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.

Report for year ending June 1919 outlining a remittance of £10,250 to Lord Digby, the increased amount being ascribed to revenue derived from the woods, particularly mature Scotch pine from Clonad Wood to a firm of match-makers. Remarks that although Ireland ‘remains in a disturbed an unsatisfactory condition this immediate neighbourhood has been very free from agitation and outrage and from a continuance of high prices for all agricultural produce and abundant crops, the Irish farmer is enjoying an era of unprecedented prosperity.’

Includes a letter from Toler R. Garvey Jr land agent at Birr Castle to ‘V.J. Beaumont Nesbitt’, Tubberdaly, Edenderry on 9 June 1921 who records agitations in Birr, and laments a former way of life:

‘...Although things are bad they are not a bit worse than I had anticipated, but we must reach an end of it sometime and we, or whoever is left, may once again be able to live in peace, though I don’t think they will ever know the comfort and good times which we had in the past.’

Also includes letter to Hon. Geoffrey Parsons on 8 December 1921, revealing the anxiety surrounding the situation for landowners following the War of Independence:

‘I enclose... Notice from the Local Government Board of their intention to take the land at Croghan after all, but in view of the Settlement just arrived at on the Irish question, it seems very doubtful that they will proceed with the matter. Things have moved rapidly since I saw you and we shall be face to face with a totally new situation.’

Letters to and from Theodora Trench between 1918 and 1922.
The majority of the letters were sent by Sheelah Trench.The letters cover a wide variety of topics.

One reoccurring theme throughout the letters are Sheelah's concerns over the 'Sinn Feiners' actions in Ireland. A letter dated Easter Sunday 1920 elaborates further, 'We hear that the Moneygall Police Barrack has been burnt down, besides Dunkevin, Ballacymackey and many other. That, and destroying Income Tax and other Government Offices, seems to have been the Sinn Feiners game for Easter Monday'.

Sheelah also includes letters and newspaper clippings that she believes may be of interest to Theodora. One such letter dated 24 February 1920 from Mr Hill, P.O.W Staff, Famagusta Cyprus to Benjamin Bloomfield Trench describes his experience working at a Prisoner of War camp in Cyprus and working alongside Irish soldiers.

Minutes of King's County Council, notable for the annual meeting of 19 June 1920 when Eamonn Bulfin was elected Chairman in absentia, having been deported to Argentina in 1919 following internment by the British government. The same meeting also recorded a proposal put forward by James O'Connor that the elected members of the Council change the name of King's County Council to that of Offaly County Council, with all printed matter in connection with the Council to bear the new title. The vice chairman, John Kelly, observed that King's County was one of the counties 'bearing a name which shows the track of the invader' and that it was time to revive the ancient and illustrious title of Offaly.' The motion proposed by O'Connor was seconded by Robbins and resolved. In the minutes of 25 November (Minute Book 4 OFCC10/4/1/4), correspondence was submitted from the Local Government Board stating that the Council had no power to change the name of the county from King's County to Offaly but the minutes do not record any further action taken on the matter.