Papers of Waterford Board of Guardians

Identity Statement

Content & Structure

• Scope & Content: Waterford Board of Guardians ↴

  The archives of Waterford Poor Law Union are extensive and contain information regarding the social, economic and political situation of the time. The Minute Books contain a vast array of information, including a letter from A.C. Buchanon, Chief Agent, Government Emigrant Office, Quebec, Canada to the Clerk of the Union regarding a party of thirty female emigrants from sent by the Union (BG/WTFD/30) and a dietary for healthy and infirm inmates of the Workhouse (BG/WTFD/54). A ledger provides details of the cost of provisions for the Workhouse and evidence of the food provided for the inmates. A contract between the Union and ‘Catherine Conway’ provide a glimpse of the manner in which orphan children were provided for (BG/WTFD/96) and a statement showing the salaries, rations and other remuneration provides a record of the manner in which the work of the officers of the Union was rewarded. Contains the Clerk’s Account of provisions and expenses for the Workhouse, the Relieving Officers’ Accounts, the Clothing, Establishment, Invoice and Outdoor Relief Invoice Accounts and also details of the emigrant expenses. States the motions brought by the guardians detailing those for and against each motion and the tenders accepted by the Board. Contains minutes of proceedings under the Medical Charities Act (BG/WTFD/28) which are later recorded more formally in a printed form style with an estimate of medicines required by Medical Officers, the rate-payers elected to be members of the Committees of Management of the Dispensary Districts and the orders and correspondence with the Poor Law Commissioners all recorded (BG/WTFD/32). Provides a return of night lodgers admitted and discharged from the Workhouse weekly (BG/WTFD/38). Minutes of the proceedings of the Board as Sanitary Authority are recorded the reports of the Sanitary Officers, the directions of the Sanitary Officers’ Report Books and the expenses incurred under the Sanitary Acts. Index to resolutions and orders on occasion. Includes a series of letters from the Poor Law Commissioners showing how closely the central authority supervised the work of the Unions. The letters refer to the business of the Union, to observations made by the Commissioners on the Minute Books sent by Union for their inspection, reports of Visiting Committees and to audits of the accounts of the Union. Requests are made for the returns of persons employed by the Union and the returns of the funds of the Union. Transmits orders of the Commissioners regarding the form in which information is to be recorded. Includes copies of letters sent by the Clerk of Waterford Union to the Chief Clerk of the Poor Law Commissioners. Letters are both printed and hand-written. From 1872 letters are sent by the Local Government Board who took over the duties of the Poor Law Commissioner (BG/WTFD/131).

• Appraisal Destruction ↴

  Permanent Retention

• Arrangement ↴

  Little arrangement of the collection has been carried out. The Minute Books are listed first and following these are the descriptions of sundry items from the Board of Guardians and the Workhouse records arranged in date order. The descriptions of the volumes containing the letters of the Poor Law Commissioners and the description of the volumes of sealed orders from the Commissioners follow those relating to the Workhouse and the list is concluded with a description of a letter received by the Poor Law Commissioners from ‘Scrutator’ regarding the election of rate collectors and the influence of the Waterford Board of Guardians on the election of rate collectors.

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