View report page

25
Annual Report of the Medical Officer of Health—1894.
Official proceedings have been taken against the occupiers of 8, out of a total
of 23, cellar bakehouses in St. George's. Efficient ventilation and natural lighting of
these underground workshops seems to be out of the question owing to defects of
structure. Of the eight cases proceeded against, only three remain closed at the time
of making this report. In the absence of any official standard of requirements, by
which the local authority may be guided, I may state that, in my opinion, none of the
eight bakehouses alluded to are in a fit condition to be used for the making of bread.
Those who are interested in the subject of bakehouse construction will find the
matter entered into very fully in the Appendix.
Falcon Court and Neighbourhood.
Falcon Court and the adjacent courts and alleys constitute, as the Vestry is
aware, an insanitary area.
Their chief defects have been set forth in a special report which will be found
in the Appendix. Some of the houses in Brent's Court, in Adam's (now
Eve) Place, in Redcross Court, and in Maypole Alley have been closed by magistrate's
order, under part 2 of the Housing of the Working Classes Act. Of these houses 7
have been re-opened in Brent's Court, and 11 in Adam's Place, after certain
structural alterations had been carried out to the satisfaction of the Vestry.
With these exceptions the whole of the buildings in the Falcon Court neighbourhood,
as above defined, remain in much the same insanitary condition as they were
when reported upon by my predecessor.
This state of affairs cannot be regarded with complacency. Indeed, in my opinion,
there is need for urgent action in dealing with these crowded rookeries. The plan
which I suggested to the London County Council was, briefly, to demolish the whole
area and to convert it into a modern recreation ground, of which a portion would be
set aside for the use of children. So far nothing has been done in the matter by the
London County Council. It may perhaps be assumed that the Council was unwilling
to take any decisive step until the passing of the new London Building Act.
That excellent measure, however, was placed on the statute book towards the end
of 1894.
In my opinion, therefore, your Vestry will do well to urge upon the Council once
more the necessity of ridding not only St. George's but the metropolis as well of this
most unwholesome area.