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
Holborn 1911
Report for the year 1911 of the Medical Officer of Health
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Housing, Town Planning, &c., Act, 1909—continued.
| Houses Inspected. | Represented by Medical Officer of Health. | Defects Remedied without Closing Orders. | Closed Voluntarily. | General Character of Defects. | Remarks. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emerald Street, Nos. 4, 14, 16, 18, 22, 24, 30, 36, and 38 | Nos. 4, 14, 16, 18, 22, and 24 | No. 4 | Nos. 14, 16, 18, 22, and 24 | Insufficient light and ventilation of rooms, staircase and W.C.'s. Defective roofs and dampness and dilapidations | No. 30 dealt with under Sec. 15. Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 1909, and now closed. Nos. 36 and 38 under Public Health (London) Act, 1891 |
| Woburn Mews, Nos. 1 to 14 | Nos. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, and 13 | Nos. 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12 and 13 | No. 2 | ditto | Others dealt with under Public Health (London) Act, 1891. |
| Bishop's Head Court, Nos. 1 to 11 | — | — | Nos. 1 to 11 | ditto | — |
| Nottingham Court, Nos. 1, 2, 3, 13, 14, 15, and 16 | — | — | — | ditto | Consideration adjourned. For sale for rebuilding. |
| Neal Street, Nos. 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, and 46 | — | — | — | ditto | ditto. |
| Short's Gardens, Nos. 30, 32, 34, 36, and 38 | — | — | — | ditto | ditto. |
| 5, Hand Court | — | — | — | Dilapidations | Dealt with under Public Health (London), Act, 1891. |
| Total Nos., 129* | 31 | 23 | 28 | — | One Closing Order. Defects remedied and Closing Order determined. |
* A number of other inspections made toward the end of the year and dealt with in 1912 will be included in Report for
that year.
It will be seen from the above that a Closing Order last year was made only
for No. 17, Short's Gardens, the first house represented under the above Act. A
large amount of work which included the demolition of the four upper stories of
the back addition was carried out and the Closing Order was afterwards determined.
In all the other cases the owners either closed the houses voluntarily, or agreed to
carry out the works required to render the premises fit for human habitation, and
the Committee therefore decided in those cases not to recommend the Council to
make any formal Closing Order.
I made an inspection of a large number of houses in the Borough, and made
lists of dwelling-houses, including the above 129, the early inspection of which
was in my opinion desirable, and keep adding to these lists from time to time.
Underground Rooms habitually used as Sleeping Places.
In accordance with the Sub-Section 7 of the same Section (17) of the Act,
"A room habitually used as a sleeping place, the surface of the floor of which
"is more than three feet below the surface of the part of the street adjoining