industrialschool

Lovely photo ..... Letterfrack ?

OSI 25" map: maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V2,470976,757615,11,9

Streetview: goo.gl/maps/ZvTwgoGkVFM2

One of the most notorious and feared places in the country ...

Ger Cos Remote, inaccessible and with a fearsome reputation! Even going there was an expedition and for boys snatched from their families it was a living nightmare! A very fine shot but the history makes it terribly sad viewing! Wikipedia traces the origins of the place: Origins A wealthy Quaker couple, James and Mary Ellis, moved to Letterfrack in 1849 from the north of England, bought a large tract of land, developed it, built a residence and also a school for local children.[ After the Ellises left, the school was run by Protestant Irish Church Missions to Roman Catholics. The ICM's proselytising efforts continued up until 1882. The Catholic Archbishop of Tuam, Dr. John McEvilly bought the property in 1884. Opening The Archbishop wrote to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Earl Spencer suggesting that the property was 'admirably suited for a boys’ industrial school so sadly needed in that district'. However, the Lord Lieutenants' advisors were against the establishment of the school on the grounds that there was unlikely to be enough children requiring such an institution in the area and the existing schools were adequate for the educational needs of the area. Despite support from the Inspector of Industrial Schools, Sir Arthur Lentaigne the application was refused. The Archbishop continued to lobby the Lord Lieutenant and the school received support from the Lord Lieutenant in August 1885. The school was initially certified for 75 boys and the Archbishop entered into negotiations with the Christian Brothers. The Christian Brothers agreed and after building work added to the property, the schools opened on 12 October 1887.

Now if my granny's cousin is in the 1938 electoral roll as a "hulk operator", what does that mean ? Work on one of these old ships ?

Mich I asked one of our Senior Archivists in Public Access about this; she hasn't come across the term "hulk operator" before. It is also not listed in the "Dictionary of old trades & occupations". If there are any occupations/trades experts out there, perhaps you can help with this definition? AB

A composite full-rigged ship built of teak and iron in 1866. She was the largest composite sailing ship ever built. 1866 - Launched at the shipyard of A. Hall, Aberdeen, for Lowther, Maxton & Co., London. Employed in the Australian passenger & cargo trade. 1892 - Sold to the New South Wales Government for £ 15.000 and turned into a reformatory ship moored off Cockatoo Island in Sydney harbour. 1911 - Sold to the Commonwealth Government for £ 15.000 and was renamed HMAS Tingara. Converted into a training ship for boys entering the Australian Navy at a cost of £ 7000. 1927 - Sold and moored in Berry's Bay, Sydney. 1941 - Broken up at Sydney.