View report page

1900] 26
It is also a fact that at the beginning of this decade the dusting of the Parish was
a serious question, and that the state of things was very unsatisfactory. The
Parish was passing through a transition stage with regard to it, for whereas contractors
used to pay for the privilege of being allowed to collect the dust, which at
that time and previously was a saleable commodity of considerable value, they
were then demanding large payments for removing it. For example, in the year
ending June, 1866, the Vestry received £1,288, in 1867 £2,200, in 1868 £140, and
in 1869 £200 for the privilege. Then a complete change was effected, for instead
of contractors paying they were paid. In the year ending June, 1870, the Vestry
paid £1,795, in 1871 £2,937, and in 1872 £4,057, and for nine months ending March,
1873, £3,204 for dust removal. The change was without any doubt a change for
the better; but what a contrast* with the method of dust removal of the present
day, which is regular, thorough and satisfactory. But this matter will be dealt
with in another portion of this report.
A "constant" water supply, too, was commenced in this period to be supplied,
although it was only completed within the last two years; and the scheduling of
slum properties (High Street Scheme and Essex Road Scheme) under the provisions
of "The Artizans' and Labourers' Dwellings Act, 1875" (Cross' Act), was
begun by the Metropolitan Board of Works on the representation of the late
Medical Officer of Health, but the clearances were not effected until 1882 or 1883.
The condition of the slaughter houses was also greatly improved through
being governed by new regulations framed by the late Metropolitan Board of
Works, under the provisions of the "Slaughter Houses Act, 1874."
At the beginning of this decade 492 houses were in course of erection, while
2,414 stood empty, so that plenty of houses were available, although not altogether
that description of property which the owners would desire to be occupied by the
artizan class, or even the lower middle class, but properties of a superior character,
much of which had been occupied by wealthy people, large numbers of whom could
afford to keep their carriages. Many of these houses were afterwards, and are
now, let out in tenements, as the owners could not for ever afford to keep them
empty.
Nevertheless, at this period (1871) the average number of persons in occupation
of each house was 7.9, which was slightly above the number, 7.5, which
occupied them in 1861, and was an increase of 0.4 persons per house; and this,
too, notwithstanding the fact that the number of inhabited houses in Islington had
increased in ten years by 6,375. In same time the population had increased
by 58,408 persons, which, if distributed among the newly-built houses, would
have given nearly 9.2 occupants to each house. This, of course, did not actually
occur, but as the decade advanced they gradually occupied many of the uninhabited
houses, and so kept down the greater crowding which undoubtedly would have
arisen.
* In year ending March 25, 1876, 36,867 complaints were received, or at the rate of 1361 per
100 houses.— Vide M.O.H.'s Report, 1875-6.