Framed letter of Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC, Imperial Hotel, Dublin, to Richard Dowden referring to the harsh sentence handed down to a sailor at a court martial in Cove (Cobh) Harbour. Fr. Mathew wrote ‘Strict discipline it is true, must be enforced in Her Majesty’s Fleet, but from the Report of the Trial, it is evident that the miserable culprit, was a habitual drunkard, and consequently a lunatic, and should be treated as such …’.
Framed letter of Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC, Cork, to Ms [recipient not given] referring to the shortage of food in the city. The letter reads ‘It would afford me pleasure to forward a supply of food but I deeply regret to say that my stock of Indian meal is exhausted. I soon disposed of the three hundred barrels I had for the relief of the destitute. Almost the entire support of the poor strangers who crowd our city is thrown upon me. Eighteen hundred weight of Indian meal is daily cooked in my boilers. Next week, I must have double the quantity as the other public kitchens will be closed’.
Letter of Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC to Mr. Martin referring to the latter’s emigration to the United States. The letter reads ‘Gratification at the prospect of you securing an honourable independence for yourself and your dear young family in the great and glorious Republic. Your education, talents, application to business and virtuous religious habits would ensure prosperity to you everywhere, except in our own impoverished, afflicted country. Here all classes are on the very verge of ruin, and in adopting the resolution of emigrating you are acting prudently’.
Framed letter of Lord John Russell (1792-1878), Chatham Place, London, to Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC, re the grant of an annual pension of £300 from the Civil List as a mark of approbation for his work in combatting intemperance in Ireland.
Framed manuscript quoting a passage from Romans Ch. 14, verse 21 which reads ‘It is good not to eat flesh, and not to drink wine nor anything whereby thy brother is offended or scandalized, or made weak’. The passage is signed by Fr. Theobald Mathew and is dated at Cork, 5 Feb. 1845.
Framed National Total Abstinence Society pledge card of Mathew Gorman dated 3 Oct. 1830. The pledge reads ‘I voluntarily agree to abstain from all intoxicating drinks (except by medical direction) and will not give or offer, and to discountenance the cause and practice of intemperance’. A small seal is attached to the card.
An original framed total abstinence pledge card of Mary Farrell dated 18 Nov. 1840. The pledge card is signed by Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC. The certificate has been colour tinted by hand.
An original total abstinence pledge card of Jonathon Murphy dated 4 Nov. 1839. The card is signed by Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC. Manuscript annotations on the card indicate that the pledge was renewed on 31 Aug. 1860 and 17 Mar. 1864.
