Read Friday, 23rd January, 1914. - TARA - Trinity College Dublin

More documents

Recommendations

Info

1914J By S. Shannon Millin, Esq. 137 house or ^ within the same "walls with children will be manifestly injurious by the setting a bad example Be it enacted that, after 24th June, 1772, no vagabond.or strolling'beggar shall be sent into the same house, or kept within the same walls with the children hereby intended to be provided for" (s. 13). (8). " An Act for Badging such poor as shall be found unable to support themselves by labour, and otherwise providing for them, 1772. and for restraining such as shall be found unable to support themselves by labour or industry from begging." 11-12 Geo. III., c. 30. Preamble:—"Whereas strolling beggars are very numerous in this kingdom: And whereas it is become equally necessary to give countenance and assistance to those poor who shall be found disabled by old age or infirmities to earn their living, as to restrain and punish those who may be able to support themselves by labour or industry, and yet may choose to live in idleness by begging: and it is just to call upon the humane and affluent to contribute to support of real objects of charity." Section 5 requires the corporations created by the Act " to build hospitals, to be called Workhouses or Houses of Industry, as plain, as durable, and at as moderate expense as possible." ' Speaking of this Act, the Royal Commission of 1833- 1836 says in the First Report:—"There is more truth, more common sense; there are more sound views of political economy in this title; in this preamble, than in all the previous Acts of the Irish Legislature put together. Had the same wisdom directed them in carrying out the details of their measure for remedying the grievances which demanded redress, as is to be found in the drawing of the above outline, and had their patriotic exertions-been aided by the Parliament of England, Ireland might now be looked upon as a model of good government and happiness by those to whom she is only known by her /misfortunes and crimes." One of the principal founders of the House of Industry was Rev. Dr. Woodward, to whom I have already referred. Born in England, he owed his appointment in Ireland, to that system of patronage, .the abuses of which were "probably unparalleled in Europe" (Lecky, " Ireland in the Eighteenth Century," VoL I,/p. 204). Woodward, however, was an exception/ and always evinced the* most
13S A Sociological Retrospect of Dublin. [Part 94, enlightened regard for the welfare of the poor, irrespective, of their professed religion, in the land of his adoption. He was ordained Dean of Clogher in 1764; Chancellor of St. Patrick's in 1772, and was consecrated Bishop of Cloyne in 1781. One of the provisions which he laid down in 1768, viz., "the indispensable duty of the rich to provide a competent maintenance for the poor," was embodied in the preamble of 11-12 Geo. III., c. 30, viz.: " It is just to call upon the humane and affluent to contribute to support of real.objects of charity." In 1775 he published " An Address to the Public on the expediency of a Regular Plan for the Maintenance and Government of the Poor," in which he states that one of the immediate effects of the suppression of begging in Dublin was the failure of many of the low retailers of spirituous liquors. He also estimates that the gross number of beggars infesting the streets of Dublin was 2,000, and that their gains from begging amounted to £31,200 per annum. In 1782 he strenuously advocated in the Irish House of Lords, to which he had just been elevated, the entire repeal of the Penal Laws against the Roman Catholics In the following year, 1773, the House of Industry was established in Dublin, and, as will be seen from the above preamble, the Irish Legislature looked to voluntary effort for its support, and so did not make compulsory provision for relief. The voluntary contributions proved to be entirely insufficient, and Parliament was obliged in 1777 to vote a grant of £4,000 towards its support, and from that period annual grants were voted. The original object of^ the House of Industry was the suppression of mendicity in Dublin, but as applicants were, from a very early period, admitted indiscriminately, it became a national rather than a local institution, and may be regarded as the Poor House for the greater part of Ireland. Two wards were opened in 1774 for the accommodation of medical and surgical patients, under the care of two physicians and two surgeons. In the year 1790 the Corporation for the Relief of the Poor elected a third physician and a third surgeon, and also a consulting physician and surgeon. As a corrective to the increasing cost of the institution, the dietary was reduced to 1800. This, however, did not accomplish the desired object, and in 1816 it was appropriated to (1) infirm and aged; (2) sick labouring under acute or chronic diseases;, (3) orphan children; (4) idiots and lunatics. It thus became a great hospital for the reception of such paupers as came within the abovementioned classes. The history of the Foundling Hospital is so remarkable that I.must point out some of the principal stages in its
Page 1 and 2: 130 ' A Sociological Retrospect of
Page 3 and 4: 132 " A Sociological Retrospect of
Page 5 and 6: 134 A Sociological Retrospect of Du
Page 7: 136 A Sociological Retrospect of Du
Page 11 and 12: 140 A Sociological Retrospect of, D
Page 17 and 18: 14:6 A Sociological Retrospect of D
Page 19 and 20: 148' A Sociological Retrospect of D
Page 21 and 22: ISO A Sociological Retrospect of Du
Page 23 and 24: .152 A Sociological Retrospect of .
Page 25 and 26: A Sociological Retrospect of Dublin
Page 27 and 28: 156: A Sociological Retrospect of,
Page 29 and 30: 158 * A Sociological Retrospect of

Read Friday, 23rd January, 1914. - TARA - Trinity College Dublin

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?