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Database description

Famine Relief Commission - 1845–1847

The following finding aid database comprises a listing of a selection of the records of the Famine Relief Commission, whose sub-series are listed below.

The temporary Relief Commission was established in November 1845 in response to the failure of the potato crop, to administer temporary relief supplementary to that provided by the Poor Relief (Ireland) Act, 1838. The members of the first commission represented the various government departments in Ireland which were expected to co-ordinate relief, such as the Irish Constabulary (police), the Coast Guard, Poor Law Commission, the Army, Board of Works and the Chief Secretary´s Office in Dublin Castle. The remit of the Relief Commission was to advise the government as to the extent of potato loss and distress within Ireland, to oversee the storage and distribution of Indian corn and meal and to direct, support and co-ordinate the activities of local relief committees.

The commission collected information from all local official sources regarding the advance of the potato disease and the condition of the populace. Reports were received from lieutenants of counties, resident magistrates, poor law guardians, the constabulary and the coast guard. These were collated and used to calculate the probable extent of food shortages. The commission was re-organised in January 1846, dis-banded in August 1846 and re-constituted in February 1847 under the Temporary Relief Act.

Local relief committees were established on foot of instructions issued by the Relief Commission in February 1846 and by August 1846, some 650 committees had been established. The majority were in the south and west of the country. There were fewer in the midlands and east and none in Armagh, Fermanagh, Londonderry and Tyrone. Local committees were also reorganised on foot of the Temporary Relief Act, 1847.

The collection is broadly broken down into an administrative series (RLFC1), a series of distress reports from constabulary, resident magistrates, lieutenants of counties, and local officials (RLFC2). There is a further series of incoming letters which is broken down into two sub-series: straight numerical from the beginning of the commission´s activities until August 1846 (RLFC3/1), and, when the commission was re-constituted in February 1847, on a baronial basis (RLFC3/2). They were mainly from local relief committees, lieutenants and deputy lieutenants of counties, local clergy, and concerned citizens. There is also a series of constabulary returns from May 1846 (RLFC4), a selection of returns from relief committees (RLFC5, 6) and reports from county inspecting officers. (RLFC 7).

See also the article "Sources in the National Archives for researching the Great Famine"

Subcategories in 'Famine Relief Commission Papers, 1845-1847'

• RLFC2 CSORP Distress Reports Z series
• RLFC3/1 Incoming Letters Numerical sub-series
• RLFC3/2 Incoming Letters Baronial sub-series

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