-
"Survey return from The Minister of Portnahaven"
Bowmore.
1850.
RCP/COL/4/8/31
No name is given in the survey for this individual.
Portnahaven was a quoad sacra parish and village within the parish of Kilchoman on the island of Islay. In 1871, the population of Portnahaven was 979. For information on industry and general population of the wider parish, see the entry for Kilchoman.
[[Addressee]]
To the Revd
The Minister of
Portnahaven
Bowmore.
[[Survey]]
QUERIES
1. How many Medical Men practice within the Parish of Portnahaven?
One who has the oversight of the Parishes of Portnahaven & Kilchoman.
2. The Names and Addresses of these.
Doctor Fenton
Port Charlotte By Bowmore
3. Has the number increased or diminished of late years?
The has neither increased nor diminished
4. Have any left the Parish since you became connected with it? If so, for what reasons?
Yes One He left the Parish principally on account of the want of sufficient pecuniary support-
5. Is there any complaint among the people of inadequacy in the supply of Medical aid?
None so far as I am aware
6. Do you know of any cases of protracted suffering, or of injury by Accident, such as might have been alleviated had proper advice been at hand?
I am not aware of any
7. To what extent is the deficiency of qualified Practitioners made up by the efforts of other parties?
In simple cases the Minister not unfrequently prescribes & supply the Medicine-
8. Does your experience enable you to suggest any measure – of general applicability – such as would be likely to relieve to some extent the evils (if they exist) of deficiency in the supply of Medical aid?
I may mention that Dr. Fenton came came to this Parish about 8 months ago; that his salary is Paid Partly by government through1 the Parochial Board2 & Partly by the voluntary subscriptions of the most respectable of the Parishioners of the 2 Parishes Kilchoman & Portnahaven
9. What Heritors3 are resident, either generally or occasionally, in your Parish?
The4 only resident Heritor and, that see occasionally is Mr. McEwen Sunderland. Mr. Brown in Edinburgh is trustee for the Principal part of the Estate of Islay & Comes only to Collect the rents.
Explanatory notes:
1. Answer for query 8 continues into box for query 9.
2. Following the Poor Law Amendment (Scotland) Act of 1845 parochial boards were set up in each parish to administer poor relief.
3. A heritor was a landowner, under Scots Law, whose holdings were sizeable enough for them to be liable for the payment of public burdens such as Poor Law rates, road and bridge assessments and the church minister’s stipend.
4. Answer for query 9 continues into space under box.
Remote & Rural Remedies
