Item 3 - Bound volume comprising the minutes of meetings of The Galway Town Commissioners.

c. 1000pp

Bound volume comprising the minutes of meetings of The Galway Town Commissioners. Each entry gives the date of the meeting, the attendance, the business transacted and correspondence; in a small number of instances transcripts of correspondence are included. During the period covered by this volume a considerable amount of the board's business was devoted to the construction of a system of water works for the city. Entry dated 9 October 1862 states, in relation to an article published in the Galway Vindicator, 'That this board is of opinion that when it is attacked in a public newspaper in an unjustifiable manner either collectively or individually the Board or the individual is at liberty to repel the slander in the most effective manner possible.' According to entry dated 6 November 1862 the town surveyor Mr. Roberts was authorised to 'proceed with measures forthwith, and introduce a bill into Parliament of which the Galway Town Commissioners, shall be the promoters for supplying the town with water.' Entry for 7 October 1863 includes a copy of a letter from the Galway Town Commissioners addressed to His Excellency George William Frederick, Earl of Carlisle Lord Lieutenant General and General Governor of Ireland in which Town Commissioners express their 'unmixed satisfaction in the interest you have already manufactured to make Galway not a port of call but a permanent Packet station....' According to entry dated 15 December 1864 'The Town Steward reported Peter Duggan [a member of the watch] for being drunk on his beat on the morning of the ninth and it being the first offence and some mitigating circumstances he was reprimanded and restored.' Also includes a transcript of a letter dated 28 February 1865 from the town surveyor T.W. Roberts addressed to The Town Commissioners, the letter lists a number of properties in Galway city which were considered to be in a dangerous state, the list included building on Barrack Lane, Market Street, Cross Street, Kirwan's Lane, Quay Street, Custom House Street. According to entry dated 8 June 1865 Eyre Square should be 'open at all times to the public free of charge.' Entry for 22 June 1865 includes transcripts of letters from members of the public complaining about excessive charges being made for the transport of goods being made by The Midland and Great Western Railway Company. Entry for December 20th 1866 includes a transcript of a letter addressed to the Town Commissioners from The Marquis of Abercorn Lord Lieutenant General and General Governor of Ireland written in response to an address made by the Town Commissioners in relation to opening a packet station in Galway. Abercorn writes that 'I am aware of the great interest taken by the late Lord Eglinton in the establishment of an Atlantic Packet Station at Galway, and I believe that to mismanagement alone it owed that failure which I deeply deplore, I fully recognize the loyal and peaceful conduct that has always been displayed by your large sea-faring population, and I feel the great importance of attracting the youth of your Western Coast.' According an entry dated 31 December 1868 'Mr. Kirwan Submitted a copy of a petition to Her Most Gracious Majesty which he stated had been very generally adopted in other places and moved that it should be adopted by this board praying for the release of Political Prisoners and Mr. Fahy having Seconded.' According to entry dated 20 May 1869 'Lord St. Laurence was introduced and stated that he was anxious to promote the interests of Galway in every way in his power, and he was glad to tell the Commissioners that he had succeeded with the kind aid of Mr. J.W. Lynch in laying out a Race Course close to the town and hoped there would be good running there this summer which would greatly advance Galway as a bathing place.' Entry dated 18 February 1870, includes a report on the waterworks compiled by the town surveyor Mr. Roberts. Entry dated 27 April 1870 includes a list of 'persons using water...for other than domestic purposes' Each entry in the list includes the following fields 'No', 'Name of Owner', 'Situation', 'For what purpose given', 'Annual Amt. to be charged', 'Date on which supply was given', 'Months', 'Amt. due up to 1 March 1870'. The vast majority of individuals listed are described as publicans. Entry for January 1871 includes detailed reports from The Tolls Committee and The Sanitary Committee. Entry dated 16 February 1871 states that 'leave be given to have a bonfire in the markets place on the occasion of Sir Arthur Guinness marriage with Lady Mary White.' Entry dated 16 March 1871 reports that 'Lord St. Laurence took the liberty of bringing to the notice of the meeting a subject that might prove of considerable importance to the trade of Galway at some future period viz. the export of sea fish inland to Dublin and England.' Lord St. Laurence went on to argue that the tariff charged by the railway company would have to be reduced for this to happen.

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27/06/2013
28/07/2025