London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Battersea 1909
Report on the health of the Metropolitan Borough of Battersea for the year 1909
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85
The names and addresses of 196 outworkers which were sent
in by employers were found to refer to other districts, and were
accordingly forwarded to the Medical Officers of Health of these
districts.
The premises occupied by outworkers are registered and regularly inspected, and any insanitary conditions found remedied. The premises generally were in fair condition, and comparatively few notices were required. The following table shows the number of such places which have been registered, together with the trades and the number of persons employed:—
| Trade. | Number on Register. | Persons Employed. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premises | Rooms. | Males. | Females. | |
| Art Needlework | 3 | 3 | - | 3 |
| Blousemakers | 10 | 10 | - | 12 |
| Bootmakers | 34 | 34 | 39 | 1 |
| Dressmakers | 2 | 2 | _ | 2 |
| Embroiderers | 39 | 39 | — | 39 |
| Glovemakers | 54 | 54 | 1 | 58 |
| Hosiers | 1 | 1 | — | 1 |
| Milliners | 4 | 4 | — | 5 |
| Tailors | 75 | 75 | 42 | 49 |
| Underclothing Makers | 25 | 26 | — | 32 |
| Other Trades | 24 | 24 | 1 | 27 |
| 271 | 272 | 83 | 229 | |
The systematic inspection of outworkers' premises is carried
out by the workshop Inspectors (Inspectors Benjamin and Miss
Fairbairn). The former deals with male outworkers and the latter
with female. In addition, the lists kept of outworkers employed
by Battersea firms are regularly inspected and care taken that
these lists are properly kept, in accordance with section 107 of
the Factory and Workshop Act.
The lists are sent in twice yearly, February and August, but
difficulty is experienced in getting some employers to comply with
their statutory obligation in this respect, and in a few cases it is
only on the threat of proceedings that the lists are sent in.
During the year 809 inspections were made and 64 notices
were served in connection with homework inspection, the results
of which are summarised as follows:—