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Medical History of the Belfast Poorhouse (House & Cemetery Tour)
April 5, 2024 @ 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Medical History of the Belfast Poorhouse (House & Cemetery Tour)
From the 1774 opening of the Poorhouse in Belfast, Belfast Charitable Society’s philanthropic aims helped foster an environment of pioneering medical work and cemented themselves as an essential part of Belfast’s history.
Through a guided tour of Clifton House and Clifton Street Cemetery, learn how the Society took part in innovative inoculation campaigns through the guidance United Irishman, William Drennan. Explore the findings of the recently unearthed mysterious medical chest belonging to James McCleery, surgeon to the Poorhouse during the Famine.
Discover how Belfast Charitable Society impacted Belfast as a whole through its far-reaching network of physicians and surgeons, laying the groundwork for what would become Belfast’s modern hospitals. How did Clifton House respond to the demands of the Cholera epidemics and Famine Fever? What role did Clifton Street Cemetery play in the bodysnatching of the 1800’s?
Set up by the philanthropic merchants of the town, the Belfast Charitable Society and its home in Clifton House, has survived rebellions and revolutions, while looking after the welfare of the people of the city. Today, 250 years later, the Belfast Charitable Society continues to address disadvantage and support those in greatest need, through the proceeds from our tours.
Planning your visit:
Booking in advance essential
Guided tours last approx. 1.5 – 2 hours
Please arrive 10 minutes before the start of your tour
Free car parking on site
Please advise in advance of any access requirements