To His Grace CHARLES Duke of RICHMOND and LENOX, &c. &c. &c. Lord Lieutenant General and General Governor of Ireland. The FIFTH REPORT of the Commissioners for enquiring into the MAY IT PLEASE YOUR GRACE, WE Wilson's E the undersigned Commissioners, appointed for enquiring into the several Funds and Revenues granted for the purposes of Education, and into the Hosp. State and Condition of all Schools in Ireland upon Public or Charitable Foundations, in pursuance of the powers vested in us; Beg leave to submit to Your Grace, our Report upon the present State and Condition of the Endowment called WILSON'S HOSPITAL. WILSON'S HOSPITAL, situate in the County of Westmeath, Ireland, was founded under the Will of Andrew Wilson, of Piersfield in said County. The Will, in the following words, states the Hospital to be intended "for the habita"tion of aged Men, being Protestants, and decayed Housekeepers of the County "of Westmeath and other adjacent Counties; not exceeding Forty;-and also for "the habitation of Protestant Male Children of the said Counties; not exceeding "One hundred and fifty: Also, to erect a School-house, to be adjoining to said "Hospital; the aged Men and Children to be supported with Diet, Clothing, and Firing, and all other necessaries for their subsistence." This Will, after some litigation, was confirmed by an Act* passed the Second year of the King, and the Trustees and Guardians appointed by the Will were made a Body Corporate, with a Common Seal, and with powers to elect. Officers, to let Lands, to appoint Salaries, form Rules, and make Bye Laws: And by one sweeping Clause towards the end of the Act, they are enabled to manage the Establishment as they please, provided they do nothing contrary to Law. The Trustees are, the Primate of all Ireland, the Archbishops of Dublin and Tuam, and the Bishops of Meath and Kilmore. BUILDINGS. The Hospital was finished in the year 1761. It is a square building enclosing a court, that is surrounded by a corridore that makes part of the lower story, and by means of which there is easy access to all the lower offices. Each side of this square building is one hundred and twelve feet long externally. The principal front is a handsome Doric building surmounted by a cupola. Two wings are connected by corridores with the main building; one of these is a Dining The Act is annexed, No. 1, Appendix. Ii Wilson's Observations a Dining-room, about sixty feet long and thirty feet wide; the other a Schoolroom, of the same dimensions. The height and proportions and size of these rooms, are uncommonly well adapted to the purposes for which they are intended; there are large windows on each side which open easily. There is a large fireplace in cach of these rooms, and they are properly furnished. Over these are spacious Dormitories, with windows on each side, as in the Halls below; they have no fire-places, but they have chimnies, by which a constant circulation of air is produced, even when the windows are shut. The principal building contains on the ground floor, a Kitchen, and every necessary convenience for the Establishment. The first floor is allotted for the residence of the Chaplain, who is Superintendent; and for the lodging of the old men. The upper story is eccupied by the family of the Superintendent, by the Schoolmaster, and other Officers. This building also contains a handsome and commodious Chapel. Near the House there are very extensive Offices almost surrounding a yard, which is 257 feet in length by 72 in breadth. These Offices contain stabling for above twenty horses, large cow-houses and slaughter-houses; carpenter's shop, smith's forge, and other useful Offices; besides an Infirmary. Over these Offices are granaries and hay-lofts, which have been lately added to these buildings; and behind the House is an extensive Garden of four Irish acres, equal to more than six English acres. This Garden is not as productive as it ought to be; nor are the Boys made as useful as they might be in keeping it neat and clean. The buildings belonging to the Charity have been lately new-sashed, and they on Buildings are during this summer to be pinned and dashed, and painted; the chimmies and cupola, which let in water, are to be slated, without depending on mortar or putty, in such a workman-like manner as will need but little repair for many years, except what regards painting, which should hereafter be considered as part of the ordinary expense of the establishment. The floor of the School-room is in a miserable state; it should be floored with oak, which from its hardness is not only much more durable than deal, but from its smoothness it can be more easily kept clean. The stairs and some of the passages of the Hospital are of hard smooth limestone, they consequently condense the moisture of the atmosphere both in winter and summer; while these stairs remain, it is impossible to keep the House tolerably clean, and consequently the Children at the Hospital cannot learn the habit or the love of cleanliness. To remedy this inconvenience, stairs of Portland stone, or, if it can be had, of Some coarser freestone, should be substituted for limestone. This improvement would be expensive at first, but it would be amply compensated by the effects. to furnish The surplus now in the hands of the Treasurer, with what must be accumulated before the proposed improvements can be finished, will be so great as money for them all, and to leave a balance of 2,000 at the disposal of the Trustees. range If the Farms belonging to the House should be let, there will be a very large of buildings unoccupied, which may be converted most advantageously into Workshops, where the Boys may be taught various manufactures, particularly one of the Offices, which is a turf-house eighty feet long; and if coals, which may now be bad at a reasonable price, were used instead of turf, this large building might also be converted into Workshops. FUNDS. The Funds of this Hospital consist in Estates and Farms and Tythes and Glebe, in the counties of Westmeath, Longford, and Dublin, of which a Rental is annexed; and a Demesne of 257 acres, managed by the Superintendent of the Hospital. Amount of the Funds, From 1744 to 1761 the Funds were permitted to increase till the Hospital was completely built. They are now in a state of progressive increase. A 99 years lease of Tythes and Glebe in the county of Dublin, expires in three years, which will probably increase the income of the Charity to 3,500l. besides the Demesne, which may be estimated at 600l. per annum; in all, about 4,000/ per annum. A farther A farther rise of 5 or 600l. per annum will take place in eight years, and in thirteen years from the present time, a farther increase will raise the annual income beyond 5,000l. per annum. OFFICERS. The Officers of this Establishment are a Chaplain, whose salary is limited by the Act to 20%.; he is also Superintendent, with a salary of 1521. 15. making together £. s. d. 172 15 0 £. s. d. He has also in the House, diet, lodging, coals, candles, and the keeping of horses for himself and family. An Agent, whose emoluments amount to 157 2 9 6 0 0 11 7 6 Wilson's Postage Bailiff's salary Two Men servants are paid by the Superintendent. There is also a Boy, who is an apprentice. All these have their diet in the House. A Physician and Apothecary are not in the list of Officers; they are called in and paid when their services are required. OLD MEN. In the year 1808, eighteen aged Men were upon the Establishment in the House, and two were maintained out of the House. BOYS. In the same year one hundred and seven Boys were in the House. In page 134, the number of men and Boys upon the Establishment is stated for the last seven years; there is also subjoined, an Account of the number of Boys disposed of from the Hospital from 1789 to 1808, in the Appendix, No. 3. Candidates for admission are to be recommended by the Minister and Churchwardens of the Parishes in the Counties of Westmeath and Longford, and the neighbouring Counties. They cannot be admitted without an order from two of the Trustees. The Boys remain from five to six years in the School; and twelve or fourteen Boys every year are apprenticed to various trades. A suit of clothes is given to the Boy who is put apprentice, with a fee of 57. allowed to his master, which is not paid till the apprentice has been with the master two years. The Boys rise at six in the summer, and seven in the winter; they remain seven or eight hours in School, but have but little occupation out of doors. INSTRUCTION. They are taught reading, writing, and arithmetic. They write uncommonly well, and in general have made, according to their years, a considerable proficiency in arithmetic. Till lately they read very ill, but within a few months they have made an astonishing progress in reading and spelling, under a new Master brought over by his Grace the Primate, from Dr. Bell's establishment in England. The pupils are very well instructed in the Catechism and its explanation. A list of the Books used in the School is subjoined. Stationary costs yearly above 281. CLOTHING. The old Men are well clad, by contract, in blue coats turned up with orange; they Appendix, No.7. |