THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: Workhouse votes to defy ministry’s order to close

The old Lisnaskea Workhouse pictured in September 2020. Picture: Darryl Armitage

A request by Ministry of Home Affairs for Northern Ireland, which was then headed by Minister Dawson Bates, to the Lisnaskea Board of Guardians to close the town’s workhouse and board-out the inmates was the subject of a meeting of the board the previous Saturday reported the News Letter.

In answer to members the clerk told the Guardians that the average cost of an inmate at the institution was 3s 10d per week.

He added that this cost rose to 5s 11d per head per week if an inmate required hospital care.

The clerk calculated, after allowing for all overhead charges, his own salary and other salaries, that the total cost would be £1 5s 6d per head per week.

He pointed out that the charge made by Enniskillen Guardian for receiving inmates was: “in body of the house”, 9s 9d per week; “in infirmary”, 15s 7d and “in the fever hospital” £1 9s 3d.

Mr H Kirkpatrick, JP, argued that instead of there being a saving there would be a loss.

In giving the figures, he pointed out, that the workhouse farm made a profit of £53 a year, according to the auditor’s report.

The clerk said the area of the farm was half an acre and “they fed some pigs as well”.

By 17 votes to 8, the Guardians “adhered to their former decision”.