The facts bearing on the claim of the poor to 1. The Poorhouse grounds and buildings; 2. Paul's work mortification; and 3. Trinity Hospital : and dissent from the report of the Law Committee of the Council refusing the poor's claims / by Councillor Curror.

  • Edinburgh (Scotland). Parochial Board.
Date:
1862
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The facts bearing on the claim of the poor to 1. The Poorhouse grounds and buildings; 2. Paul's work mortification; and 3. Trinity Hospital : and dissent from the report of the Law Committee of the Council refusing the poor's claims / by Councillor Curror. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    thereto pertaining. These important questions—deserving the serious attention of the Corporation—will now be adverted to in the order stated : I. The right of the Parochial Board to the Poorhou.se Grounds and Buildings, and all thereunto pertaining. Previous to the passing of the Poor-law Amendment Act, in August 1845, the Corporation was bound to support the poor of the city “unbegganand down to 1740, the Corpor- ation did so out of the funds specially appropriated by statute, grant, and otherwise to that purpose. But it having been found, about that year, “ that the funds that are chargeable with the maintenance of the poor, though very considerable, are not sufficient, whence hitherto the deficiency necessary behoved to be answered and paid out of the common good,” it was proposed that “ane charity workhouse be erected, where all the poor should be accommodated, maintained, and employed at work, and that all the poor’s funds be thereto, and to no other use, applicable,” the Magistrates and Council approved of the proposal; and on 14th November 1739, bound the Corporation to pay “forever,” annually, out of the revenues of the city, £200 towards the expense of the workhouse; and made over to the manager of the workhouse the special poor’s funds, including “ annual rents of sums of money, and rents of houses and shops mortified for the use of the poor,” and all sums that might thereafter be left for the use of the poor. On 11th June 1740, the Corporation in addition did “unanimously give, grant, and appropriate to the use of the said intended workhouse for ever, at least so long as the poor of this city shall be employed or maintained therein,” the park in which Bedlam then and now stands—that is, the whole ground now occupied by the poor, including Forrest Hoad and the site of the Free North Church. But the Corporation reserved right to make an avenue through the ground, and “ right to a comer of said yeard ” for laying causeway stones, “ sufficient for the city’s use.” On the faith of this grant, the benevolent subscribed large