Glasgow
 

Glasgow Archives

We have the records of the poor law authorities for Glasgow,  Renfrewshire (except Paisley), Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire, in so far as they survive.  They include the usual administrative records and a large number of applications for relief and registers of poor. 
In the case of the Glasgow authorities (Glasgow City, Barony and Govan parishes, later Glasgow and Govan; from 1930 the Public Assistance Department of Glasgow City Council), the number of surviving applications for poor relief from 1851 to 1948 is large - about .75 million.  We are currently in the process of entering the names of paupers applying for relief on to a database which is complete to 1901 and in progress to 1910.  There are about 370,000 entries so far. 
There is a similar database of applications to Lanarkshire parishes, which is complete to 1900, but much smaller (about 60,000 entries).
    
Plans are in progress to make the contents of these databases available on the internet, but there have been delays because of software problems.  

Andrew Jackson
Glasgow City Archives
http://www.earl.org.uk/earlweb/special/scglasgo.html

The Statistical Account of Scotland 1793

Vol pp + vi
Contents 40 Parishes

37 Glasgow pp 488-538 From Communications of several inhabitants

p 518 Charitable Institutions

Before the Reformation, almost every charitable donation was vested in the church; and its revenues, together with those charities, whose object went no higher than the preservation of life were dispensed by the clergy. 

Charities of a higher order, which regard the character and former situation of their objects, were scarcely known, except by their hospitality; and when the church was overturned by the Reformation, the sacrilegious rapacity, which accompanied it, seized on every thing within its reach, leaving very few remains of ancient beneficence.

St Nicholas Hospital 
Of all the charitable institutions, connected with the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Glasgow, none has descended to the present time, except St Nicholas hospital, founded by Bishop Muirhead about the middle of the 15th century, for the maintenance of 12 old men and a priest; but its revenue has been almost entirely dilapidated, and even now, after the greatest efforts, yields little more than £20 a year.

Merchants Hospital 
It is not known, at what time the merchants of Glasgow first formed themselves into a society, but that they had an hospital for the relief of their poor, previous to the year 1605 is evident from the letter of Guildry.

Neither can it now be ascertained, what were the funds of the society at that time; but, in the year 1659, this hospital, being found to be in a decayed condition, was agreed to be taken down, rebuilt and enlarged, which was accordingly done, and the expense chiefly defrayed by contributions from the members.

The Stock, at that time seems to have been about #2,000 but has now arisen from payments by the members and from mortifications, to above #17,000. Their revenue is at present above #1,000 per annum, part of which is employed for particular purposes, expressly specified by the mortifiers; and the rest is applied for the relief of decayed members, their widows and descendants.

Trades Hospital 
The Trades Hospital also existed before 1605, and its funds have increased in the same manner. The present revenue exceeds #500 and arises from the interest of their Stock, and rents of houses, together with some annual payments from the 14 incorporations each of whom have a certain number of poor people supported by it.

Incorporations 

The different incorporations have also each of them a revenue and fund of their own, distinct from the general fund, which is destined for the support of decayed members, their widows, and children. And in the same manner, the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons, established by charter in 1559, and the Faculty of Procurators, have each considerable funds for the same purpose.

Hutcheson's Hospital  
Was founded by George Hutcheson of Lambhill in the year 1639, and farther endowed by his brother Thomas, in the year 1641, for the support originally of 12 old men and 12 boys.

The Patrons of the Hospital are a Preceptor, the Magistrates and Council, and ministers of the city; and from their good management and various donations which the hospital has received, the funds have increased very considerably; so that the annual income is now above £1,500, which is employed so as to have the least possible bad influence on the industry of the people, by following out the intentions of the founders, in supporting old men, who have been of character and credit in the city, by giving them pensions from £5 to £20 per annum. 

And of late years, the charity has been extended to women of the same description, in pensions from £5 to £15. A part of it has also been allotted to give clothing and a pension of £3 per annum, to a number of boys for 4 years; during which time they receive a complete education in reading, writing, and common arithmetic; after which they are bound apprentices to different trades.

Town's Hospital  
The Town's Hospital or Poor House, was founded in the year 1730. It was intended to maintain and give good education to orphans, or those who were left destitute, to afford asylum to the old, and to promote the best interests of all, in the cheapest possible manner.
The fixed revenue of this hospital is :-
From the Town Council 220-0-0
From the Merchants House 110-0-0
From the Trades House 170-0-0
From the General Session 300-0-0
Interest on Capital from donations 125-0-0
Brought Forward 925-0-0
To which is added the annual assessment on the inhabitants, which was in ,200-0-0 
Money received from boarders that year 98-5-6
Produce of manufactures
Total Revenue 2, 

The Expenditure of the same year, was as follows.
Expense of 318 persons in the house, salaries to the Mistress (clerk & schoolmaster included) 1,749-7-6 
Nursing wages to 56 children out of the House 207-4-0
Half Nursing wages to 59 children - ditto
Meal to 146 families in different proportions 237-3-9
Clothing 14 boys when bound apprentice 12-11-7
Charity schools 30-0-0
Interest paid 18-4-11
Deficiency 26-3-9 
Total 2,

In this hospital the poor are well lodged, clothed, and fed;
the house is kept clean and well aired; the young are instructed in the principles of religion, in reading English, and a little writing' and are employed in such labour as is fitted for them, as making thread lace, tambouring muslins, setting card teeth etc. The old women are employed in spinning, cleaning the house, and, as far as they can, doing the work of the family. Some of the old men weave, and others are employed in such business as they can perform.

The hospital also contains a small infirmary, where the sick are accommodated with medical assistance, and where operations are performed when necessary; and it has also a number of cells for the reception of insane persons. The whole is visited in rotation, and a written report signed 5 days each week, by one of the directors who are annually appointed, and of whom 8, with the Preceptor, sit every Tuesday, for the purpose of admitting paupers to the benefit of the charity, and other necessary purposes.

Table showing the expense of the Town's Hospital, and the 
consumptions of certain articles in it at different periods.
Number : :
Cost per annum each £3-4-5 £4-8-2 £4-9-9
Number of eggs 497 2,467 2,138

Besides these charities which are distributed to the poor in
general, there have been at different times, sundry institutions for particular purposes, whose funds are now very considerable, and which are managed by the members, or people appointed by the regulations of each.

Among these are
The Marine Society 
first begun in 1758 and incorporated in 1789 for the relief of seamen belonging to the River Clyde, and their families, the funds of which arise from small sums collected from their wages.
The Humane Society 
established in 1790, on the same principles with the one in London, for recovering persons supposed to be drowned.
Goulter's Mortification of 1790 
of £1,200 the interest of which is to be applied for the relief of persons who have been in a respectable situation in life 
The Society for the Relief of Sick Strangers, 
begun in 1791 and supported by subscriptions
Stirling's Mortification, in 1791 
of £2,000 as a fund for beginning a public library, which is now increasing very considerably by subscriptions.

There is also an Infirmary begun upon an extensive plan, towards erecting which, such a sum is already subscribed, as has induced the managers to begin it. The plan of the building is by the late Mr Adams; and there is little doubt, but that this benevolent institution will be supported by such future subscriptions, as will render it of general utility to the West country.
NOTE - per Buildings of Scotland Series - Glasgow p 146
Royal Infirmary, Castle Street, James Miller's replacement of  Robert Adam's Infirmary of 1792 rears up alongside the Cathedral Miller's competition entry of 1901 as amended by him was begun in 1907 for 660 beds. 

Independent of the public charities, there are in Glasgow a number of societies, known by the name of Friendly Societies, instituted for the purpose of supporting their members when is distress.
The frugality and good sense with which these societies are
generally managed, deserves a more particular explanation.
When any of their members are sick, or otherwise disabled, they are visited by some of the society, accompanied by the surgeon. If the disease is pretended or brought on by debauchery, they are not found to be entitled to the supply. 

Source: The Statistical Account of Scotland 1793
Drawn up from the Communications of the Ministers of the Different Parishes - By Sir John Sinclair Bt.
In 21 Volumes.
Submitted by Alan Longbottom

Page updated 04 September, 2004 by Rossbret