Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 7 June 2018

Stories from 1918: Conundrums of the Butter Market

   At the beginning of 1918 the Irish butter industry was subjected to many restrictions of control by the Ministry of Food, which was linked to keeping supply to English markets throughout wartime. The grading of Irish butter by appointed English graders was decided upon as a necessity. Reluctantly the Irish traders complied. However, they unanimously opposed the grading being carried out in England, claiming that it would act very unfairly in Irish interests, and lead to abuses and heavy losses.

   Cork butter had been locally inspected and graded for over 150 years. Compared to one hundred years previously, the Cork butter trade was on a slow decline. In 1858, 428,000 firkins of butter were been exported per annum and by 1891, this was reduced to 170,000 firkins. Competitive European prices out-competed the prices set by the butter market at Cork. In addition, the city’s best consumer, the British citizen favoured neater packaging, smaller more exact weights, improved colour, texture and taste; qualities that Cork butter did not possess. The quantity of butter exported decreased and decreased. In 1918, Further regulations or even controls of the market were not welcome. Despite the protestations of Irish producers and dealers, a new grading system was put into force, with the grading work being carried out in England.

     At the Cork Butter Market on Saturday 8 June 1918, several merchants gave testimony of the problems of the new grading system to the Cork Examiner.  A leading member of the Cork Butter Market Trustees stated that the Government system was causing a great economic loss to Ireland. The price of fresh lump butter had fallen from 217s to 211s per cwt. Irish butter was going into the “Pool” or Government centre of distribution, from where it was sold to English dealers at a flat rate, comparatively high. He also highlighted that shipping and rail facilities of transit caused the longest delays, and in bad weather the butter lost very considerably its weight and deteriorated in quality. As the quantities to be graded were large, delays were encountered. In nearly all cases it took at least ten days before grading was completed.

    The market trustee argued that whilst the graders were undoubtedly qualified to deal with butter as for show purposes, the judging of Irish butter in war time should not be done, as if it were in a show competition. He noted; “It should be pursued along the best commercial lines; the present system of grading was lacking in initiative, and common sense…butter is very perishable, and it is when it has thus suffered, the graders in England deliver judgment on it. The whole thing was monstrously unfair and the only remedy for it was that the grading be done in Ireland. Nine-tenths of the butter could be graded here”.

Another export merchant highlighted that the grading system was done out of awarding of points for flavour, texture, packing, and colour. There were four grades, the lowest being known as non-table butter, and which was in fact a butter for use in cooking or confectionery. The highest grade was that which was awarded from 90 to 100 points. The prices for the different grades differed by about 5s so that if a butter did not achieve 89 points it went into grade two and so on down to non-table butter. There had been instances of butter that had left Ireland of the highest grade and was then a grade returned by the graders to the merchant as non-table butter.

    Many merchants complained of the way returns were made. They shipped their butter to England, hoping that it would be graded within a week. However. it was often three weeks to a month before they got the return showing them the grade their butter had received. In one instance it was five weeks before the return reached one merchant. When the payment of sums amounting in some individual cases to £20,000 was delayed in this way for weeks and months the losses to trading were heavy and business was upset.

    Another leading Cork trader said there was no reason why the grading should not be carried out in Ireland. A small efficient staff in Cork could deal quickly with the great exports that leave the south of Ireland, while in Limerick and Tralee, as in Dublin and the North, the thing, could be pursued with fairness and dispatch. He was apprehensive noting of the entire grading scheme; “it acted unfairly to the creamery interests, there were also certain differentiation in treatment between the creameries and the farmers’ dairy and factory butter. If it led to the killing of the butter industry among the farmers themselves it would mean the wiping-out of a dozen other subsidiary industries. Sufficient cold storage could be found in Ireland”.

Caption:

949a.  Former Cork Butter Exchange, Shandon, present day (picture: Kieran McCarthy)

Kieran’s June Historical Walking Tours:

Saturday 9 June 2018, Cork City & its Bridges (new tour), learn about the early history of the city’s most historic bridges; meet at the National Monument, Grand Parade, 2.30pm (free, duration: two hours, finishes in City Centre) in association with Meitheal Mara’s Cork Harbour Festival.

Saturday 23 June 2018, The Cork City Workhouse; learn about the workhouse created for 2,000 impoverished people in 1841; meet at the gates of St Finbarr’s Hospital, Douglas Road, 12noon (free, duration: two hours, on site tour), in association with the Friends of St Finbarr’s Hospital Garden Fete.

Saturday 30 June 2018, The Lough & its Curiosities; explore the local history from the Legend of the Lough to suburban development; meet at green area at northern end of The Lough, entrance of Lough Road to The Lough; 12noon (free, duration: two hours, on site tour)

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 31 May 2018

Stories from 1918: The Cork Milk Supply Scheme

       A milk supply debate raged across newspapers in 1918. During 1917, new powers were granted to local authorities in England and Ireland to supply milk to children and expectant and nursing mothers at cost price or free. The Irish Local Government Board gave grants to urban and rural sanitary authorities of one half of approved net expenditure in the cost of milk and dinners provided for expectant and nursing mothers and children under six. The grants were given only when the arrangements formed part of a maternity and child welfare scheme established by the local authority. Dublin, Kingstown, Bray, Monaghan. Clonmel and Cork were noted as good schemes but were not enough to meet demand.

     Apart from the local government scheme, notable in Cork was the Cork Milk Supply Scheme operated by the Roman Catholic Bishop, Rev Cohalan and local parish clergy. Set up in the winter of 1917, its story is told across minutes of meetings published in the Cork Examiner. The scheme was intended for poor families where there were young children of an age where milk was an important source of food.

    In the early weeks of the scheme, the Cork and Kerry Creamery Company, acting on the initiative of committee member of the scheme, Mr Sunner, supplied to the poor of the South Parish, Cork. Excellent milk was supplied at a very cheap rat of one penny per pint. Subscriptions from local merchants and businesses made up the balance of price to the vendor. At the beginning of the scheme there were 660 families registered to get the milk at the cheap rate, with the figure rising to 965 families by the end of 1917. The income threshold of families interested in the scheme was not to exceed 25s per week, and in the family there were to be children under six years of age. An official register was compiled by the several parish committees. They made sure that the tickets were only given to the necessitous poor, eradicated duplication of tickets, and made sure the tickets went out from one central source in every parish.

     At an executive meeting on Tuesday 28 May 1918 Bishop Cohalan presided. Mr Pelly, the Honorary Treasurer, stated that there was a sum of about £150 on hand. In view of the fall in the price of milk, the discussion involved debating about the discontinuing of the milk supply. The price of milk during the summer of 1918 was estimated to be 2d per pint, which was near the one penny mark already in place. The Committee decided that the scheme be discontinued except in the case of families already on the lists who had children suffering or recovering from ailments. The quantity of milk to be subsidised by the Committee was to be two pints per family a day. In making out the new lists of families to be relieved, the Parish Committees were to be given advice by the city’s dispensary doctors.

    On 30 October 1918, a public meeting in connection with the securing of a supply of milk at a cheap rate for the children of the city was held in the Council Chamber, City Hall. Bishop Cohalan told the meeting they were assembled to commence the distribution of milk to the poor families of the city – to continue the scheme inaugurated the previous winter. He revealed that the number of pints of milk distributed between the end of 1917 and 1918 was 203,000. The money received in subscriptions in 1918 was £1,822 0s 6d.  The amount expended was £1,745 8s 3d, leaving a balance, wherewith to start the winter of 1918 of £76 12s 3d.

    Lord Mayor Thomas Butterfield proposed the following resolution: “That we deem it our duty to raise a fund with the object of putting the Cork Children’s Milk Scheme into operation again this year, in view of the inability of many poor families to procure a sufficient quantity of milk for children during the winter months, and especially in view of the outbreak of influenza”. Canon O’Sullivan of the North Cathedral seconded. He deemed that the absence of sickness the previous year in his extensive parish was down to the benefits of the cheap milk supply and school meals. There were 13,000 pints of milk distributed in his parish at 1d per pint, and it was not difficult to realise the benefits that arose in new parishes in the city.

     At another meeting of the executive committee on 8 November 1918, reports from the different parishes indicated that arrangements were practically complete for putting the supply scheme into operation. An adequate supply of milk was to be put in place for each parish. The committee decided that the distribution of funds would be on the basis of the number of families on the parish lists as follows: North Parish – 400 families, SS Peter and Paul’s – 200, St Finbarr’s – 200; Lough – 70 and St Patrick’s – 60. The families under the scheme were expected to pay 1 ½d per pint for the milk and were to be entitled to receive two pints per day.

Caption:

 948a. Creamery at Charleville c.1900 (source: National Library of Ireland)

Kieran’s June Historical Walking Tours:

Saturday 9 June 2018, Cork City & its Bridges (new tour), learn about the early history of the city’s most historic bridges; meet at the National Monument, Grand Parade, 2.30pm (free, duration: two hours, finishes in City Centre) in association with Meitheal Mara’s Cork Harbour Festival.

Saturday 23 June 2018, The Cork City Workhouse; learn about the workhouse created for 2,000 impoverished people in 1841; meet at the gates of St Finbarr’s Hospital, Douglas Road, 12noon (free, duration: two hours, on site tour), in association with the Friends of St Finbarr’s Hospital Garden Fete.

Saturday 30 June 2018, The Lough & its Curiosities; explore the local history from the Legend of the Lough to suburban development; meet at green area at northern end of The Lough, entrance of Lough Road to The Lough; 12noon (free, duration: two hours, on site tour)

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent, 17 May 2018

Stories from 1918: The Sinking of the SS Inniscarra

    Another ship, another sinking occurred on 12 May 1918. This time the SS Inniscarra was sunk by torpedo by German submarine ten miles south east of Ballycotton Island on the approaches to Cork en route from Fishguard. Built by Wigham Richardson & Co. Ltd Newcastle in 1903, the ship was a passenger steamer of 1,412 tons. She was owned at the time of her loss by City of Cork Steam Packet Co. Ltd.

    At the time of the disaster the ship was Cork bound with a general cargo and carried no passengers. At 4.20am the roar of an exploding torpedo was heard. The ship was struck on the port side, abreast the forward engine space, killing those in that space quickly below. While still making headway the ship sank bow down. Before this a barrel raft got away with one lifeboat. On the raft lay Captain Kelly, with his legs crushed and Chief Officer Swan, who was badly bruised. From the raft a cattleman slipped off and sank. Minutes later, the submarine emerged beside them from the waters, questioned the men on their rank, and then made off. As dawn broke one of the ship’s Seaman Mr Warren, was picked up by a passing small boat into which as well four other male survivors transferred themselves from the raft. Four hours later they landed them at Queenstown. From Queenstown the survivors were rapidly conveyed to the midst of their friends and family in Cork.

    The five survivors comprised Captain Kelly (Ballyhooley Road), Chief Officer Swan (5 Beechwood Place, Douglas Road), Steward Keane, Seaman Bird arid Seaman Warren, (Kinsale). In his account to the Press Association, Captain Kelly stated that this was his second similar experience since the war began. He detailed that the SS Inniscarra commenced going down bow first about three minutes after being struck. He jumped from the bridge down on to the fore deck just as the ship was making her last plunge. He succeeded in netting upon a barrel raft, but was washed off. In trying to keep the raft clear of the bridge he got his left leg badly bruised and mangled. He was then picked up by a lifeboat containing the few survivors.

    Mr Stewart F Swan, who was badly injured, was a member of the Mercantile Marine Service Association. He had plenty experience in shipping. He held the Royal Humane Society’s bronze medal and parchment for life-saving in the River Lee. He distinguished himself on the night of 13 May 1913, when he made a gallant rescue of a passenger who had fallen overboard from the steamer Innisfallen in Fishguard Harbour. The cry of “man overboard” having been raised by some of the cabin staff, Swan, who was in his berth, rushed on deck to see what he could do. Seeing the struggling man in the water about 30 feet from the ship’s side, without hesitation he plunged overboard. He swam towards him and after a struggle succeeded in placing a lifebuoy over his head.

    Through the sinking of the SS Inniscarra, many relatives of the deceased were plunged into deep mourning. For example Maurice Geary, Fireman (42), lost his life and he left behind his wife Margaret and seven children, and resided in Ballinure, Blackrock. I have added the list of those who lost their lives below, the vast of which were from Cork and region; Patrick Cox, Fireman (47), was husband of Ellen Cox (nee Murphy), of Ballinure Quarries, Blackrock, Cork. Robert Hayes, Greaser (53), was husband of Margaret Hayes (nee Regan), of Convent Road, Blackrock. William Neil, First Engineer (60), was husband of Mrs Neill, of Marion Ville, Blackrock. Michael Forde, Quartermaster (66) was husband of Norah Forde, of 91, Friar Street, Cork. John O’Connell Fireman (27) was husband of Norah O’Connell (nee Jones), of 1, Desmond Square. Mathew O’Sullivan, Able Seaman (53), was the husband of Mary O’Sullivan (nee Creedon), of 29, High Street, Cork.

    Arthur Attridge, Carpenter (72), was husband of Bessie Attridge (nee Riordan), of 3, St James Place. Mr Buckley, Trimmer (27), was son of Hannah Buckley (nee McCarthy), of 5, Hegarty’s Square, Blarney Street. John Harrington, Firerman (48) was husband of Mary Harrington, of 4, Cassidy’s Avenue, Barrackton, Cork. John Mullane, Cook (37) was the husband of Mary Agnes Mullane (nee White), of 23, Kelleher’s Buildings. John O’Brien, Trimmer (27), was the husband of Mary O’Brien (nee Murphy) of Mayfield.  Denis O’Mahony, Fireman (29), was the son of James and Sarah O’Mahony, of 10, Alfred Street. Denis O’Shea, Fireman (30), was the son of Edward and Eliza O’Shea, of 76, Great William O’Brien Street, Blackpool. William Ryan, Donkeyman (38), was the son of Margaret and Hugh Ryan, of 7, Mahoney’s Avenue, Lower Road.

     George Clarke, Able Seaman (61) was the son of the late George and Catherine Clarke (no location noted). Daniel Driscoll, Able Seaman (39), was husband of Nora Driscoll (nee Hayes), of Scilly, Kinsale. Michael Murphy, Able Seaman (34), was husband of Catherine Murphy (nee Coughlan), of 2, Cork Hill, Kinsale. James Harris (36) was the son of James and Alfina Dunne Harris, of Curraghboy, Youghal.

    Laurence O’Connell, Fireman (36), was the son of John and Ann O’Connell, of Glencarney, Rockchapel. William Evans, Second Mate (54), was the husband of Alice Kate Evans (nee Patrick), of Tan-y-Bryn, New Quay, Cardiganshire. Michael O’Hare, Greaser (41) was the husband of Margaret O’Hare (nee Masterson), of 48, Cecil Street, Newry, Co. Down.

      Joseph George Page, Leading Seaman (no age given), was the son of Charles and Catherine Page, of 2A, Chaucer Street, Kingsley Park, Northampton. Robert James Peters, seaman (no age given) was born at Neyland, Pembrokeshire. George Tucker, Able Seaman (20), was the son of Charles and Martha Tucker, of Rock House, Llanrhidian, Reynoldstone, Glamorgan.

Caption:

946a. SS Inniscarra berthed at Penrose Quay, c.1915 (source: Cork City Library)