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Industrial school

  • 31-08-2012 6:11pm
    #1
    Elizabetha
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 224 ✭✭


    Hi all,
    3 of my GG Aunts (3 sisters) were placed in the industrial school on Wilmur Road in Birr. I think it was run by the sisters of mercy. They were very young when their mother died and for whatever reason their father couldnt look after them. I believe it was quite common back then for young girls to be placed in a Workhouse if one or more of their parents died but an idustrial school? I thought these where for 'High Spirited' kids? Am I totally wrong?


Comments

  • #2
    pedroeibar1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,108 ✭✭✭pedroeibar1


    Not 'totally wrong' but it depends on the date. There was a terminology crossover between 'reformatory' and 'industrial school'. There was an Act that allowed Industrial Schools to be run privately and these were not reformatories. There is a very good site http://www.workhouses.org.uk/ that covers the topic in detail. For Ireland see http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Ireland/


  • #3
    heidiresk
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 46 ✭heidiresk


    Children were placed in industrial schools for many reasons, including poverty, illegitimacy, court order. These institutions were poorly funded and not run well. It is possible that their father placed them there himself because he could not raise the girls or there was an intervention by the ISPCC. (Irish Society for Protection of Cruelty to Children). The religious orders kept poor records, but you may be able to obtain something. If they were placed there through the courts then the Department of Education was ultimately responsible for them and you may be able to get records from them.


  • #4
    Milk & Honey
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,950 ✭✭✭Milk & Honey


    In many cases children were committed to industrial schools by the courts on the grounds that the parents could not or indeed would not care for them. There was pressure put on the Garda to keep the supply of children going as the religious orders received a capitation grant.


  • #5
    crystaltips
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1 ✭crystaltips


    Hi look up census 1901 and 1911 on national archives site.browse archives.then kings county.then birr urban.look at wilmer road. number 8.1 convent and 8.2 the industrial school.
    also,some govt docs eg.redress board have some facts on schools. often fathers were encouraged to put children by priests as one reason was a fear of incest if the mother was not there any longer ! generaly the girls were under 15.Also,other reasons of course.Unmarried pregnant girls would go to a 'county home'
    locals thought it was an orphanage.


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