Belfast Charitable Society

Erected on land donated by Arthur Chichester, the first Marquess of Donegall on the northern edge of the town, it combined 36 person poorhouse and 24 bed infirmary.

Although it was not an issue for the society, in 1786 members were divided by the attempt of two of the charity's "founding fathers", Waddell Cunningham and Thomas Greg,[1] to float a Belfast slave-trading company.

[7] The visit of the celebrated escaped slave and author, Olaudah Equiano in 1791 capped the success of the abolitionist opposition in the town, led by another of the Society's principal subscribers, Thomas McCabe.

The resulting association of the Charitable Society with political "subversion", emboldened the government to requisition Clifden House during the 1798 rebellion as a military barracks.

[12] The exponential growth in Victorian Belfast led to the foundation of other philanthropic bodies who also sought to address disadvantage and by 1882 the last child had left the Poor House.