Skip to main content Skip to search Skip to search results

Boston (Mass.). Board of Directors for Public Institutions

 Organization

Historical note

With the establishment of the House of Industry in 1823, the responsibilities of the Overseers of the Poor were limited to “out-door relief” or relief provided outside of public institutions. The Directors of the House of Industry were responsible for “in-door relief” or support in the public institution. Prior to 1857, the House of Industry and House of Reformation were under the charge of the Directors of the House of Industry. The House of Correction was under the charge of the Overseers of the House of Correction.

From 1857 to 1885, the public institutions were in charge of a Board of Directors, twelve in number; from 1885 to 1889, in charge of a Board, consisting of nine members; from 1889 to 1895, in charge of the Board of Commissioners of Public Institutions, three in number. By Chapter 449 of the Acts of 1895, the institutions were placed under the charge of one commissioner, known as the Institutions Commissioner.

Found in 6 Collections and/or Records:

Almshouse records

 Collection
Identifier: 8501.100
Scope and Contents note The records in this collection consist of three volumes documenting persons admitted to the almshouses on Deer and Rainsford Island from 1853-1914. There are two registers and one index. The registers cover the dates November 1853 through August 1914. The dates of the index are January 1893 through August 1914. The Registers record the name of every person who entered the Almshouse along with a register number, age, place of birth, date admitted, date discharged, whether the person was...
Dates: 1853-1914
Found in: City of Boston Archives / Almshouse records

House of Correction records

 Collection
Identifier: 8502.001
Scope and Contents note The records for the House of Correction range in date from 1848 through 1970, with the bulk of the dates covering 1878 through 1970. Both the House of Correction at South Boston and the Deer Island House of Correction are represented. The records consist entirely of large volumes including Registers, Indexes, Log Books, various Financial Records, as well as Pardons and Permits. The Registers, in addition to an inmate register, include records of inmate personal property, commitments...
Dates: 1848-1979; Majority of material found within Bulk, 1878-1960
Found in: City of Boston Archives / House of Correction records

House of Industry records

 Collection
Identifier: 8501.002
Scope and Contents note This collection contains the registers and indexes for the inmates who were sentenced to the House of Industry on Deer Island. The registers cover January 1858 through April 1897 with four gaps. The gaps appear at June 1865 – August 1869, April 1876 –November 1879, September 1881 – August 1882, and September 1894 – August 1895. There are both male and female indexes. The female indexes cover the dates November 1881 through June 1904. The male indexes span February 1879 through July 1896 with a...
Dates: 1858-1904
Found in: City of Boston Archives / House of Industry records

Institutions annual reports

 Series
Identifier: 8500.001
Scope and Contents Includes copies of annual reports of the Board of Directors of Public Institutions, 1857-1886 and 1888; Commissioner of Public Institutions, 1890-1891, 1893-1894, 1897, and 1928; Institutions Registration Department, 1901, 1913-1915; and one bound volume of City Documents relating to the Lunatic Hospital, Inspectors of Prisons, Directors of Public Institutions and Rules and Regulations, 1863-1869. Annual reports can also be found in the City Documents series.
Dates: 1857-1928 with gaps
Found in: City of Boston Archives / Institutions annual reports

Marcella-street Home records

 Collection
Identifier: 8503.001
Scope and Contents note The records for the Marcella-street Home consist of only one volume. This volume is a register of those children sentenced by the court who entered the Marcella-street Home from its opening in April 1877 through its closing in November 1898. The Marcella-street Home housed only boys from the time of its opening until 1881 when girls were transferred there from the Almshouse at Deer Island. Entries for girls begin to appear in the register in October 1881. The register recorded a...
Dates: 1877 April - 1898 November
Found in: City of Boston Archives / Marcella-street Home records

Payroll records

 Series
Identifier: 2200.018
Scope and Contents Miscellaneous records documenting payroll for various departments. Includes Fire Department, 1829-1868 with gaps; Schools, 1833-1870 with gaps; Police, 1869-1870; Water Works, 1869-1870; Chestnut Hill Reservoir, 1868-1869; Lamps, 1869-1870; Paving, 1869-1870; Health, 1868-1869, Auditing, 1875-1885; Welfare, 1920-1923; and Institutions, 1922-1923.
Dates: circa 1829-1923
Found in: City of Boston Archives / Payroll records

Staff Interface | ArchivesSpace.org | Hosted by LYRASIS