute. The order declaring Clonakilty Poor Law Union came into effect on 3 October 1849. Clonakilty Union was created from areas formerly in the Bandon, Dunmanway, and Skibbereen Unions. Reservation Orders of 5 December 1849 reserved accommodation for Clonakilty paupers in the workhouses of these unions, pending completion of Clonakilty workhouse. Clonakilty Board of Guardians was financially responsible for these inmates. The order declaring Clonakilty workhouse open was received on 5 December 1851. The Union area consisted of three rate collection and relief districts, and, from 6 February 1852, the three dispensary districts of Clonakilty, Rosscarbery, and Timoleague. Each dispensary district had a district medical officer and dispensary house. The Clonakilty district dispensary house was based in the town’s old fever hospital building. The Clonakilty District Medical Officer was generally also the medical officer of the workhouse.
Each workhouse was managed by a staff and officers under the charge of a workhouse master, who reported to the board. Overall responsibility rested with the union's board of guardians,
Cork City and County Archives 2011
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