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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Cork => Topic started by: Mary G on Monday 19 December 16 02:15 GMT (UK)

Title: St. Monica's Asylum for the Blind, Infirmary Road, Cork
Post by: Mary G on Monday 19 December 16 02:15 GMT (UK)
Hi,

I am wondering if anyone can direct me to a general history or more on St. Monica's Home for the Blind tha used to be on Infirmary Road, Cork.
There appears to be very little information on it.
I have checked out the Archives Office in Cork, but their records are very limited, I think beginning 1908.
But does anyone know, who ran it and when it began and ended, etc.  Was it part of the Cork Workhouse, which had part of it in the Victoria hospital, which was next door to St. Monica's.

Thank you for any help that you can offer,

Mary
Title: Re: St. Monica's Asylum for the Blind, Infirmary Road, Cork
Post by: aghadowey on Monday 19 December 16 09:12 GMT (UK)
Nothing mentioned on Cork Workhouse page-
http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Cork/

Lovely old photo of basket making-
http://www.photosales.eecho.ie/v/photos/74373pks/1104806610

Bit of history here (https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=apAhAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA356&lpg=PA356&dq=st+monica%27s+blind+cork&source=bl&ots=giNHA6Ujkl&sig=W468HqYFHnSdRNo1EYnTKub5BCQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjjptHc8__QAhWFPBQKHW2_DfYQ6AEIKTAD#v=onepage&q=st%20monica's%20blind%20cork&f=false)

Article from 2011 says "In 1983 Dr Pillay purchased the building on the site of the old St Monica’s Home for the Blind at Infirmary Road, adjacent to the South Infirmary."

The 1901 and 1911 census records will list the superintendent, etc.
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/search/
Title: Re: St. Monica's Asylum for the Blind, Infirmary Road, Cork
Post by: dathai on Monday 19 December 16 13:02 GMT (UK)
1901
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Cork/Cork_Urban_No__5/Infirmary_Road/1115187/
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai000529464/

1911
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Cork/Cork_No__5_Urban__part_of_/Infirmary_Road/399197/
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai001890262/
Title: Re: St. Monica's Asylum for the Blind, Infirmary Road, Cork
Post by: aghadowey on Monday 19 December 16 13:30 GMT (UK)
Have you tried searching the Cork directories for details?
http://www.corkpastandpresent.ie/places/streetandtradedirectories/
Title: Re: St. Monica's Asylum for the Blind, Infirmary Road, Cork
Post by: Mary G on Sunday 25 December 16 23:48 GMT (UK)
Nothing mentioned on Cork Workhouse page-
http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Cork/

Lovely old photo of basket making-
http://www.photosales.eecho.ie/v/photos/74373pks/1104806610

Bit of history here (https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=apAhAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA356&lpg=PA356&dq=st+monica%27s+blind+cork&source=bl&ots=giNHA6Ujkl&sig=W468HqYFHnSdRNo1EYnTKub5BCQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjjptHc8__QAhWFPBQKHW2_DfYQ6AEIKTAD#v=onepage&q=st%20monica's%20blind%20cork&f=false)

Article from 2011 says "In 1983 Dr Pillay purchased the building on the site of the old St Monica’s Home for the Blind at Infirmary Road, adjacent to the South Infirmary."

The 1901 and 1911 census records will list the superintendent, etc.
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/search/

Thank you for your suggestions.
Title: Re: St. Monica's Asylum for the Blind, Infirmary Road, Cork
Post by: Mary G on Sunday 25 December 16 23:48 GMT (UK)
1901
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Cork/Cork_Urban_No__5/Infirmary_Road/1115187/
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai000529464/

1911
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Cork/Cork_No__5_Urban__part_of_/Infirmary_Road/399197/
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai001890262/

Thank you so much.
Title: Re: St. Monica's Asylum for the Blind, Infirmary Road, Cork
Post by: Enkjcjmt on Saturday 15 April 23 20:34 BST (UK)
Hi, I don’t know whether this will be of use to you, but I recently found the attached document among ones belonging to an ancestor of mine from Cork. The document is a letter sent from what was then called ‘County and City of Cork Asylum for the Blind’ on Infirmary Road in Feb 1864. At the bottom it gives the name of the secretary and Committee members at the time.
Title: Re: St. Monica's Asylum for the Blind, Infirmary Road, Cork
Post by: Kiltaglassan on Sunday 16 April 23 07:44 BST (UK)

'Asylum for the Blind’
Infirmary Road
Cork

From OSi National Townland and Historical Map Viewer.
MapGenie 25 Inch [1887-1913] (in Basemap Gallery).

https://arcg.is/jvOCW0


Title: Re: St. Monica's Asylum for the Blind, Infirmary Road, Cork
Post by: Mary G on Sunday 16 April 23 18:14 BST (UK)
Hi, I don’t know whether this will be of use to you, but I recently found the attached document among ones belonging to an ancestor of mine from Cork. The document is a letter sent from what was then called ‘County and City of Cork Asylum for the Blind’ on Infirmary Road in Feb 1864. At the bottom it gives the name of the secretary and Committee members at the time.


Thank you so much.   

That really gives an insight into the financial side of the running of The Blind Asylum, but also that it was open daily.   I know that baskets were made there and sold to subsidise the upkeep of the institution.

Thank you again.....I so appreciate it.
Title: Re: St. Monica's Asylum for the Blind, Infirmary Road, Cork
Post by: Mary G on Sunday 16 April 23 18:16 BST (UK)

'Asylum for the Blind’
Infirmary Road
Cork

From OSi National Townland and Historical Map Viewer.
MapGenie 25 Inch [1887-1913] (in Basemap Gallery).

https://arcg.is/jvOCW0

Thank you so much.

That's exactly where I remember my mother pointing it out to me, when I was a child.

Thank you.
Title: Re: St. Monica's Asylum for the Blind, Infirmary Road, Cork
Post by: hanes teulu on Sunday 16 April 23 20:08 BST (UK)
Southern Reporter & Cork Commercial Courier, 17 Dec 1859

COUNTY AND CITY OF CORK
ASYLUM FOR THE INDUSTRIOUS BLIND
Contracts Required
Rounds of good beef without bone for 12 months, from 8 January, at    per lb
Boiling milk for 12 months at, from 1st January, at      per gallon
Household bread, best, for three months, from 1st January, at     per 4lb
Proposals to be sent to the Steward, on Saturday, 24 December, instant
Richard Dowden (Rd), Honorary Secretary
Asylum Infirmary Road, Dec 17th, 1859


Specifying quality goods (not that they were quality when delivered!) is so contrary to the impression given of Victorian Institutions.
"The Industrious Blind" features frequently when this institution appears in the newspapers.
Title: Re: St. Monica's Asylum for the Blind, Infirmary Road, Cork
Post by: Mary G on Sunday 16 April 23 21:05 BST (UK)
Southern Reporter & Cork Commercial Courier, 17 Dec 1859

COUNTY AND CITY OF CORK
ASYLUM FOR THE INDUSTRIOUS BLIND
Contracts Required
Rounds of good beef without bone for 12 months, from 8 January, at    per lb
Boiling milk for 12 months at, from 1st January, at      per gallon
Household bread, best, for three months, from 1st January, at     per 4lb
Proposals to be sent to the Steward, on Saturday, 24 December, instant
Richard Dowden (Rd), Honorary Secretary
Asylum Infirmary Road, Dec 17th, 1859


Specifying quality goods (not that they were quality when delivered!) is so contrary to the impression given of Victorian Institutions.
"The Industrious Blind" features frequently when this institution appears in the newspapers.

Thank you.

That's exactly what I'm doing now, is going through the newspapers.   I hadn't realised it was opened in 1841.

Thank you again for your help.