Black Santa Fundraising total of £200,000 reached with support from Belfast Charitable Society

Black Santa Fundraising total of £200,000 reached with support from Belfast Charitable Society

Belfast Charitable Society News

Two neighbouring institutions come together to tackle poverty and disadvantage in Belfast

For over 120 years, Clifton House and St Anne’s Cathedral have been neighbours in north Belfast. Although their connections go back much further. The original parish church of St Anne’s opened in 1776, just two years after the Belfast Charitable Society officially opened Clifton House, the former Poor House of Belfast, over 250 years ago.

In recent years, both institutions have worked closely together as members of the North Belfast Heritage Cluster through a regeneration project, Great Place North Belfast, led by Belfast Charitable Society (BCS). Despite this lengthy history, last year was the first time BCS also supported Belfast Cathedral’s Black Santa fundraising campaign. Through a significant donation, which added a further 50 per cent to the money collected from members of the public, the fundraising total reached £200,000.

Belfast Charitable Society made the decision to support Black Santa for the first time as part of its 250th anniversary celebrations for its home, Clifton House. Professor Alastair Adair, Chair of Belfast Charitable Society explained “The familiar sight of Black Santa on the steps of St Anne’s Cathedral has become synonymous with the giving spirit and generosity of the people of Belfast. An ideal also close to the hearts of past and present members of Belfast Charitable Society. The decision to support Black Santa’s remarkable fundraising initiative was made as part of our 250th Anniversary celebrations of Clifton House.

Professor Alastair Adair, Chair of Belfast Charitable Society explained “We are delighted to be able to make this significant donation of £73,600, bringing the total Black Santa fundraising total up to £200,000. As Ireland’s oldest extant charity, Belfast Charitable Society has been addressing disadvantage for over 270 years and sadly knows too well the need that still exists due to poverty today.”

Welcoming the donation Dean Forde said: “It is wonderful to build on the partnership between Belfast Charitable Society and Belfast Cathedral and wonderful to share the celebrations of their 250th anniversary and our 120th anniversary.”

The funds raised will be distributed by Black Santa to 104 charities at the annual Good Samaritans Service on Sunday 2 February 2025.

Dean Forde explained “Out of this generosity, thousands of people across Belfast and across the province will benefit through the work of those 104 local charities who have been awarded a grant from this year’s appeal.”

Professor Alastair Adair concluded “The impact this fundraising will have on those reliant on these charitable organisations receiving funding will be significant, and in some cases life changing.”

The Good Samaritans Service will take place in Belfast Cathedral at 3.30pm on Sunday 2 February, with special guests former Olympic athlete Lady Mary Peters, and music from singer Peter Corry.

 

 

 

 

 

Clifton House, an enduring Christmas Gift

Clifton House, an enduring Christmas Gift

Belfast Charitable Society Clifton House News

Celebrating 250 Years of giving to Belfast

On Christmas Eve, 1774, following more than a decade of fundraising, planning and building, Clifton House, formerly the Poor House of Belfast, opened its doors for the first time.

On this particular winter’s day, members of the Belfast Charitable Society met in the Market House (now the Assembly Rooms) and agreed, with ‘immediate effect’, that ‘as many of the Begging poor as the Poor House can at present accommodate be received as soon as possible’ and that ‘as many of the sick poor as can be provided for in the Infirmary be also taken in as soon as possible.’

The house was finally ready, and orders of ‘potatoes and oatmeal and other Provisions’ were to be provided ‘as soon as possible’. The members who met to officially mark the opening of the house, included well known figures Mr Robert Joy, Mr Francis Hamilton, Revd James Bryson, Mr James Carson and Mr William Drennan.

Allegedly sketched on the back of a napkin by local newspaper publisher Robert Joy, Clifton House was built between 1771-1774 on land given to the Belfast Charitable Society by the Marquis of Donegall, Arthur Chichester.

The beautiful Georgian building, at that time sat at the edges of the growing town of Belfast, on a hill for all to see.  When it opened, it satisfied the need to care for the poor and infirm. However it was also a statement…a commitment by the Society to continue to provide for the people of the town and city for what has now turned out to be 250 years.

Belfast Charitable Society has been celebrating the significant 250th anniversary of Clifton House since January through a variety of special legacy projects, talks, tours, conferences, exhibitions and social media campaigns which have helped to tell the story of the house throughout its long history.

Professor Alastair Adair CBE, Chair of the Belfast Charitable Society, expanded: “Throughout the year we hosted a number of challenging conversations surrounding poverty, and listened to others including practitioners, academics, and those with lived experience, to find out more about how poverty and disadvantage affect people today. We have gathered much information and which will be used to inform our future plans.”

The final large-scale event of the yearlong programme took place at another significant Christmas event, the annual Benn Dinner, now in its 142nd year.

Professor Alastair Adair CBE, Chair of the Belfast Charitable Society, explained: “This celebratory event, marking the official anniversary of the House, was also continuing the important legacy of George Benn, a renowned local philanthropist, who bequeathed £1,000 in his Will to provide the residents of Clifton House with a Christmas lunch.

“Following his death in 1882, the first Benn Dinner was recorded that same year and it is testament to the Board and Staff of Belfast Charitable Society that it continues to be a key event in our calendar, 142 years later. In recent years, the Society has continued to fund the residents of Clifton House their Christmas lunch and facilitated the Junior Chamber of Commerce to visit with presents.”

Since first opening its doors on Christmas Eve 1774, the archive records are full of stories of giving and generosity, such as the story of George Benn. The following year ‘Mr Waddell Cunningham made a present of some necks & houghs of beef to the poorhouse which the orderly desired Mr Bray to get unpacked.’

On the 21st December 1782 it was noted that ‘Mrs Carrothers is directed to lay out half a crown upon a small entertainment for the children at Christmas as a reward and encouragement for their industry’. And in December 1815 the record books noted that the ‘children had the festival of a tea party’.

Mary Ann McCracken had a huge influence on the house and ensured that the children and the infirm received a sweet bun alongside tea and bread for supper on Christmas Day before retiring to bed.

The building itself has been an iconic sight on the city’s skyline, synonymous with addressing poverty and disadvantage.

Paula Reynolds, Chief Executive of Belfast Charitable Society commented: “This year, as well as reflecting on our long history of philanthropy and social reform, we have also been looking ahead to our future.

“Throughout the year, we have been asking our supporters and followers ‘What should the next 250 years look like’? It has been an extremely busy year for our team but it has made a huge mark on our future plans. More on that to follow, but for now I would like to thank everyone who has supported our efforts this year and we look forward to welcoming you through our doors again in 2025”.

Hundreds of years of Christmas Traditions at Clifton House

Hundreds of years of Christmas Traditions at Clifton House

Belfast Charitable Society News

On Christmas Eve, 1774, following more than a decade of fundraising, planning and building, Clifton House, formerly the Poor House of Belfast, opened its doors for the first time.

On this particular winter’s day, members of the Belfast Charitable Society met in the Market House (now the Assembly Rooms) and agreed, with ‘immediate effect’, that ‘as many of the Begging poor as the Poor House can at present accommodate be received as soon as possible’ and that ‘as many of the sick poor as can be provided for in the Infirmary be also taken in as soon as possible.’

The house was finally ready, and orders of ‘potatoes and oat meal and other Provisions’ were to be provided ‘as soon as possible’. The members who met to officially mark the opening of the house, included well known figures Mr Robert Joy, Mr Francis Hamilton, Revd James Bryson, Mr James Carson and Mr William Drennan.

Although the 250th Anniversary of the opening of Clifton House lies within December, Belfast Charitable Society has been celebrating the significant milestone since January this year. Through a variety of special legacy projects, talks, tours, conferences, exhibitions and social media campaigns, the many stories of the Poor House have been told. The end of the yearlong programme was marked today (11th December) at another significant Christmas event, the annual Benn Dinner, now in its 142nd year.

Professor Alastair Adair CBE, Chair of the Belfast Charitable Society, explained “It has been an honour to take on the role of Chair within such a significant milestone in our history, and witness the huge amount of work that has gone into this yearlong programme of celebration. The impact of our challenging talks, which brought others together to talk about the reality of poverty and disadvantage today, has been hugely beneficial to our future planning.

Alastair continued ‘As we celebrate the success of our Anniversary year, we were delighted to welcome so many of our stakeholders and supporters into Clifton House to thank them for their contribution. However today was also about continuing the important legacy of George Benn, a renowned local philanthropist, who bequeathed £1,000 in his Will to provide the residents of Clifton House with a Christmas lunch. Following his death in 1882, the first Benn Dinner was recorded that same year and it is testament to the Board and Staff of Belfast Charitable Society that it continues to be a key event in our calendar, 142 years later.  In recent times, as the needs of residents in the care home have become more complex, the Society has funded their lunch and facilitated the Junior Chamber of Commerce to visit with presents.”

In this auspicious year, the Belfast Charitable Society was delighted to welcome Dr Alan Logan, Vice Lord Lieutenant for the County Borough of Belfast, who is representing the Lord Lieutenant.

The Benn Dinner is traditionally attended by the Lord Mayor of Belfast, and this year was no exception. The residents of Clifton House were pleased to welcome and chat with Councillor Micky Murray, who was accompanied by the Junior Trade of Commerce and Santa himself! Residents were entertained by pupils from Blessed Trinity College who sang a number of Christmas carols on the day too.

Councillor Murray said: “I am honoured to join in with this annual tradition and be part of such a long running event in Clifton House’s history, especially during this special anniversary year for Belfast Charitable Society.

“The idea behind the Benn Dinner is as relevant today as it was over 140 years ago, and I’ve received a very warm welcome from residents today as they enjoyed their Christmas lunch, together with friends and carers – long may this tradition continue.”

Since first opening its doors, Clifton House has been an iconic sight on the city’s skyline, synonymous with addressing poverty and disadvantage. Paula Reynolds, Chief Executive of Belfast Charitable Society commented “This year, as well as reflecting on our long history of philanthropy and social reform, we have also been looking ahead to our future. Throughout the year, we have been asking our supporters and followers ‘What should the next 250 years look like’? It has been an extremely busy year for our team, but has made a huge mark on our future plans. More on that to follow, but for now I would like to thank everyone who has supported our efforts this year and we look forward to welcoming you through our doors again in 2025”.

Belfast Charitable Society – An Avatar for Social Reform

Belfast Charitable Society – An Avatar for Social Reform

Belfast Charitable Society News
Belfast Charitable Society, since it was established in 1752, has been an avatar for social reform. During its long history it has been influential in law and policy, particularly that which positively impacted on the most disadvantaged in society.
Today, from its home in Clifton House, BCS is still creating that road map for social change, by being the conduit between those most in need; community and advisory organisations; education providers and local government through the delivery of innovative projects and grants that respond to emerging and urgent need.
This morning we welcomed attendees from the advice sector, law/legal areas of the community sector alongside the third level education sector and law practitioners to hear from our own President Sir Ronnie Weatherup and guest speakers Professor Gráinne McKeever, Dr Esther McGuinness and Claire Mulrone from Ulster University.
We asked attendees “What should / can an avatar for social reform do in the future to support provision of the most disadvantaged in our communities, including north Belfast?”
More to follow as we digest the feedback from another thought provoking event.
Over 1,000 people turn out to celebrate 250 years of Clifton House

Over 1,000 people turn out to celebrate 250 years of Clifton House

Belfast Charitable Society Clifton House News
OVER 1,000 PEOPLE TURN OUT TO CELEBRATE 250 YEARS OF CLIFTON HOUSE
On Sunday 1 September Clifton House opened its house and grounds for a free community event celebrating the 250th anniversary of one of Belfast’s oldest buildings.
Heritage Day celebrated the long history of the house and its significant importance in developing and helping the city of Belfast through a day of traditional skills and crafts, live music and food.
First opening its doors in 1774 as the poorhouse of Belfast, Clifton House remains the home of Belfast Charitable Society, who fundraised, built it, and managed it from 1774, and who ensure that its uses remain true to the charity’s mission – to look after those in need.
Today it remains an iconic sight on the city’s skyline, synonymous with addressing poverty and disadvantage in the community.
Professor Alastair Adair, chair of Belfast Charitable Society explained: “Our Heritage Day is the flagship event in our 250th anniversary calendar of activities, which launched in January this year, and will run until December 2024.
“Since January we have launched a number of special legacy projects, including a new teaching resource for KS2 children; hosted special talks, tours, conferences and exhibitions; and ran a monthly themed social media campaign, and all of which is helping us tell the story of Clifton House throughout its 250 years.
“We were delighted to open Clifton House and grounds today as part of this special celebratory event, and to let people learn more about this significant building, which lies in the heart of Belfast and which is so important to the city’s history.”
Paula Reynolds, CEO of Belfast Charitable Society, expanded: “It was important to us to create a fun day that was open and accessible to the local community and beyond, and we are just so delighted that so many people of all ages came along to enjoy the variety of heritage skills and craft demonstrations taking place. We also had a local craft fair in the beautiful grounds of the house, traditional children’s games, including a history hunt; some fabulous live music; and most importantly our team of amazing volunteers were on hand to share stories of the history of Clifton House.
“Visitors were also able to take part in our first ever History Harvest, run in conjunction with partners in the North Belfast Heritage Cluster and its Great Place North Belfast project. We had over 80 people come along and share their memories and stories of North Belfast with us, which was just amazing.”
Alastair concluded: “We want to thank Belfast City Council for their support and our partner Radius Housing, for helping us to make this day really special. We can’t think of a better backdrop than the magnificent building that is Clifton House for an event such as this. Now in its 250th year, and still going strong.”
For further details on Clifton House’s 250th Anniversary, including how you can make a donation, please visit https://cliftonbelfast.com/clifton-house-250/
Mary Ann McCracken Bursary Programme continues

Mary Ann McCracken Bursary Programme continues

Belfast Charitable Society Clifton House News

In the wake of the unveiling of the Mary Ann McCracken statue in the grounds of Belfast City Hall, the Foundation, which continues to build on her legacy, has announced a third and final year of bursaries for post primary schools in North Belfast.

For the past two years the Mary Ann McCracken Foundation, in conjunction with Belfast Charitable Society, The James Kane Foundation, Hunter Smyth Fund and Raj Darshna, has supported a bursary programme for all twelve post primary schools in North Belfast. This initiative, first launched in February 2022, has gone from strength to strength, as evidence of the positive impact on pupils has emerged.

Norma Sinte, Chair of the Mary Ann McCracken Foundation, explained “Over the course of the last two years, we have grown the funds available for the Mary Ann McCracken Bursaries from £18k in year one to £24k in year two. This year we are delighted to announce that the fund has grown for a third consecutive year to £30,000, and we want to thank our partner funders, including LFT Charitable Trust who have come on board this year. Last year this fund supported 64 pupils who were identified by their schools due to their financial situation. The impact on these pupils is huge, and we have no doubt that the increased funds available this year will allow more and more pupils to benefit.”

The Mary Ann McCracken Bursaries continue to be a flexible fund for pupils aged 16+ who face financial barriers which may prevent them from continuing to AS / A-Level, further or higher education, employment or apprenticeship. Previous years’ funding has allowed pupils to buy smart clothes for interviews; pay for college or university fees; pay for laptops, books and equipment for higher education courses; transport for interviews, jobs or courses…the list goes on.

Chair of the North Belfast Area Learning Community, Mary Montgomery said “On behalf of all the post primary schools in North Belfast, I would like to thank the Mary Ann McCracken Foundation and its partner funders the Belfast Charitable Society, Hunter Smyth Fund, Raj Darshna Fund and LFT Charitable Trust for continuing to support this initiative into its third year. For our schools to have a flexible fund like this to support our pupils is absolutely fantastic. In some cases it is the difference of a child going to University or not; of getting an apprenticeship job or not; of being able to get to a job interview or not. On behalf of every child who gets this chance by receiving a bursary, thank you!”

Norma Sinte concluded, “With the continued effects of the Cost-of-Living Crisis on families in North Belfast we are acutely aware of the financial burdens many young people in this area face. We are determined, as Mary Ann herself would have been, to give every child an equal chance to progress in their life and work, and not to be further disadvantaged due to their financial situation. We look forward to hearing about the impacts this next round of funding .

Pic caption: Principals of North Belfast Post Primary Schools with representatives from the funders officially launch the third year of the Mary Ann McCracken Bursary Programme in the beautiful centre courtyard of Clifton House, which this year is celebrating its 250th anniversary.

The House and the Hospitals – Glenravel Street

Belfast Charitable Society Belfast Poor House Clifton House News

The House and the Hospitals – Glenravel Street

The presence of the Poorhouse, and the wealth and prestige that was present on the board of the Belfast Charitable Society proved to be a catalysing influence for change in the area. Whilst the Charitable Society directly influenced significant changes through the foundation of the New Burying Ground and the provision of water to Belfast, other entrepreneurs and philanthropists identified the area as one in need of development but filled with potential. One such individual was Edward Benn; a familiar name for followers of the history of Clifton House.

The Benn’s history has been well documented on our various websites, with an in-depth biographical piece available here. Both brothers were members of the Society and contributed significantly to the Poorhouse and the wider area. Older brother Edward (1798-1874) was plagued with health issues throughout his lifetime which explains his philanthropic focus on providing hospitals which could help provide for the citizens of the city in a way that was notably absent in treating his own ongoing ailments. He, along with younger brother George (1801-1882) helped fund a number of hospitals in the area, including the Ulster Eye, Ear and Throat hospital in 1874 and the Benn Skin Hospital in 1875 on Glenravel Street: A street named in honour of Benn’s estate near Ballymena.

These hospitals were erected under the patronage of the Benn Brothers, rather than the Charitable Society, however, they were erected on land donated by the Society who likely understood and endorsed Benn’s vision of medical provision for the citizens. Whilst the existing relationship between the Benn Brothers and the Charitable Society would have helped in procuring land to build their hospitals, the location of the hospitals directly to the rear of the Poor House offers another perspective. At this time, Donegall Street and Clifton Street attracted people from all walks of life for religious worship, work, learning and even cleanliness and bathing. Whilst everyone could avail from the medical facilities built on this site, their location adjacent to the Poorhouse, which catered to the city’s most vulnerable is significant. When the hospitals were built, it would have been the poor and destitute who lived in the Poorhouse, before it later transitioned to a home for the elderly and infirm. The close location to such a large body of people who could readily avail of the medical services demonstrates that these hospitals were not exclusive for the upper classes, and would provide medical care to anyone.

Originals plans for the Benn Hospital, 1873 (MS9|2015|009|0308).

These hospitals, along with the Hospital on Frederick Street, established this area of Belfast as the medical centre of the city; a theme that was touched on in last month’s tours and talks of Clifton House. The Benn hospitals remained a constant on Clifton Street until the 1940’s, when the Skin hospital was destroyed during the Blitz. Whilst one hospital was destroyed, the other thrived in the aftermath of the Blitz, offering an important lifeline to wounded and injured citizens. In 1941 alone, the Benn hospital treated 12,777 patients, with donations pouring in to help fund the hospital in a pre-welfare society. The Benn Hospital forms an important part of the story of North Belfast. Many people on tours and open days retell stories of getting treated at the hospital on Glenravel Street.

The Benn Hospital remained an integral part of the Belfast landscape, until it was demolished along with the entirety of Glenravel Street in the 1980’s to make way for the Westlink. All that remains of Glenravel Street is a tiled street sign that now resides in Clifton House, a few-hundred yards away from its original position. As part of the 250th Anniversary Celebration of the house, and in recognition of his contribution to the House and the wider area, the board of the Belfast Charitable Society has taken steps to get the portrait of Edward Benn restored. This portrait hangs in the boardroom of Clifton House and is a reminder of a great philanthropist who helped pioneer medical treatment in the area and went to great lengths to ease the suffering of others, all-the-while battling with his own ailing health. We hope that it will return in time for the Benn Dinner in December which has remained a staple of the Clifton House calendar for over 140 years, thanks to the generosity of George Benn.

We look forward to bringing you more updates as the restoration proceeds.

Cheek by Jowl- The History of The New Burying Ground

Belfast Charitable Society Belfast Poor House Clifton House News

Cheek by Jowl- The History of The New Burying Ground

The Belfast Charitable Society has long been improving the living conditions of the less fortunate of Belfast. Their impact can be seen in landmarks in the local landscape. Whilst some of this history has been eroded as the city has evolved, near the old Poor House, now known as Clifton House, one of the Society’s most enduring ventures still exists just off Clifton Street. The New Burying Ground, or Clifton Street Cemetery as it became known was in use for nearly 200 years since its first burial in 1799 before the last interment in the 1990’s. The story of the city can be read from the names and inscriptions that once ordained the headstones of the cemetery, with many of the most wealthy and influential citizens buried “cheek by jowl” alongside the city’s poor, and hundreds of nameless bodies from various epidemics that gripped the region. The cemetery itself still bears the scars from more recent history, with many headstones showing damage from the 1970’s and 80’s. Recently, a collaborative effort between Belfast City Council and Clifton House and their Volunteers has helped remove encroaching climbers and ivy, preventing them from causing further damage to the old walls and engulfing the headstones set into the cemetery’s boundary, and ensure this historic site can continue to endure.

Clifton Street Cemetery, 2024.

The creation of the New Burying Ground was born out of need. The main burial place for the citizens of Belfast in the 18th century was the graveyard that surrounded the Corporation Church (St Georges Church), however, the church and graveyard were in such a state of disrepair that by 1798 the graveyard was closed and further burials were forbidden. This left the city of Belfast seeking a new place in which they could bury their dead. Fortunately, the board of Charitable Society had identified the closure of the corporation church graveyard as an immanent possibility and had been “preparing the ground” so to speak, for a new burial ground close to the Poor House. This process began as early as 1795:

Requested that it is recommended to the next General Board to consider of appropriating one of the fields up the lane for the purpose of a burying ground…”

The lane in question was Buttle’s Loney, which ran along the south and west side of the Poor House, continuing to the Vicinage (home of Thomas McCabe and present-day site of St Malachy’s College). It was decided that the field which the society had previously rented to Reverend William Bristow would be the land chosen for this new venture. The land itself was in an ideal location, close to the Poor House on the outskirts of the 18th Century city. The decision to make this land into a new Burial Ground also voided the ongoing rent agreement with Rev. Bristow. This would have been seen as a benefit for the Society as although Bristow was a man of reputation and standing in Belfast, he had also proven unreliable in paying rent on the plot.

A new cemetery was seen as a great opportunity to raise funds for the Society’s work through the sale of burial plots. The most prestigious plots were ‘Wall Plots’ which are built into the boundary wall that encircles the cemetery and were often ordained with more ornate headstones and memorials. Many of the most influential individuals of 18th and 19th century Belfast are buried in such wall plots, including Mary Ann McCracken, William Drennan and the Dunville Family. The cemetery was not just reserved for the social elite, as the General Board of the Belfast Charitable Society made the decision that a portion of land would be set aside for “interring such poor persons as may die not having funds for their interment in the same or some other Burial Ground.” This plot of land is still clearly marked today, in the northern part of cemetery close to the Antrim Road.

The stories contained within the New Burial Ground are a veritable encyclopedia of 18th and 19th century Belfast. Businessmen such as Thomas McCabe and Valentine Jones, pioneers and industrialists such as William Ritchie and bookbinders Marcus Ward, and philanthropists such as Edward Benn and John Charters all tell stories of a burgeoning Belfast and the figureheads who helped establish it. Alongside their ordained headstones, the Famine and Cholera memorials stand as reminders of the hardship that claimed the lives of thousands of citizens across the centuries. The burial ground is also testament to the Charitable Society’s ability to take the lead on initiatives that would benefit the people of Belfast. It is also an example of the shrewdness of the Society to identify ways to raise money to continue to fund their philanthropic programmes. With the commitment made by the Society that land would be set aside for the burial of the poor, the Society also continued to honour an important precedent that they set in 1752, that ultimately, the poor of Belfast deserved dignity, decency and respect. In 1774, with the building of the Poor House, it was ensured that those in need would receive these 3 basic rights in life. In 1797,  with the opening of the New Burial Ground, the poor of Belfast were ensured dignity, decency and respect in death as well.

Belfast Charitable Society and the Provision of Water

Belfast Charitable Society Belfast Poor House Clifton House News Uncategorized

Belfast Charitable Society and the Provision of Water

When Clifton House first opened its doors in 1774 the Belfast Charitable Society was incorporated by an Act of Parliament giving it additional responsibilities that would normally be associated with local government. As well as looking after the poor the Society became responsible for things like street paving, planning permissions, street lighting, and the provision of a water supply. Indeed, it is one of the lesser known stories of Clifton House that we brought piped water to Belfast on a large scale.

Since 1682 a water supply had been taken from the Tuck Mill Dam, but the town’s growing population meant that by the beginning of the 18th century demand was outstripping supply. Furthermore, by the late 18th century the water flowing down the Farset and the Blackstaff streams had become so polluted that it could not be used for drinking. The provision of water had, by then, become a matter of pressing importance and in 1795 the Belfast Charitable Society took upon itself the responsibility of augmenting the supply.

The Society sent John Holmes to London to investigate whether elm, lead or iron pipes would be most suitable for use. Holmes ascertained that elm wood pipes would be best and by 1797 the Society had invested £4,000 to progress the work of piping and channelling water to a reservoir which they had leased at Fountain Street. Within a few years the Society had to obtain leases of additional springs at Malone, and between 1807 and 1837 the wooden distribution pipes were gradually abandoned and replaced with metal pipes at a cost of upwards of £30,000.

Old wooden water pipes discovered in Chichester Street whilst erecting new street lights, January 1921. (Image via Belfast telegraph)

By 1817, a further Act of Parliament was necessary to regulate the supply of water and a new body was created – the Spring Water Commissioners – who were subject to the orders and directions of the Belfast Charitable Society. Both demand and quality of water remained lower than the required levels during this period and by 1840 the Belfast Water Act enabled the transfer of the Society’s water property to another new body, the Belfast Water Commissioners. The transfer of water assets was carried out in exchange for an Annuity of £800 for the poor in the Poorhouse and Infirmary and a free supply of water to the grounds of the Poorhouse. Today the Annuity remains payable by Northern Ireland Water to the Belfast Charitable Society as long as the Society occupies any part of Clifton House.

Medical History of the Poorhouse

Belfast Charitable Society Belfast Poor House Clifton House News

Medical History of the Poorhouse

From the very beginning of the poorhouse, Belfast Charitable Society was a pioneering force for medical innovation in Belfast. As poverty and sickness are inextricably linked, the Society needed to be able to care for the sick poor who would enter the house.  Before the involvement of the Society, medical relief for the poor in Belfast was practically non-existent and extremely limited.

When Clifton House first opened in 1774, it contained seven beds for the sick. These beds mark the beginning of Belfast’s hospitals, and the Society’s first medical report noted the treatment of five patients. In 1776 the Society was advertising outpatient times, encouraging the people of Belfast to visit one of ‘the medical gentlemen’ who would administer medical attention through the Belfast Charitable Society on a rotating basis. This free and accessible medical care for the sick poor of Belfast was revolutionary and revealed the deeply philanthropic nature of the Society and the physicians who donated their time and medicines. Furthermore, the doctor’s work with the poorhouse allowed them to improve their surgical skills and increase their reputation in the medical field. Doctors such as William Drennan and Alexander Haliday offered their time and resources to the Society on a rotating basis.

Medical cases within the poorhouse were varied, as recorded by the minute books. Cases involve a woman named Mary May who was struggling with severe asthma, a gentleman named Patrick McLaghlan who was suffering from cancer in the cheek, examples of lunacy and a woman dealing with a septic skin condition. This only a small sample of the cases seen by poorhouse doctors. The medical gentlemen would also deal with broken bones, crush injuries and torn ligaments caused, in part, by the emerging linen and cotton industries in Belfast.

The demand on the poorhouse for provision of the sick was unprecedented, and the Society quickly realised its own limitations. The Society, therefore, were instrumental in the creation of the Belfast General Dispensary in 1792. The dispensary, which aimed to facilitate medical relief for the poor in their own homes, was a cooperation between the Belfast Charitable Society and a range of local physicians and philanthropists including Dr James McDonnell, founder of the Belfast Medical School. Clifton House provided a venue from which the dispensary originally operated from, in return for the supply of medicine for the residents. Patients could visit the physicians operating out of Clifton House two days a week for medical advice and treatments – not unlike visiting a modern GP.  The dispensary later became part of the Fever Hospital and moved to a premises on West Street, then to Frederick Street and eventually to the site which is now the Royal Victoria Hospital.

Alongside the dispensary, the Society was closely affiliated with other innovative medical organisations in Belfast. The Lying-in Hospital, Belfast’s first maternity hospital, was opened in 1794 and had connections with philanthropists involved in the Charitable Society from whom they rented premises. The Ulster Society for Promoting the Education of the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind also leased property from the Society, as did a dispensary for the treatment of skin diseases ran by a Dr H. S. Purdon. The Purdon family were closely affiliated with the Charitable Society and often volunteered their medical services to the sick poor residing in Clifton House. It seems there were very few charitable and medical endeavours within Belfast that the Charitable Society was not involved with in some respect, including revolutionary inoculation campaigns for the young residents.

Pioneering Medical Research

William Drennan, poet, physician, and co-founder of the United Irishmen was involved in the revolutionary medical work inside Clifton House. In the late eighteenth century, Dr Drennan was attempting to inoculate the children of the poorhouse against smallpox – a disease which was incredibly dangerous in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries with a 30% mortality rate. This variolation campaign itself was not without any risks. Unlike the safer form of vaccination pioneered by Edward Jenner sixteen years later (which used the milder cowpox as the active strain in the vaccination), Drennan used small amounts of real smallpox in ‘arm-to-arm’ exposure to immunise the patient against further illness – this campaign would decrease the mortality rate to 1-2%.

Drennan’s campaign, although somewhat risky, can only have been a success for the patients residing in the poorhouse, as the 1782 minute books resolve to thank Doctor Drennan for his scheme of inoculation:

1st June 1782

‘Resolved that thanks be returned to Doctor Drennan in the public papers for the scheme of inoculation introduced by him into this house, and that mr Crombie doe waite on him and acquaint him with this Resolution and that He send It to the paper provided that the doctor does not oppose it.’

The Society continued to record its vaccination schemes throughout the beginning of the nineteenth century thanking Doctor Haliday Jr. for his good work in his vaccination programmes, which had developed with the Jenner method using cowpox rather than the riskier smallpox.

Facing Epidemics

In 1847 – known as Black ’47 – the Society notes the loss of a Surgeon James McCleery. James McCleery was a surgeon from Portaferry who began his medical career in Belfast. He was the main attending surgeon to the male side of the poorhouse from 1835. McCleery ‘zealously and benevolently fulfilled the laborious duties of Surgeon to the male of this Charity’ until he succumbed to ‘famine fever’. He is buried in Clifton Street Cemetery and his role was taken over by his son. ‘Famine fever’ was caused by a combination of nutritional deficiencies and a raging typhus epidemic characteristic of the famine years. Over 131 doctors and their pupils across Ireland succumbed to this in 1847 alone. Clifton Street Cemetery is evidence of the many tribulations faced by Belfast during the famine period and the strain faced by the Belfast Charitable Society as they attempted to manage burials and provide coffins for the poorer Belfast communities.

Alongside the hundreds of bodies interred in the cemetery that died from fever in 1847 alone, the cemetery also contains the ‘Cholera Ground’ in which those that died in the great epidemic of 1832-33 are buried. For the safety of the residents of Clifton House, the Society decided to close its doors to new arrivals to prevent further transmission whilst still providing coffins for the Board of Health. Readings of the minute books in this period reveal the Society’s understanding of disease and transmission, as they required the isolation of patients who had potentially been exposed as well as the importance of a nutritious diet to stave off disease. The Poorhouse became one of few places in Belfast to not be completely decimated by the disease, thanks in part to its attending surgeons and healthcare systems.

The Mysterious Medical Chest

Every good attending surgeon in the nineteenth century would have their own medical chest, full of essential supplies ready to go at a moment’s notice. Recently, one such medical chest was discovered inside Queen’s Medical Library which is believed to have belonged to the Surgeon McCleery. The chest contains a range of medical equipment which would have been common to the nineteenth century travelling surgeon and would have been used within Clifton House to treat the sick poor.

Some of the most notable items contained in the chest are the surgeon’s amputation and bloodletting kits. Bloodletting was an essential part of any surgeon’s kit in this period and was used to remove ‘impure’ fluids, or bad humours, that were thought to be making the patient unwell. This procedure was dangerous and could easily result in the death of the patient and decreased massively in usage after the nineteenth century. The Bloodletting equipment was used enthusiastically by medical professionals during the cholera epidemics that ravaged Belfast’s poorest communities in this period.

An amputation kit was essential for the surgeon and a surgeon was distinguished by the speed in which they could operate. Without general anaesthetic the patient would be awake during the procedure – one can only imagine how painful and traumatic this was. To reduce the risks to the patient the surgeon needed to be quick with his saw and cauterisation. However, as antibiotics and proper hygiene in medicine were yet to exist the mortality rate of these surgeries was incredibly high. As our understanding of medicine and anatomy has progressed, both amputations and bloodletting have understandably fallen out of favour in the medical community being replaced by much safer, modern methods of treating sickness.

All of this only touches the surface of the deep and varied medical history of Belfast’s poorhouse. Further research may be warranted on the treatment of mental health – referred to as lunacy cases throughout the 18th and 19th centuries – and the way the poorhouse was, for a long while, the only place in Belfast equipped to deal with such cases. We can also consider the vast number of doctors who walked the halls at Clifton House and their legacies, especially those less famous, with links to the wider Belfast community and the Belfast Medical Society.

As the medical field in Belfast progressed so did Belfast Charitable Society. After the children left the poorhouse in 1882, more work was done to provide the elderly poor with good medical care with nurses being employed after 1892. Clifton House would adapt to the needs of Belfast until it became what it is today, working with the elderly and providing medical care in an assisted living facility.

Elizabeth Irvine (QUB Public History), April 2024