Bantry workhouse Board of Guardians (BG43)

Bantry Board of Guardians

IE CCCA/BG/43

of this barony’.

24 Nov 1846 Resolution expressing surprise that the union’s treasurer has refused to cash a cheque for £95 issued by the board to the bread contractor.

15 Dec 1846 Medical officer’s report urging ‘the necessity which exists for opening the fever hospital without delay, in the present crowded state of the workhouse’, and referring to ‘extreme destitution’. [591 inmates]. Resolved, that the coal and straw store be converted to a dormitory, and ‘as the number of females in this workhouse exceeds by far the males’, that the boys be removed to a male dormitory, and the girls moved to their dormitory. 29 Dec 1846 Master’s report stating his suspicions that some of the female paupers had whiskey conveyed to them on Christmas eve, and that ‘the matron and I often detect fish and other provisions given to the paupers at the yard gates’. Clerk’s insertio n stating that no meeting was held on 5 Jan 1847 as many guardians ‘were engaged magisterially & Co at the court house holding inquests in reference to several persons who had recently died of starvation in this locality’. 12 Jan 1847 Resolved, ‘that the boardroom be given up’, by the board and instead be appropriated ‘to whatever purposes the doctor thinks fit, for the reception and accommodation of paupers... that as many of their lives may be saved as can possibly be done’. 19 Jan 1847 Medical officer ’s report urging ‘the necessity which exists however disagreeable the duty of positively refusing to admit any more paupers’, owing to overcrowding and unsatisfactory sanitary conditions. Dr Tisdall again urges the immediate opening of the fever hospital. [746 inmates] Resolved, ‘that after this day that no more paupers be admitted… unless a very extreme case’. [See also 26 Jan, when a limit of 750 inmates is set]. 26 Jan 1847 Medical officer’s report stating that the fever hospital is now occupied, and noting that fever continues to spread in the workhouse. He adds ‘Dysentery also of a very intractable nature is exceedingly prevalent especially among the children’, and cites numbers of cases, before renewing his request for temporary medical assistance. Resolution calling on the government for a loan against future rates to meet the present exceptional circumstances. Reference is made to the difficulty of collecting rates, especially in ‘waste and mountainous districts where the people are in an extreme state of destitution and deaths from starvation of hourly occurrence ’. 2 Feb 1847 Medical officer’s report referring to the absence of two nurses, noting ‘the sick are dependent totally on the unwilling services of paupers’. Noted, that Captain Flood of the Board of Public Works was in attendance, and that he suggested workhouse lands be made into vegetable gardens to give employment to inmates, and that the County Surveyor be asked to proceed with the new road to the workhouse immediately for the same reason.

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