Government Relief
Sir Robert Peel's Relief Scheme 1845-1846
The existing poor law system could not cope with the impending disaster resulting from the failure of the potato crop. Peel organised a relief commission and by early November 1845 had arranged to import Indian corn and meal from the United States (O'Neill, 1994). By February 1846, depots were established, including one at Westport. The purpose was not to replace private trading but to control escalating native food prices. Public works schemes were implemented, funded by government loans and grants. Applicants who were accepted as being in need of relief were issued tickets for employment and paid in cash with which they could buy meal. The Irish, used to a diet of potatoes, found it difficult to cook and digest the meal, which was known as 'Peel's Brimstone'. Cash payments created problems because of the labour based west of Ireland economy. There was not enough cash in the economy to pay wages. Scheme labourers were often paid up to three weeks in arrears. This meant that the labourers were forced to buy food on credit from local dealers at exorbitant prices, which left them in debt. Many labourers were afraid to leave the works schemes and return to their normal farm labour in case they would be unable to get back on to the scheme (Ó Tuathaigh, 1991). Many preferred being paid cash. As a result, the spring farm work was neglected due to a shortage of labour and a smaller than usual amount of potatoes were planted (O'Neill, 1994). Nicholson (1848) describes seeing fields left fallow. Despite the disadvantages of Peel's scheme, 'No man died of famine during his administration, and it is a boast of which he might well be proud' (The Freeman's Journal 5/4/1847). However, he had only to cope with a partial crop failure (Ó Tuathaigh, 1991). Relief by Public Works 1846-1847 Peel was voted out of office in June 1846. By July, it was obvious that there was a total failure of the potato crop. The new government failed to grasp the reality of the situation. Sir Charles Trevelyan, assistant secretary of the treasury, advised the government that the supply of food could be safely left in the hands of private merchants, that there was sufficient wheat and oats to last until spring and only the western counties needed food depots. Wheat and oats continued to be exported to pay rents, food prices soared because of scarcity and the poor starved (O'Neill, 1994). Employment provision was the main task of government, Trevelyan advised. Under the 1846 Labour Rate Act (Grey, 2012) public works schemes were re implemented. Labourers were paid by task work to ensure that that the maximum amount of work would be done. By the time the schemes finally got underway; most labourers were too weak from hunger to be able to earn enough to buy food. Wages were usually in arrears. Labourers once again were forced to buy food on credit, at exorbitant prices. It was a dreadful winter and it was common to see people labouring on the roads in snow drifts, half starved and inadequately clothed. Women and children helped the employed labourer to achieve the quota. Deaths continued to rise. The government finally abandoned the scheme. It cost almost 5 million pounds with the total cost borne by public rates. Already heavily mortgaged properties were left with the added burden of unpaid rates (O'Neill, 1994). |
Soup Kitchens 1847
Trevelyan eventually advised the government that a change of policy was called for and that it was necessary to to provide for 'the outdoor relief of every destitute person' (Trevelyan, 1847). Due to Government red tape, the soup kitchens did not get underway until May 1847, although the works schemes had stopped in February. If one member of a family was employed, then none of the family was allowed to receive soup. To ensure that there was no cheating, all members of the family had to be present at the soup kitchen before food was distributed. Disease was rampant and the large crowds gathering at food kitchens accelerated the spread of disease. Many kitchens had inadequate cooking facilities. Raw food was distributed instead. Meal needs to be cooked for hours and as there was now an insufficient supply of fuel, raw meal was consumed by many causing further illness. The total cost of the kitchens was almost 2 million pound, which was once again to be paid from local rates (O'Neill, 1994).The soup kitchens, despite their inadequacy, prevented numerous deaths. Then the Government, afraid of public opinion, which perceived the Irish as lazy and stupid and therefore responsible for their own ills (Grey, 1993), changed policy once again. Poor Law Relief 1847-1852 The Poor Law Amendment Act of 1847 caused most of the famine deaths. The government decided that relief could only be provided through the already overburdened workhouses, which were also funded from local rates. Only the old, infirm, mentally ill and widows with two or more legitimate children could receive outdoor relief. Anyone with more than a quarter of an acre of land had to surrender their land before being eligible for indoor relief in the workhouse. The Poor Law Union in Mayo was particularly ineffective. Outlying areas were up to fifty miles from the nearest workhouse. As people did not want to surrender their land, they waited until there was no other option before going to them. They often died on the way. Work was provided for the able bodied on outdoor relief, usually breaking stones. Tickets for rations were then issued. The rations were so low that even those who managed to receive them often died of starvation (Kinealy, 1986). As the Workhouse Guardians were usually landlords or their agents and as they were also the ratepayers, the main criteria was to keep down costs, not to provide adequate relief. The Gregory amendment to the act, which stated that a landlord was liable for rates on any holding of less than £4 valuation led to a huge increase in evictions. Many landlords had remitted rents, but unless the cabin was actually levelled, he was still liable to pay his tenants' rates. This meant he paid rates to support the destitute in the workhouse and rates on their houses, while he received no rent. Landlords, already in debt, were left with no option but to evict tenants and level their cabins. The act of 1847, which made poorer areas pay for their own relief, is the main reason why the British Government was accused of genocide (Donnolly, 2001). Click HERE for Information on The Quakers |