Colonel Robertson's Fund
Encyclopedia
Colonel Robertson was the son of a clergyman of Donegal Town, County Donegal
, Ireland. Colonel Robertson's made a substantial contribution to education in Donegal, in that, his legacy to the Diocese of Raphoe
contributed to the transition between the outdoor Hedge school
and the indoor-based education provided by the National School system.
Colonel Robertson's will of 25 of December 1790, bequeathed a sum of money, out of the interest of which, £15 per annum was to be paid to each of the parishes in the diocese of Raphoe, in the 19th century, for the support of a school-master to instruct children of all religious denominations. This fund increased and enabled the trustees to grant £40 to each parish, for the erection of a school-house, provided an acre of land on a perpetually renewable lease be obtained for a site.
"There is in the Diocese of Raphoe a very munificent Endowment for the education of the Children of the lower orders of the people, established under the last Will and Testament of the late Colonel Robertson, who in the year 1790, by his last Will and Testament dated 25 September in that year, did among other Bequests therein mentioned make the following:-
"I give and devise to the Parishes of the Diocese of Raphoe a sum of money, which by its interest at the rate of five per cent shall be found sufficient to produce fifteen pounds sterling annually to each Parish, for or towards establishing a School therein, and purchasing books, as well of entertainment as of instruction, in every Parish of said Diocese; and it is to be understood, that such as in said Parishes may not be of the Established Religion, are notwithstanding to share equally in this Legacy, which it is to be hoped will contribute to their conformation with the English church, by enlightening their understandings; and I do appoint the Lord Primate of Ireland, the lord Archbishop of Dublin, the Lord Bishop, Dean, Archdeacon and Rectors of said Diocese for the time being, to be Trustees herein for said Parishes, with a power to form such regulations in the founding and conducting of said Schools aforesaid as may seem best to them; and to dispose of, in the purchase of Lands of Inheritance in fee simple, or to put to interest on good security in Ireland, the aforesaid sum of money."
, was pleased to pronounce the following Decree respecting said Charitable Bequest.
DECREE: It is ordered, adjudged and decreed by the Right honourable the Lord Chancellor of Ireland, that the Bequests in the Testator's Will to the Parishes of the Diocese of Raphoe, of a sum of money, which by its Interest, at the rate of five pounds per cent, shall be found sufficient to produce 15 pounds sterling annually to each Parish, ought to be considered as a Bequest of 300 pounds sterling for the benefit of each Parish; and it appearing that there are 31 Parishes in said Diocese, it is further ordered that the said Bequest ought to be Deemed and is hereby decreed as a Bequest of the sum of nine thousand three hundred pounds sterling, payable within one year after the death of the Testator."
From the 'The Thirteenth Report of the Commissioners for enquiring into the State of all Schools on Public or Charitable Foundations in Ireland', 18 March 1812
In 1858, the Commissioners of Education inspected the schools and found that the Fund had become a hindrance to the development of education. It was observed that "when the entire support of the master is thrown on the endowment by the rector of the parish, the bequest of Colonel Robertson becomes an evil rather than a benefit, as, by superseding all other support, it introduces a starveling, useless school. With some exceptions, the diocese of Raphoe would have been provided with parochial schools of a better class if the endowment had never been made."
Colonel Robertson's fund supported in the order of one hundred schools in Donegal in the 19th century.
Today, there are a number of schools that carry the name Robertson in Donegal. For example, Robertson National School, Ballintra
and Robertson National School, Lifford
.
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland. Colonel Robertson's made a substantial contribution to education in Donegal, in that, his legacy to the Diocese of Raphoe
Diocese of Raphoe
Diocese of Raphoe can refer to:*The Roman Catholic Diocese of Raphoe*The Church of Ireland Diocese of Derry and Raphoe...
contributed to the transition between the outdoor Hedge school
Hedge school
A hedge school is the name given to an educational practice in 18th and 19th century Ireland, so called due to its rural nature. It came about as local educated men began an oral tradition of teaching the community...
and the indoor-based education provided by the National School system.
History
By 1858, the Commissioners of Education and others were of the opinion that the legacy was hindering the development of education in the schools contributed to.Colonel Robertson's will of 25 of December 1790, bequeathed a sum of money, out of the interest of which, £15 per annum was to be paid to each of the parishes in the diocese of Raphoe, in the 19th century, for the support of a school-master to instruct children of all religious denominations. This fund increased and enabled the trustees to grant £40 to each parish, for the erection of a school-house, provided an acre of land on a perpetually renewable lease be obtained for a site.
"There is in the Diocese of Raphoe a very munificent Endowment for the education of the Children of the lower orders of the people, established under the last Will and Testament of the late Colonel Robertson, who in the year 1790, by his last Will and Testament dated 25 September in that year, did among other Bequests therein mentioned make the following:-
"I give and devise to the Parishes of the Diocese of Raphoe a sum of money, which by its interest at the rate of five per cent shall be found sufficient to produce fifteen pounds sterling annually to each Parish, for or towards establishing a School therein, and purchasing books, as well of entertainment as of instruction, in every Parish of said Diocese; and it is to be understood, that such as in said Parishes may not be of the Established Religion, are notwithstanding to share equally in this Legacy, which it is to be hoped will contribute to their conformation with the English church, by enlightening their understandings; and I do appoint the Lord Primate of Ireland, the lord Archbishop of Dublin, the Lord Bishop, Dean, Archdeacon and Rectors of said Diocese for the time being, to be Trustees herein for said Parishes, with a power to form such regulations in the founding and conducting of said Schools aforesaid as may seem best to them; and to dispose of, in the purchase of Lands of Inheritance in fee simple, or to put to interest on good security in Ireland, the aforesaid sum of money."
Decree of 1803
On Monday the 7th day of March, 1803, the Right honourable the Lord Chancellor of Ireland, Lord RedesdaleJohn Freeman-Mitford, 1st Baron Redesdale
John Freeman-Mitford, 1st Baron Redesdale PC, KC, FRS , known as Sir John Mitford between 1793 and 1802, was a British lawyer and politician. He was Speaker of the House of Commons between 1801 and 1802 and Lord Chancellor of Ireland between 1802 and 1806.-Background:Born in London, Mitford was the...
, was pleased to pronounce the following Decree respecting said Charitable Bequest.
DECREE: It is ordered, adjudged and decreed by the Right honourable the Lord Chancellor of Ireland, that the Bequests in the Testator's Will to the Parishes of the Diocese of Raphoe, of a sum of money, which by its Interest, at the rate of five pounds per cent, shall be found sufficient to produce 15 pounds sterling annually to each Parish, ought to be considered as a Bequest of 300 pounds sterling for the benefit of each Parish; and it appearing that there are 31 Parishes in said Diocese, it is further ordered that the said Bequest ought to be Deemed and is hereby decreed as a Bequest of the sum of nine thousand three hundred pounds sterling, payable within one year after the death of the Testator."
From the 'The Thirteenth Report of the Commissioners for enquiring into the State of all Schools on Public or Charitable Foundations in Ireland', 18 March 1812
In 1858, the Commissioners of Education inspected the schools and found that the Fund had become a hindrance to the development of education. It was observed that "when the entire support of the master is thrown on the endowment by the rector of the parish, the bequest of Colonel Robertson becomes an evil rather than a benefit, as, by superseding all other support, it introduces a starveling, useless school. With some exceptions, the diocese of Raphoe would have been provided with parochial schools of a better class if the endowment had never been made."
Colonel Robertson's fund supported in the order of one hundred schools in Donegal in the 19th century.
Today, there are a number of schools that carry the name Robertson in Donegal. For example, Robertson National School, Ballintra
Ballintra
Ballintra is a village in the parish of Drumholm in South Donegal, Ireland just off the N15 between Donegal town and Ballyshannon. The village is geographically situated in a limestone area and this natural resource is quarried locally for the building and civil engineering industries.Ballintra...
and Robertson National School, Lifford
Lifford
Lifford is the county town of County Donegal, Ireland. It is the administrative capital of the county and the seat of Donegal County Council, although the town of Letterkenny is often mistaken for fulfilling this role...
.