Mallow Board of Guardians
IE CCCA/BG/116
Identity Statement
Reference Code:
IE CCCA/BG/116
Title:
Mallow Board of Guardians
Dates:
1839 – 1919
Level of description:
Fonds
Extent:
46 items
Context
Creator(s): Mallow Board of Guardians
Archival History The surviving records of the Mallow Board of Guardians were deposited in the Archives in the early 1980s, and in an accession of records from County Council Offices, Annabella, Mallow, in 2007.
Administrative & Biographical History The Mallow Board of Guardians was the governing body of Mallow workhouse and poor law union. Mallow 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. Mallow Board of Guardians first met on 19 April 1839. The Workhouse opened on 2 August 1842. The area of the union included the dispensary districts of Mallow; Monanimmy, Clenor, and Rahan; Kilshannig; Caherduggan and Doneraile; Liscarroll and Churchtown; Buttevant and Imphrick; Ballyclough; Ballinamona. There was much initial debate as to whether the workhouse should be located in Mallow or Buttevant, the Poor Law Commissioners favouring the latter as being more central. The guardians narrowly voted in favour of Mallow, resulting in three northern parishes (Charleville, Kilbolane, and Shandrum) being severed and added to the Kilmallock union. 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, some of whom were elected, and some of whom were ex-officio members appointed usually
© Cork City and County Archives 2011
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