School: Ceannanus Mór, Scoil na mBráthar

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1. The Local Poorhouse

   

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   It is interesting to note that Workhouses were authorised by law as early as 1703 in Dublin and 1735 in Cork, and that it was not until the passing of the Act of 1838 the English Poor Law Commissioners who, as the central authority controlled the administration until 1847, were authorised by the joining together of townlands to form Unions throughout Ireland, to constitute Boards of Guardians for Unions, to cause to be erected in each Union a workhouse in which it was lawful to relieve such destitute Poor persons as by reason of old age or infirmity might be unable to support themselves by their own industry or other lawful means. For the purpose of administering the Act the Guardians were empowered to make and levy a rate over the Union area. To understand the meaning of the term relief in a workhouse, it is well to indicate the kind of institution a workhouse was.

   Kells Workhouse was erected in 1841 was much on the same plan as the majority of such buildings. The walls were unplastered the rooms unceilinged[?]. In its construction and fitting up a rigid economy was observed. One side of the house was allotted to males and the other to females.

   The classification on each side was roughly as follows:-

   The casuals or night lodgers ward
   The able bodied
   The Infirm
   The School and Children ward
   The Infirmary
   The Lunatic ward

   
   The standard of comfort in the body of the house was, in many instances very poor and the sanitary and bathing accommodation bad. The Infirmary was largely

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. economic activities
         1. trades and crafts (~4,680)
   2. time
      1. historical periods by name (~25)
         1. the great famine (~4,013)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Seamus Brennan

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Archdeaconry, Co. Meath

   Informant

   Mr Seán Brennan

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   53