ST PAUL'S CHURCH, PAUL STREET, CITY OF CORK


by Mike Stewart.
Overview.

St. Paul's Church Yard - Burial Ground; Crypt.

Location of the Parish Registers and other Parish records.

Notes on the building of St Paul's Church.

Rectors and Curates of St. Paul's with biographical notes.

Bibliography

St. Paul's Church, Cork (Renovated) and plaza. October 2009
(Courtesy of John Walsh)
Click to enlarge the photograph.

MINUITAE

Ministers' Tax:

Ministers' Money is a tax levied, under the Statute of Chas. II., c.7, upon certain cities and towns, for the maintenance of the incumbents there having actual charge of souls, at the rate of one shilling in the pound on the yearly value of each house-but so, that houses valued at upwards of £60 per annum are to be taxed at the rate of £60 and no more ; the property to be valued, on oath, by persons commissioned by the Lord Lieutenant, not oftener than once in every three years. The tax is now payable to collectors appointed by the incumbent, and if unpaid can be levied by distress and sale of goods. It is levied only in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford, Drogheda, Kilkenny, Clonmel, and Kinsale; none of the cities or towns in Ulster being subject to it. The average amount for the three years ending in 1851 was as follows: - Drogheda, £200; Dublin, £8,238.4.2 3/4d; Kilkenny, £204.9.1; Waterford, £745.1.11; Limerick, £164.4.10; Clonmel, £306.5.5; Cork and Kinsale, £1,601.11.2 1/2d. The report of a Select Committee appointed in the Session of 1848 to inquire into the state and operation of the law on this subject, and whether the parochial ministers in the towns subject to it could be maintained by means of any other fund, has furnished the following statement of the annual amount of the tax levied:
1846:
Holy Trinity £700
St. Anne's, Shandon £527
St. Nicholas £454
St. Mary's, Shandon £300
St. Paul's £246
St. Peter's £215
The report proceeds to say, that the tax is extremely unpopular, because it is unequal in its mode of levy, the houses of the wealthy being lightly taxed as compared with those of the humbler classes, and because it is levied on the inhabitants of those religious denominations who derive no benefit from the spiritual services of those for whom benefit it is paid. It further states that a commutation of the tax, on the principle acted upon in the case of tithes, would be attended with much difficulty in its collection after the remedy by distress had been abolished, and with much litigation in the attempt at recovering the small sums which are subject to it; that any process of redemption would fail to be a remedy, because, if voluntary, it would be inoperative; if compulsory, an aggravation of the evil would ensue; that its transfer to the Consolidated Fund would be unjust to the people of England, and resisted by them ; and, finally, that the only practical means of forming a provision for the incumbents, who would otherwise be left destitute on the repeal of this fund, would be by drawing it from the funds in the bands of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, in which there is a prospective increase of annual income, according to the evidence of one of the Commissioners, of £44,857. (Thom, 1852, 59)
A schedule of Ministers' Money payable during the year ending 31 December 1853 as ascertained by the Commissioners; for St. Paul's, Cork:
Payable out of houses over £10 in value £219.11.7 1/2
Payable out of houses under £10 in value £115.11.3
Total payable £335.2.10 1/2
Annual sums that the Ecclesiastical Commissioners are bound to pay in lieu of Ministers' Money, for St. Paul's Cork:
£251.7.2 (£.75 per cent on Amount of Ministers' Money)
£6.1.6 (£.25 percent on amount of allowances made by the Commissioners in fixing net values.)
(Great Britain, Ministers' Money, 3-4)

On 9 March 1854, Mr. Fagan rose in the House of Commons and again spoke on the topic of the repeal of the Ministers' Money Tax, noting the population in 1834 for the parish of St. Paul's was 900 Protestants and 5000 Roman Catholics. (Hansard, 1854)

1754: The Rectors of the parishes of St. Anne, St. Paul and the Holy Trinity were along with other church civic and political representatives who were by Act of Parliament, made trustees over the Cork Infirmary House and back yard. They were given powers to promote the Infirmary. (Webster, 334)

1864: Annual sums paid to the Incumbents of the Parishes in Cork under the head of Ministers' Money:
Holy Trinity £718.18.8
St. Anne's Shandon £610.14.7
St. Nicholas £358.15.10
St. Mary's Shandon £270.15.10
St. Paul's £282-11-3
(Brady, III, 314)

---***---


1766 - 1871
Some comparative figures for the parishes of Cork city
1780, 27 September: A letter from Rev'd Stephen Baggs, Curate of the parish of St. Paul, mentioning that he had called a Vestry, and that the parishioners prefer the undertaking to light their own lamps rather than to accede to said proposal [that the Corporation would contract out this service]. (Caulfield, 960)

1781: According to Bishop Mann's Visitation Book for 1781, the parish of St. Paul's had both a rector and a curate. (Webster, 339)

1786, 26 January: At a meeting held in the vestry room of St. Paul's Church the parishioners entered into several resolutions for the purpose of preserving the peace, one of which was to establish an association to attend each night in rotation, to patrol the parish. (Tuckey, 193)

1817, 22 April: The thanks of the parish are voted by the vestry to Winthrop Baldwin, Esq., of Bath (the maternal uncle of Rev. Dr. Sealy), for his gift of £200 towards a new roof for the church. (Brady, I, 306)

1817, 21 December: On 21st Dec. 1817, the church was reopened for divine service. (Brady, I, 306)

1820: St. Paul's, rectory. Rev. Geo. Sealy Baldwin, rector, has cure of souls, is resident in Cork where St. Paul's is situated and discharges the duties, assisted by a Curate. The church is in good repair. No Glebe House or Glebe in St. Paul's, Curate salary £75. (Great Britain, Papers, 1820, 188-9)

1824: St. Paul's, rectory, Rev. George Sealy Baldwin, non-resident. Dr. Baldwin generally resided in Cork, until the last year and a half, during which he resided in Bath, in consequence of indisposition, which confined him for some time in bed, but is to return to Cork as soon as convalescent. Curate resident. (Great Britain, Clergy, 1824, 436)

1824: St. Paul's. Rector the Rev. George Sealy Baldwin, LL.D. South Mall; Curate, the Rev. Thomas Waggett; Parish Clerk, Andrew Paul. (Pigot, 1824)

1827: Vestry Meeting, St. Paul's, sums levied 16 April, 1827:
Clerk £20
Sexton £40
Sacramental elements £4
Coals & Chips £3
Candles £3
Washing linen £1.1
Visitation fees £0.6.8
Painting, glazing, repair of windows £15
Whitewashing £3
TOTALS: £89.7.8

Vestry Meeting, St. Paul's, sums levied 17 April 1827:
Vestry Clerk £10
Two servants £45.10
Organist & tuning organ £30
Bellows-blower £5
Receiving foundlings £6
Care of foundlings £4.10
Parish Coffins £12
Stationery £3
Mops, brushes, oils for Brasses, washing Church &c. £3
Six singing boys £12.12
Care of clock £0.10
Advertising in Newspapers £6
Bal. Due to Engine Keeper last year £14.14
Salary due to Engine Keeper this year for keeping it in repair & finding all necessaries £15.15
Mr. Crantich's account £2.3.9
Mr. Mark's account £1.12.6
TOTALS £172.7.4
(Great Britain, Parochial Rates, 124)

1830: Protestant population, 936. (Brady, I, 306)

1830: Sums assessed on the Parish of St. Paul, in the County of Cork, by the Vestries holden during Easter week, in the year 1830; assessed at the Vestry at which the Catholic Inhabitants were excluded: [Signed by George Sealy Baldwin, L.L.D., Rector St. Paul's, Cork, 14 May 1830]
Clerk's salary for one year £20
Sexton's salary for one year £30
Organist's salary for one year & For tuning organ for same time £20
Sacramental Elements £4
Salaries of two beadles for 1 year £30
Coals and chips £4
Candles £2
Washing the church linen £1
Painting & Glazing £5
TOTAL £116

Vestry Clerk £10
Necessaries for foundlings £6
Care of Foundlings £4
Parish coffins £10
Stationery £1.10
Committee to keep the parish engine in repair £20
Care of clock £0.5
(Great Britain, Church Vestries, 4-5)

1832: Average annual sums assessed for three years ending 1832:
Par. Clerk's salary £20
Sexton's salary £30
Organist's salary £20
Beadle & bellringer &c. £30
Fuel £4.6.8
Lighting church £2.13.4
Com. Elements £3.0.4
Cleaning church £1
Washing linen £1
Repairs of church & new columns £8.6.8
Painting & Glazing £3.6.8
Bellows-blower £0.17.4
New surplices £1
Cover for reading desk £1.13.4
TOTALS £127.4.4.
(Great Britain. Fourth Report, 507)

1833: St. Paul's (Curates) Samuel Harman, £75 employed one year; Samuel Beamish, assistant Curate, £50, just appointed. Incumbent [George Sealy Baldwin] non-resident due to old age and infirmity. No Glebe House. (Great Britain, Curates, 1833, 721)

1834-1865: Amount expended in repair of church between 1834 and December 31, 1865 - St. Paul, Cork - £1055.6.3
(Great Britain, Churches, 29)

1836: Returns relative to Ecclesiastical Commission:
Amount of Estimate £221.12.4
Amount Granted £169.2.4
Amount Deferred £ 52.10
(Great Britain, Returns, 1836, 24)

1837: St. Paul's, a rectory, with cure, not one-sixth of a mile long, not one-fourteenth broad. Gross population, 4,845. Two Curates employed, at annual stipends-to the senior, of £69.4.7 1/2d and to the junior, of £50, British. Income from Ministers' money, £250. Small dues £16. Subject to visitation fees, 14s. 5d, and Diocesan schoolmaster, 11s. No glebe house. Incumbent is non-resident, being incapacitated from officiating in consequence of advanced age; he resides at Bath. One church, capable of accommodating 600 persons, built in 1726, but at what cost unknown. No charge on the parish in 1832 on account of the church. Divine service is celebrated twice on Sundays, and on the principal festivals; and a short service on all Wednesdays and Fridays. The sacrament is administered monthly. The benefice is a rectory. (Brady, I, 306-7)

1837: St. Paul's, a rectory with cure, subject to Episcopal Jurisdiction. George Sealy Baldwin, LL.D., clerk, adm. in 1794, Incumbent. Two curates at annual stipends: £69-4.7 1/2d (senior) and £50 (junior). No glebe house, one church capacity to accommodate 600 persons, built 1726 at what cost unknown.
Average annual gross income £266
Sources for gross income:
From minister's money £250
From small dues £16
Yearly payments:
Collection of Ministers' Money at rate of 5% £12.10
Visitation fees £0.14.5
Diocesan school master £0.11
Total £13.5.5
(Great Britain. Fourth Report, 1837, 506-07)

1845: St. Paul's - Paul Street. (In the alternate Patronage of the Duke of Leinster and M. Longfield, Esq.) Rector, Rev. F. De M. St. George; Curate, Rev. W. Griffith. … Hours of Service, Sunday, Early, at Seven, Fifth Sunday in the month; Morning, a quarter before twelve; Evening, half-past 6. Week Day, Thursday Evening at half past 6 o'clock; Sacrament, Early Service on the Fifth Sunday, and Noon Service on the First Sunday in the month. (Aldwell, 1845-6, p.84)

1859-1864: Gross amounts paid annually for requisites for celebration of Devine Service, Clerk's and Sexton's Salaries, Organist's, organ blowers, & tuning organs, & Fuel, for St. Paul's:
1859-60 £86.0.11
1860-61 £84.15.9
1861-62 £86.11.3
1862-63 £84.1.6
1863-64 £85.12.2
1864-65 £83.10.11
(Great Britain, Churches, 36)

1864: Present value etc. of each bishopric in Ireland: St. Paul's, Cork -
Net value £183.15.8
Incumbent Resident Curate employed 1
Amounts paid Curate £75 Number of members of Church of England 441
Numbers of Protestant dissenters 129
(Great Britain, Established Church 1864 (267) 24)

1868: St. Paul's, Cork: Some costs:
Salary of Clerk £20
Salary of Sexton £30
Salary of Organist £20
Salary of organ blower £3
Requisition for Holy Communion £3
Requisition for Divine Service £18.2.6
Lights and fuel £7.10.0
Organ tuning £1.10.0
(Great Britain, Established Church, 1867-8)

1871: The population of the Parish of St. Paul's in 1871 was 3752, made up of 894 families. There were 3,327 Roman Catholics; 351 Protestant Episcopalians; 21 Presbyterians; 22 Methodists and 31 persons of other denominations. (Guy, 1875, p.538)

1871: The Lord Bishop, plus the parish rectors of St. Anne's Shandon, St. Mary's Shandon, St. Nicholas', St. Peter's and St. Paul's were trustees to Lapp's Asylum, Western Road for aged and infirm Protestants. (Guy, 1875, p.535)

1874: St. Paul, Cork, Samuel Owen Madden, 12, St. Patrick
Net value of living £285.16.6
Amount of commutation agreed upon including 12% bonus £5194.3.3
(Great Britain, Return of the number of Clergymen, 24)

1875/76: St. Paul's Services Sunday, 11 20 a.m. and 7 0 p.m.; Wednesday 11 0 a.m.; Thursday 7 0 p.m.; Holy Communion each alternate Saturday. St. Paul's - on Paul street between Brown Street and Daunt's Square. (Guy, 1875, pps.533, 574)

1877: A new organ is installed:
NEW ORGAN, ST. PAUL'S CHURCH, CORK.
On Sunday, 2nd instant, the new organ, built for this church by Messrs. Telford and Telford, of Dublin, was opened in presence of a large congregation. The improvements made of late in the church itself are very considerable, and its internal appearance is now, perhaps, as effective as it would be possible to make a building of its class. The new instrument adds considerably to its effectiveness; its handsome Grecian case of pitch pine and artistically-decorated front pipes blending well with the prevailing colours of the walls and illuminated reredos.
Dr. Marks, organist of St. Fin Barr's Cathedral, presided at the instrument at both morning and evening services, displaying in a masterly manner the many and varied qualities of its tones. In the use of the 'viol d'amour' and 'voix celestes' the distant and charming delicacy of tone, contrasted with the fluty 'Lieblich gedacht' and 'Lieblich flute,' was very pretty, the 'gamba,' 'oboe,' and 'harmonic flutes' forming a charming variety to the full, rich, round tone of the diapasons and the bourdon of the pedal organ-the latter in depth and quality surpassing many 16 ft. open diapasons. The builders of this organ have proved themselves most capable artists, in design, decoration of the case, voicing of the pipes, and workmanship of the complicated mechanism. We understand the entire instrument was constructed at their factory in St. Stephen's-green, and we congratulate the rector and his congregation in having procured so satisfactory an instrument of Irish manufacture, and trust our clergy and vestries will only take the trouble to inquire into the capabilities of native work before sending their orders out of this country. (Irish Builder, 374)

1882: Circa 1882 - the church population is about 105. Various improvements were made to the interior of the church during Madden's incumbency including a new organ at the cost of £500. (Cole, 136)

1884: Church population 160. Services-Sunday at 11 30a.m. and 7 p.m.; Thursday, 11 30 a.m. Holy Communion each Sunday. (Guy, 1884)

1891: Services-Sunday at 11:30a.m. and 7 p. m. ; Thursday, 11:30 a.m. Holy Communion each Sunday, and on Festivals. (Guy, 1891)

1903: Divine Service is held on Sundays at 11.30 and 7. Wednesday morning at 11.30. Holy Communion, every Sunday, and on festivals. The parish is under diocesan scheme. There is a capital fund which yields £18-8s. The assessment is £134, and the stipend of the Rector, £250. The present incumbent holds a 'good service' pension. There is a branch of the C.M.S. in the parish. There is no glebe or Glebe house. (Guy, 1903, 136)

1907: Services-Sunday at 11:30 a.m. and 7p.m. Holy Communion each Sunday, and at 8 a.m. last Sunday of month. Sunday School, 10.30 a.m. (Guy, 1907)

1913: Services-Sunday at 11.30 a.m., 7p.m., and 9.30 a.m. from June to October. Holy Communion each Sunday, and at 8 a.m. last Sunday of month. Sunday School, 10.30 a.m. (Guy, 1913)


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