Search the Catalogue

CSO/RP/1825/899

Letter from Arthur I Kelly, Board Room, Armagh Asylum, County Armagh, to Henry Goulburn, Chief Secretary, Dublin Castle, seeking advice and determination on the admission criteria for mentally ill patients from counties Monaghan, Tyrone, Donegal, Fermanagh and Armagh. Draws particular attention to the fact that a majority of persons identified as lunatics in these county prisons are deemed incurable and as such if taken in will ‘defeat the object of making this a curable establishment’. Encloses a return of mentally ill patients held in the various county gaols which form part of the Armagh district. Displays information on county, sex of person, and an ‘observations’ section provides guidance on the form of mental illness and likelihood of recovery, signed by Thomas Jackson, manager of Armagh Asylum. A note of clarification as regards the law on the issue and the distinction between idiots and lunatics is provided on the reverse by John Sealy Townsend, King’s Counsel and legal advisor to the Chief Secretary’s Office. Also draft reply from the CSO to the commissioners of Armagh Asylum on the issues raised respecting the admissions of persons in various states of sanity.

14 Jul 1825-24 Jul 1825

1825

CSO/RP/1825/923

Letter from William Kemmis, crown solicitor, Kildare Street, Dublin, to Henry Goulburn, Chief Secretary, Dublin Castle, on the subject of rebuilding the school house and offices at Clonmel, County Tipperary. Observes a memorial prepared for use in the transaction is ‘substantially defective’ and requests a replacement memorial giving a detailed breakdown of the cost of the work. Remarks that security must be approved by the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty’s Treasury prior to the issue of a recognizance in the matter. Also declares that Patrick Nowlan of Grafton Street and Bernard Mullins of Fitzwilliam Square in Dublin are ‘eligible persons’ to act as securities in the contract, 1 August 1825. Encloses copy of a case for the opinion of the Attorney General [William Conyngham Plunket] requesting direction on whether discrepancies in the form of the memorial and recognizance noticed by John Sealy Townsend, King’s Counsel and legal advisor to the Chief Secretary’s Office, require alteration, with answer in the affirmative by Plunket, 30 July 1825. Also copy estimate for construction of the school house prepared in accordance with the plan and specifications of John Welland, architect; indicates the total cost of the work is £3,620, signed by John MacMahon, builder of Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin, 9 September 1825. Also copy memorial of the commissioners of education in Ireland to Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquis Wellesley, Lord Lieutenant, Dublin Castle, outlining plans for contract of work for approval of government. Stipulates that MacMahon will be entrusted with erecting the building, on condition of providing two appropriate persons to act as securities; gives schedule of instalments for issue of funds to MacMahon as payment for labour. Signed by Chamberlen William Walker, secretary of the Board of Education, 10 September 1825.

30 Jul 1825-10 Sep 1825

1825

CSO/RP/1825/925

Letter from William Farrell, architect, Carrickmacross, County Monaghan, to William H Gregory, Under Secretary of Ireland, Dublin Castle, seeking to promote an application for funds for an extension to the county infirmary of Cavan, at behest of the Bishop of Kilmore [George de la Poer Beresford]. Response annotated on reverse from John Sealy Townsend, King’s Counsel and legal advisor to the Chief Secretary’s Office, stressing he is not aware of how such an advance can be made under existing legislation, 31 July 1825. Encloses memorial of the grand jury of County Cavan, to Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquis Wellesley, Lord Lieutenant, Dublin Castle, requesting sanction for the issue of the sum of £500 from the treasury to enlarge Cavan Infirmary. States a presentment was passes for that amount without opposition, signed by Henry Maxwell and 6 other members of the grand jury of the summer assizes of 1824, 3 August 1824. Also encloses a copy of the presentment make by the grand jury of County Cavan on 31 July 1824, certified by William Irvine, deputy clerk of the crown, 18 July 1825.

3 Aug 1824-31 Jul 1825

1825

CSO/RP/1825/928

Letter from John Ormsby Vandeleur, foreman of County Clare grand jury, Kilrush, County Clare, to the Chief Secretary’s Office, Dublin Castle, requesting an advance of funds for the construction of a district bridewell or prison at Kilrush. Makes reference to an earlier application for the sum of £860 towards the work, which was rejected by John Sealy Townsend, King’s Counsel and legal advisor to the Chief Secretary’s Office. Also indicates a presentment was made by the grand jury of County Clare at the summer assizes for the new building, in accordance with directions supplied by Alexander Mangin, clerk in the Chief Secretary’s Office.

4 Aug 1825

1825

CSO/RP/1825/1019

Letter from Alderman Frederick Darley, Peter Low and Major Henry Charles Sirr, chief magistrates, head office of police, Dublin, recommending that William Brown, second clerk, second division of police, Dublin, be issued with a superannuation allowance as stipulated under the 48th act of George III, cap.140. Encloses memorial from Brown to Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquis Wellesley, Lord Lieutenant, Dublin Castle, making application for a retirement allowance. Refers to the service of his late father, William Brown, who acted as chief clerk with the second division of police between the years 1808 and 1819. He adds he came to succeed his father in the police office on a salary of £80 per year, but found through regular application to duties his health continued to decline. Attaches to his memorial a certificate from James Henthorn, police surgeon, who reports Brown, his patient, ‘labours under an enlargement of the liver’. With annotation on back from John Sealy Townsend, King’s Counsel and legal advisor to the Chief Secretary’s Office, pointing out no evidence exists to show that Brown’s condition was ‘acquired in the performance of his duty’.

c3 Aug 1825-24 Aug 1825

1825

CSO/RP/1825/1035

Petition of James Dondon of Cloghatacka, and James Daniher of Briskey [Briska], in the barony of Pubblebrien, County Limerick, to Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquis Wellesley, Lord Lieutenant, Dublin Castle, seeking the intervention of government in assisting with establishing their innocence in the case of the murder of Patrick Slattery, who died following an assault at a riot in Kildimo, barony of Kenry, on 2 July 1825. Remarks on account of being ‘charged as accessories’ in the killing of Slattery, they departed their holdings to avoid arrest or imprisonment, leaving ‘their Harvest business unfinished’. Asks that the magistrates of the county or Thomas Philip Vokes, police magistrate of Limerick, be directed to accept bail for their attendance at the next county assizes as there are ‘Confident of their Innocence’. With note on back from John Sealy Townsend, King’s Counsel and legal advisor to the Chief Secretary’s Office, observing that he cannot recommend such an order as is requested; due to not having information to hand he is unable to say if such an indulgence would be permitted even if they were in custody.

3 Sep 1825

1825

CSO/RP/1825/1049

Letter from Reverend Henry Lambert Bayly, Church of Ireland rector of Arklow, Ballyarthur, County Wicklow, to John Sealy Townsend, King’s Counsel and legal advisor to the Chief Secretary’s Office, Dublin Castle, requesting to learn what further information need be produced by the county officers to enable their treasurer [John Revell] to draw a sum of £400 from the Treasury towards the cost of the Wicklow mail coach road. Points out that both of the original overseers are now deceased but that the executers of the work have accounted for expenditure to the grand jury of County Wicklow. Seeks to learn what further steps need to taken to authenticate their expenditure and complains the labouring poor are ‘severely injured by the long delay’ in waiting for issue of wages. Remarks application should be made to Captain Mackintosh, civil engineer, who possesses a general knowledge of the work and could assist in a valuation of what is so far completed.

23 Aug 1825

1825

CSO/RP/1825/1051

Letter from John Martley, assistant barrister of County Cork [East Riding], 12 Talbot Street, Dublin, to the Chief Secretary’s Office, Dublin Castle, requesting advice and clarification on implementation of the 5th act of George IV, chapter 74, section 17, which concerns enforcement of lawful weights and measures. Observes the information he requests might be supplied by the law officers of the crown and will be of immediate use to the justices and magistrates of County Cork. With reply on back of letter from John Sealy Townsend, King’s Counsel and legal advisor to the Chief Secretary’s Office, offering observations on the interpretation of the act in question.

25 Aug 1825-29 Aug 1825

1825

CSO/RP/1825/1077

Letter from Shapland Graves, Church of Ireland church warden, Grandison Cove, Dungarvan, County Waterford, to Henry Goulburn, Chief Secretary, Dublin Castle, requesting verification of his legal position as collection of parish cess in the church of Rinagona, County Waterford. Complains of opposition from a section of the parishioners and asks for advice ‘to save me from the Fangs of an association ready with its catholic Rent to Pounce on me’. Encloses copy warrant produced under authority of the church wardens of Ringagona, indicating a rate of £10 has been placed on the parish with power to distrain, signed by Robert Power and [Sir] William Jackson Homan, magistrates of County Waterford, 16 May; 26 July 1825. Also encloses copy of case for counsel from a number of parishioners declaring the demand for cess is not justified as the church is not yet complete nor is it consecrated. Requests to learn if proceedings should be taken by the one Protestant church warden for recovery of cess if they have any defence. Opinion given beneath by Daniel O’Connell, barrister, Merrion Square, Dublin, declares the parishioners are not liable to the charge. He states they have a right to contest the demand and continued opposition is unlikely as the warden is not entitled to his costs, 9 July 1825. With note on back of Graves’s letter from John Sealy Townsend, King’s Counsel and legal advisor to the Chief Secretary’s Office, advising the church wardens to levy the cess rate and if any refuses to pay, application should be made to the ecclesiastical court for an enforcement order.

16 May 1825-26 Jul 1825

1825

CSO/RP/1825/1164

Draft copy of deed for appointment of commissioners to be entrusted with the valuation of houses in the city of Dublin, in and around the Circular Road, prepared by John Sealy Townsend, King’s Counsel and legal advisor to the Chief Secretary’s Office, and marked on back ‘Settled’. Also note of the three commissioners nominated to act as valuers of houses, Mr Sherrard, Mr Carpenter and Mr Webb, with inscription on head ‘This may go for the Lord Lieut[enan]t’s signature’.

15 Sep 1825

1825