Piece
See MH 82/12
Catalogue reference: MH 82/49
Date: 1954 Sept 16-1956 Nov 15
See MH 82/12
Item
Folios 215-228. Letter from Harry Burrard Farnall, Poor Law Inspector, to the Poor...
Catalogue reference: MH 12/5969/137
What’s it about?
This record is about the Folios 215-228. Letter from Harry Burrard Farnall, Poor Law Inspector, to the Poor... dating from 12 July 1852 in the series Local Government Board and predecessors: Correspondence with Poor Law Unions and.... It is held at The National Archives, Kew.
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Full description and record details
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Reference (The unique identifier to the record described, used to order and refer to it)
- MH 12/5969/137
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Date (When the record was created)
- 12 July 1852
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Description (What the record is about)
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- Content
- Folios 215-228. Letter from Harry Burrard Farnall, Poor Law Inspector, to the Poor Law Board, giving a report of his enquiry, held on 14 and 15 June 1852 at the Liverpool Select Vestry, relating to accusations of fraud in vaccination cases involving Mr Gill [George Gill], Mr Steel [Arthur Brown Steele], Mr Emett [Henry Emett], Mr Hyams and Mr Donlevy [James Edward Donlevy], Medical Officers. The enquiry was adjourned until 21 and 22 June 1852. No investigation was made in Mr Hyams case as he has now gone abroad. Evidence from their minute books shows that the Liverpool Select Vestry wanted to promote vaccination and they invited the public to be vaccinated. Medical officers were to vaccinate in person and verify numbers vaccinated by signing a weekly declaration. Previous rumours of fraud were investigated by Frederick Cornet [Frederick Cornett], Assistant Relieving Officer, by visiting those alleged to have been vaccinated. He employed Mr Allis [Ollis, Hollis] to make further enquiries and a number of the alleged fraudulent cases he found were investigated in detail during the enquiry. Cornet admitted that he had not checked the details of the weekly vaccination returns, but did not think that the medical officers were guilty of fraud. Copies of depositions taken were given to the medical officers to enable them to prepare their defence. Emett was charged with 27 cases of alleged fraud, Gill with 63 and Steel with 21. Sample affidavits were considered, detailed below, and declarations were received from each of the defendants. No further witnesses were called as the statements already given were considered to be sufficient proof in each case. From the evidence, the Liverpool Select Vestry felt it necessary to monitor the conduct of the medical officers relating to vaccination and also to add a declaration to be signed by them as part of their weekly returns. However this declaration was regarded by them as a mere formality and the person appointed to check on their conduct, Allis, also failed in his duty. The defendants felt the confidence they had in their deputies and that of the Liverpool Select Vestry in their work was sufficient guarantee of good conduct. However Farnall disagrees and advises that Emett, Gill and Steel should be severely reprimanded and required to refund any payments made in the cases which are the subject of depositions. They have 'placed themselves in a very dishonourable position', but he feels that the critical publicity which the case has generated will be a just punishment. The case of Donlevy is considered separately as it differs from the previous cases. Donlevy frequently employed a deputy in vaccination cases, but signed and verified his weekly bills of cases himself. However no such cases were vaccinated, either by himself or his deputy. Thirteen charges of fraud were brought against him. Depositions from Esther Slade, Emily Clarke and Mary Barratt [Mary Barrett] were considered and these are detailed below. Also considered were Donlevy's weekly bills of cases for which he was paid by the Select Vestry. Having received a declaration from Donlevy, Farnall did not call any further witnesses as the statements already given provided sufficient evidence. Donleavy felt unable to comment as he did not know if the statements were true or false. At the conclusion of the case Donlevy and the other accused medical officers were given the opportunity to provide a written defence, detailed below. Farnall concluded that the Poor Law Board had no option but to call for Donlevy's resignation. His deputy, Mr Graham, is now in Australia. A report of the Select Vestry meeting in the Liverpool Mercury is enclosed [not included]. [Continued at MH 12/5969/]
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Held by (Who holds the record)
- The National Archives, Kew
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Legal status (A note as to whether the record being described is a Public Record or not)
- Public Record(s)
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Language (The language of the record)
- English
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Closure status (Whether the record is ‘open’ (available to the public) or ‘closed’ (not available due to a legal exemption))
- Open Document, Open Description
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Record URL
- https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/C10556824/
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Series information
MH 12
Local Government Board and predecessors: Correspondence with Poor Law Unions and...
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Over 27 million records
This record is held at The National Archives, Kew
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Within the department: MH
Records created or inherited by the Ministry of Health and successors, Local Government...
90,136 records
Within the series: MH 12
Local Government Board and predecessors: Correspondence with Poor Law Unions and...
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Within the piece: MH 12/5969
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Folios 215-228. Letter from Harry Burrard Farnall, Poor Law Inspector, to the Poor...
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