Dr Samuel Crumpe born in Rathkeale in 1766. He studied medicine in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Returning to Limerick in 1788, he worked in St. John’s Hospital which had only been founded in 1780 by Lady Lucy Pery Harstonge.

He married Susanna Ingram in 1792, they had a son (who did not live past infancy) and a daughter.

He was a made freeman of Limerick in 25 June 1792. Dr. Crumpe’s work on opium provided an experimental basis for classifying the drug as a stimulant rather than a narcotic. He died on the 27 January 1796 aged 29 of typhus which he contracted from a patient.

He is buried in St. Mary’s Cathedral Graveyard. Part of the inscription on his tomb reads

“Were his contemporaries to live forever monuments of his talents, it would be unnecessary to eternize his name. But as they also must descend into the grave, it is a just due to the memory of departed worth to inform posterity that beneath this stone is interred a man who to eminent talents, profound judgements and extensive knowledge, added integrity of the heart, benevolence of the disposition and suavity of manners. As a son, a husband, a parent, a friend, his conduct was such as to merit the tenderest love of those with whom he was connected, the warm approbation and esteem of all to whom he was known”

The following is an extract from Dr Samuel Crumpe’s diary of 1795 in which he kept track of the weather each day of that year, monitoring the barometer reading, wind direction, thermostat reading (from March onwards) and general remarks. The temperatures given are in Fahrenheit. 50 degrees Fahrenheit equals 10 degrees Celsius.

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JanFebMar – Apr – MayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec


The following are the entries from his weather diary of 1795 for April.

DateBarometerThermostatWindRemarks
01 Apr 179529.750SEDry
02 Apr 179529.548SEDo
03 Apr 179529.650SWShowery
04 Apr 179529.950EDry
05 Apr 179529.950SEDry
06 Apr 179530.148SEDry, Showery at night
07 Apr 17953050SEDry
08 Apr 179529.850SEDry
09 Apr 179529.848SEWet Afternoon
10 Apr 179529.848SEDry
11 Apr 17953050NEDry
12 Apr 17953058NWHazy, wet
13 Apr 17953055WDry
14 Apr 17953055WShowery
15 Apr 179529.650WShowery
16 Apr 179529.550WShowery
17 Apr 179529.551WHeavy Showers
18 Apr 179529.455WHeavy Showers
19 Apr 17952954NWShowery
20 Apr 179529.250NHail & Rain, High tides
21 Apr 179529.250NEHail & Rain, High tides
22 Apr 179529.250NWHail & Rain, High tides
23 Apr 179529.255WHail & Rain, High tides
24 Apr 179529.254WHeavy Rain
25 Apr 179529.253WHeavy Showers
26 Apr 179529.253SWWet
27 Apr 179529.45SWHeavy Rain
28 Apr 179529.248NWHeavy Showers
29 Apr 179529.248WHigh Sharp Winds
30 Apr 179529.248WHigh Sharp Winds

You can find the Weather Reports for other months in 1795 here.