The Poor House was always intended to be as self sufficient as possible. They had their own tailor and carpenter as well as operating a farm which utilised the fields granted to them in 1774. As part of the farm they had their own piggery. Piglets were purchased, fattened and slaughtered for market. The profit went back into the running of the Poor House.
However, on 8th April 1819, when completely his rounds the Orderly discovered a shocking incidence which had occurred the previous evening. Person(s) unknown had scaled the walls of the Poor House piggery after dark. The two pigs which the Poor House owned had both been killed. One had been stolen and the second remained in its pen. The Orderly applied to the Police to investigate but in the meantime the pragmatic board of the Belfast Charitable Society brought the body that was left behind to the market to sell. However, the officials who operated the market refused to let it be sold given the circumstances and declared the meat ‘unmerchantable’.
