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151
[1900
I have served 47 intimation notices, and have personally supervised the abatement of
144 nuisances.
Laundries.—The conditions of work in laundries are still far from satisfactory. The heat of the
ironing rooms is one of the greatest troubles. On some hot days in July, I found that the average
temperature of the ironing rooms which I inspected was 90°.
It is difficult to see how this is to be avoided as long as it is permissible to have the iron heating
stoves in the rooms where the women work. The temperature of these rooms is usually high in the
winter months also, as the clothes are frequently dried overhead, while the women are at work.
In Summer, however, the pressure of work is greater, and the long hours per day which the law
allows, i.e., fourteen in the twenty-four, are more likely to be worked. As regards washhouse
ventilation, the difficulty, especially in damp weather, is to get rid of the steam from the coppers.
More than half of the workrooms, which I found in a dirty condition during the year, were in
laundries where frequent whitewashing is necessary if the rooms are to be kept in a cleanly state.
The conversion of hand laundries into steam or factory laundries continues, and in the course
of the year many small businesses have been bought up by the owners of large steam laundries.
Outworkers.—I have made 188 calls at the homes of women whose names and addresses were
found on the list of outworkers of employers in Islington and other districts. I found that in 42 cases
the outworkers were not known at the addresses given, or had given up work. In the remaining 146
cases I inspected the rooms in which the work was done, and found that in eight cases the rooms
were used exclusively as workrooms ; in 85 cases the work was done in kitchens or sittingrooms (in
10 of which there were beds); in 17 cases bedrooms were used as workrooms, and in 36 cases the
work was done in living rooms, which thus combined' the uses of kitchen, sitting room, bedroom
and workroom. The outworkers were engaged in making articles of wearing apparel, such as
mantles, blouses, ties, underclothing, children's dresses and shoes, &c. I have forwarded to the
Medical Officers of Health of the districts in which they reside, the names and addresses of 168 outworkers,
who work for Islington tradesmen.
Complaints referred to H.M. Inspectors of Factories.—I have forwarded to H.M. Principal Lady
Inspector of Factories various complaints, which have been made to me, regarding infringements
of the requirements of the Factory Act in respect to hours of work, meal-times, &c., and also
regarding inianitary conditions prevailing in workshops in other districts.
I am. Sir, your obedient servant,
JESSY M. S. GRAY,
Inspector of Workshops.