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area abutting on St. John Street, and comprising houses in
Jerusalem Court, Bishop's Court, Aylesbury Place, St. John Street,
Albemarle Street, Aylesbury Street and Jerusalem Passage. The
representation was considered by the London County Council
who forwarded a reply to the effect that the area was not of such
a character as to be of general importance to the County of London,
and should therefore be dealt with by a scheme under Part II, of
the Act. After negotiations and further consideration the Council
decided on March 28th, 1899, that the area should be dealt with
under Part I. and instructed the Housing Committee to prepare a
scheme for dealing with the insanitary courts and alleys. The
represented area is very largely composed of business premises,
which occupy almost all the frontages, the houses inhabited by the
working classes lying for the most part in the rear. As the
Council, on July 25th, 1899, resolved to widen St John Street
between Aylesbury Street and Albemarle Street in connection
with the construction of a double line of tramways, the Housing
Committee confined themselves in preparing a scheme to the insanitary
portions of the represented area.
This scheme was sealed on November 2nd, 1899. After the
publication of the necessary advertisements and the service of the
notices required by the Act a petition praying for the confirmation
of the scheme was forwarded to the Secretary of State for Home
Affairs in January, 1900. A Commissioner (Mr. H. T. Steward) was
appointed and the Local inquiry as to the accuracy of the representation
and the sufficiency of the scheme was held at the
Holborn Town Hall on March 15th, 1900.
Owing to the death of the late Dr. Glaister, the Chairman of the
Public Health Committee (Mr. Evan Jones, M.R.C.S., D.P.H , etc.)
was on February 22nd authorised by the Vestry to act as their
Medical Officer for the purposes of this scheme and give the
necessary evidence at the Inquiry.
At the Inquiry, which was duly held on March 15th, it was
shown by Dr. Evan Jones that the total area included in the
scheme is 4,915 square yards of which 3,817 square yards are
covered by buildings the remaining 1,098 being the footways in the
courts. The total number of houses included in the scheme is 73