Item 2 - Minute Book 1919-1921

Identity area

Reference code

IE OCL INF 2/2/2

Title

Minute Book 1919-1921

Date(s)

  • 1919-06-01 - 1921-08-01 (Creation)

Level of description

Item

Extent and medium

Bound volume c.75 pages

Context area

Name of creator

(1788-1921)

Administrative history

King’s County Infirmary was established under King George III’s reign with the passing of the Irish County Infirmaries Act of 1765. This act enabled the creation of infirmaries in thirty Irish counties. In an amending act from 1768, King’s County Infirmary was moved from Philipstown (Daingean) to Tullamore, the new county town. During the redevelopment of Tullamore town by the Earl of Charleville, a new infirmary building was erected in 1788 on Church Street and was further extended in 1812.

The County Infirmaries Act was enacted to provide healthcare to the poor which fulfilled the eighteenth century philanthropic ideals of the landed gentry who supported these institutions through donations and subscriptions. King’s County Infirmary was supported by an income comprising of parliamentary funds, grand jury presentments, governor subscriptions, donations, and patient fees. The infirmary was managed by a Board of Governors who paid subscriptions for their position on the board. Governors had absolute control over the infirmary including staff appointments and patient admissions. To gain access to the infirmary, Governors issued tickets of admission which were most likely given to their employees, tenants, and servants. The governors who supported the hospital were made up of local gentry and landowners such as the Earl of Rosse, Lord Digby and prominent businessowners such as the Goodbody family.

During the War of Independence, King’s County Infirmary came under the jurisdiction of the new Sinn Féin majority council, now renamed Offaly County Council. On the 21st of January 1921, the secretary to Offaly County Council attended a meeting of the board to inform them of the closure of the infirmary. It was to be closed under the Offaly amalgamation scheme whereby the workhouse hospital would become the new County Hospital. The board pleaded with the council to delay the closure in order to settle the affairs of the hospital in relation to critical patients and financial matters. The hospital eventually closed in August 1921 after it was reported by the surgeon and registrar to the board, that the bedding and beds were carried out of the infirmary by unknown persons suspected to be under orders of the county council.

Following its closure, King’s County Infirmary accommodated the civil guards and then housed the county library until 1977. The façade of the original King’s County Infirmary can still be seen on Church Street, Tullamore, which has now been repurposed into apartments.

Archival history

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Soft bound minute book of the King’s County Infirmary board of management meetings. Minutes consist of an overview of tenders for supplies, statements of account and building repairs and maintenance. Records decisions regarding the hiring and managing of staff, fees for patients, and transcription of correspondence. The board were often concerned with funding, establishing an ‘Improvement Fund Collection’, received funds from the Tuberculosis Scheme Grant and through Lady Rosse (later, Viscountess de Vesci) petitioned for a grant from the Joint War Committee for the hospital which they received in August 1920.

Meetings between January and August 1921 discuss the possible and eventual closure of the County Infirmary and the amalgamation of the institution with the Central Hospital which was formally the Union Hospital.

Prominent members of board include, Rev. W Phelan (Chairman June 1921), Rev J. Flynn (Vice-Chairman June 1921), R.S. Craig, Rev PJ Egan, Rev Philip Callery, J.M Russell, J.A Lumley, and Rev John Humphries.

It was noted in October 1920, that Fr Thomas Burbage, a noted Republican and a member of the Board had a lucky escape after being shot at by the military on his journey between Tullamore and Geashill by motor bicycle.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

By appointment only. Contact Offaly Archives at [email protected]

Conditions governing reproduction

May be reproduced in accordance with provisions of the Copyright and Related Rights Act (2000). No reproduction online, in print or broadcast without express permission of copyright holder.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

Language and script notes

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Rules and/or conventions used

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

Script(s)

Sources

Accession area

Related people and organizations

Related genres