SIXTH REPORT. BLUE-COAT HOSPITAL. To His Grace CHARLES Duke of RICHMOND and LENOX, Lord Lieutenant General and General Governor of Ireland. The SIXTH REPORT of the Commissioners for enquiring into the State of all Schools of PUBLIC or CHARITABLE Foundation, in Ireland. MAY IT PLEASE YOUR GRACE. Winds and igevenues granted for the purposes of Education, and into the Hospital. E the undersigned Commissioners, appointed for enquiring into the several Blue-Coat State and Condition of all Schools in Ireland upon Public or Charitable Foundations, proceed to lay before Your Grace, our Report upon the Hospital and Free School of King Charles the IId, commonly called The BLUE-COAT HOSPITAL. The Hospital and Free School of King Charles the IId. in Dublin was founded by a Charter in the 23d year of his Reign. The Mayor, Sheriffs, Commons, and Citizens of Dublin, represented by Petition, that many charitable Persons were desirous to contribute towards the erecting of an Hospital for Maintaining aged and poor People, and a Free School for the Education of Youth; whereupon his Majesty was pleased to grant to the Mayor, Sheriffs, Commons, and Citizens of Dublin, his Royal Charter of Incorporation, constituting them and their Successors for ever Governors of such Hospital and Free School, and giving them a piece of Ground on Oxmantown Green, upon which they had already began to erect a Building for the purpose. It has not appeared to us that at any time an establishment was made for the reception and maintenance of aged reduced People; but we have reason to think, that from the beginning a plan of useful Education was formed which has continued to the present time. No further Royal Grant appears to have been made to the Funds of this Institution. The Establishment, in its present state, is for 130 Boys: they are maintained, clothed, well instructed in the Holy Scripture, and in the principles of the Protestant Religion; in English, Euclid, Navigation, and the various Branches of practical Mathematics, in which some Boys now in the School have made a proficiency uncommon for their years: This is much to the honour of their present Master, who was educated in this Institution. The Boys are admitted at the age of 8, and apprenticed at the age of 14 years, some to Trades, some to the Sea-Service, with a fee of 5 l. for each. For 12 years ended 25 December 1808, the Returns made to us, give an average Income of about 3,041 l. 10 s. and an average Expenditure of about 3,035 l. 2.s. In this Expenditure are included the annual Payments made in liquidation of a Debt long since contracted; for, about the year 1779, the original Hospital being decayed, and insufficient to receive the number of Boys which the Funds were then equal to maintain, new Buildings were erected upon an enlarged plan, at the expense of 21,294 : they are spacious; and though unfinished, an ornament to the City but it is to be regretted, that a plan so expensive was chosen, since the funds were inadequate to the carrying it into effect. It was intended to provide Oo 47. for Blue Coat for the reception of 300 Children, but when the above large Sum was expended, Hospital. whereby a Debt of 4,000l. and upwards was incurred, the Governors were obliged to desist. They had provided ample, and in appearance too expensive accommodations for officers to superintend an Establishment for 300 Boys; a beautiful Chapel, a spacious School-Room, a Dining-Hall, but they had Dormitories. for only about 120-Boys. It has been stated to us, that the Debt will be paid off in the course of a year: this circumstance, with an increase of Income lately obtained, will enable the Governors to maintain more Boys; and it may be observed, that were Dormitories provided for 300, and were the Funds adequate to their maintenance, the number might be received, without any additional Expense on account of Officers: besides the Expenditure for Clothing and Diet, and Apprentices Fees, only additional Assistants in the School, and Maid Servants would be required. This is much to be desired, for it is a place of excellent Education, which promises fair to send into the world good Citizens and good Subjects. From the Returns made to us, it appears that the Steward of this Institution was discontinued for irregularity in keeping his Accounts, about 4 years since; that he possesses the apartments provided for that Officer, with the full Salary and Allowances; and that the Duties of the Office are performed partly by the Agent, without additional Salary on that account, and partly by the Butler, who receives five Guineas annually, in addition to his Wages, for so doing; so that it appears, the Duties of an Office which has annexed to it Salary and Allowances (besides apartments) amounting to 1317. 14s. are discharged, and very satisfactorily too, for five Guineas per annum by another person.. We cannot pass over this transaction without expressing regret that the Governors should have thought it necessary to leave an inefficient Officer in possession of his Apartments and full income these circumstances suggest the idea of abolishing the Office altogether upon the decease of the person who now holds it; the Funds would thereby receive considerable relief, and the Apartments might be assigned to the Schoolmaster, or other arrangements made for the benefit of the Institution; in these a better Infirmary might be provided, the present one being ill constructed. Of the Boys in this Institution, the Governors of Erasmus Smith's School maintain thirty, at a charge of about 241. per annum for each; and the Treasurer of that Institution (Chief Justice Downes) applies the Fees annexed to his Office by Act of Parliament to the maintenance of seven Boys. No Parliamentary Grant has been at any time made to this Institution. p. 150. 5. An Account of the Number of Boys received into, and apprenticed from, the King's Hospital, for the last twelve years P. 151. ibid. P. 152. Appendix, No. 1. The ROYAL CHARTER of the HOSPITAL and FREE-SCHOOL of K. CHARLES the Second. CH No. 1. HARLES the Second, by the Grace of God, of England, Scotland, France, and Appendix, Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c. TO ALL to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting: WHEREAS the Mayor, Sheriffs, Commons and Citizens of Our City of Dublin, in Our Kingdom of Ireland, have humbly petitioned Us, thereby setting forth, That several of Our Subjects in that Our City and Kingdom, being charitably affected towards such as through age, sickness, or other accidents, are reduced to poverty, ordisabled to gain their living by their own labour; and piously considering also the great benefit of the good education and instruction of youth, have proposed the erection, building and establishing of an Hospital and Free-School, within the Liberties of Our City of Dublin, and have shewed great willingness to contribute to so good a work, which they hope to accomplish, in case they may, by Our Royal Authority, be enabled and capacitated to purchase fands, tenements and hereditaments for the erecting and maintaining of such an Hospital and Free School, and to make good, wholesome and necessary Laws for the rule and government thereof. KNOW Ye therefore, that We of our princely disposition, for the furtherance and accomplishment of so good and charitable a work, of our especial Grace, certain knowledge and mere motion, by and with the advice and consent of Our right trusty and wellbeloved Counsellor, John Lord Berkeley, Our Lieutenant-General and General Governor of Our said Realm of Ireland, and according to the tenour and effect of our letters, bearing date at our Court at Whitehall the four and twentieth day of October, in the three and twentieth year of Our Reign, and now enrolled in the Rolls in Our High Court of Chancery in Our said Realm of Ireland, Have given, granted, released and confirmed, And by these Presents for Us, Our heirs and successors, Do give, grant, release and confirm unto the said Mayor, Sheriffs, Commons, and Citizens of Our City of Dublin, and their Successors for ever, ALL that piece or parcel of ground on Ormantown-Green, near Our said City of Dublin, on which the intended Hospital and Free-School is already begun to be built. AND all and singular the edifices and buildings thereon, and all yards, backsides, lands, tenements, ways, waters, watercourses, easements, liberties, privileges, profits, commodities, advantages, appurtenances, and hereditaments whatsoever, to the same belonging or appertaining, of what quantity, quality, nature, kind or sort soever they be, and by whatsoever name or names the same are called or known, or reputed, accepted or taken, together with their and every of their rights, members and appurtenances whatsoever; and also the reversion and reversions, remainder and remainders of all and singular the premises, and every part and parcel thereof; and also all the estate, right, title, interest, claim, property, challenge, and demand whatsoever which We, Our heirs or successors have, or at any time hereafter may, can, might or ought to have of, in, or unto the premises, or unto any part or parcel thereof. TO HAVE AND TO HOLD all and singular the premises before, in and by these Presents given, granted, released and confirmed, or herein or hereby meant, mentioned or intended to be given, granted, released and confirmed, and every part, parcel, and member thereof, together with their and every of their rights, members and appurtenances whatsoever, unto them the said Mayor, Sheriffs, Commons, and Citizens of Our City of Dublin, and their successors for ever; to be held and enjoyed by the said Mayor, Sheriffs, Commons, and Citizens of Our said City of Dublin, and their successors for ever; to the only use, ends, intents and purposes hereafter in these presents mentioned and expressed; that is to say, Upon the especial trust and confidence, and to the end, intent and purpose that the said piece of ground on Ormantown-Green aforesaid, hereby granted, or meant, mentioned and intended to be granted, and the building thereon erected, and to be erected, Shall for ever more hereafter be remain and continue a mansion-house, and place of abode for the sustentation and relief of poor Children, aged and impotent People; to be holden of Us, Our heirs and successors, as of Our Castle of Dublin, in free and common Soccage, without any rent or other payment to be rendered or paid unto Us, Our heirs and successors, for the same. AND FURTHER of Our more abundant Grace, certain knowledge and mere motion, and princely disposition for the furtherance and accomplishment of so good and charitable a work, by and with the advice and consent aforesaid, and in pursuance of Our said letters, We have given and granted, and by these Presents for Us, Our Heirs and Successors, We do give and grant unto the said Mayor, Sheriffs, Commons, and Citizens of Our said City of Dublin, and their Successors for ever, full power and authority, at their will and pleasures, from time to time, and at all times, to place therein such master or masters of the said Hospital, and such numbers of poor People and Children, and such officers or ministers of the said Hospital and Free-School, as likewise an able, learned, pious and orthodox Minister, to be approved of from time to time by the Archbishop of Dublin, for the time being; the said Minister to read Divine Service, and preach and teach the Word of God to such as shall reside within the same, and catechise such Children as shall be in the said Hospital or Free-School, as to the said Mayor, Sheriffs, Commons and Citizens, and their Successors, or such as shall be appointed as aforesaid, shall seem convenient; and from 47. |