The History and Associations of the Belfast Charitable Society

THE Belfast Charitable Society is Belfast's oldest charitable foundation, and Clifton House is the oldest public building in the city still substantially in its original state. Its history is interesting, because it is in essence the history of the evolution of Belfast over the last two centuries. The original initention of the founders wvas to build a poorhouse and hospital. Once this was accomplished, they had to undertake miany additional tasks which would otherwise have remained undone, for local government as it is understoo(d to-dav was largely ineffective. :31 .0-