Charles Trevelyan and the Great Irish FamineCharles Trevelyan, assistant secretary to the Treasury during the Great Irish Famine, has received much of the blame for the British government's parsimonious response to the catastrophe. This study begins by exploring the demonization of Trevelyan since the 1960s. It asks why a senior civil servant has been condemned as the architect of a policy allegedly aimed at depopulating Ireland in order to restructure the Irish economy and acculturate Irish society to English norms. This book challenges the verdict of history by showing how Trevelyan's most severe critics have re-circulated half-truths and misinterpreted evidence to create a picture of an anti-Irish evangelical bent upon preventing food reaching those most in need of it. In tracing the efforts of Trevelyan and his subordinates to implement government policy and deliver relief in the field, the author presents a portrait of a complex, opinionated man working against the odds, to assist a country to which he was attached by ties of affection, sympathy, and ancestry. |
Contents
Charles Trevelyan and his critics I | 1 |
PART ONE THE CONTEXT | 39 |
November 1845July 1846 | 174 |
Copyright | |
6 other sections not shown
Common terms and phrases
administration advances advised argued asked assistance Association believed Bessborough Board British Burgoyne cabinet Chancellor civil Clarendon commissariat Commission committees communications continued corn correspondence crisis demand direct distress Dublin duty employed England estates Exchequer expected Famine Father fear funds further give given Goulburn Graham grants guardians hand Henry Goulburn Heytesbury hoped House ibid improvement instructions Ireland Irish John Jones July June labour land landlords letter loans London Lord John Russell Lord Lieutenant meal million Monteagle months needed officers operations opinion parliament Peel placed political Poor Law potato present proprietors published received relief remained reports response Routh Russell Secretary sent Sept suggested supply thought tion told Treasury Trevelyan Twisleton unions Whig Wood