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
Kensington 1920
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]
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30
WOMEN'S WORKSHOPS.
The number of workshops and factories at which female labour was employed at the end
of 1920 was 637, being 234 in North Kensington and 403 in South Kensington.
The number of persons employed varies with the period of the year, being, of course, greatest
during the " season"—it averages 8,000.
The businesses carried on at the registered premises are set out in the subjoined list:—
| Trade or Business. | Factories. | Workshops. | Total. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art Needlework | — | 2 | 2 |
| Blind maker | — | 2 | 2 |
| Blouse maker | — | 7 | 7 |
| Boot header | — | 1 | 1 |
| Boot closer | — | 2 | 2 |
| Button maker | — | 1 | 1 |
| Cabinet maker | 1 | — | 1 |
| Cardboard box maker | — | 2 | 2 |
| Chemists | — | 1 | 1 |
| Cinema film maker | 1 | — | 1 |
| Colour printer | 1 | — | 1 |
| Corset maker | 1 | 7 | 8 |
| Dressmaker and ladies' tailor | 3 | 271 | 274 |
| Dyer and Cleaner | 4 | — | 4 |
| Eyelet-bole finisher | 1 | — | 1 |
| Florist | — | 14 | 14 |
| Furrier | 1 | 12 | 13 |
| Glove maker | 1 | — | 1 |
| Hosier | — | 1 | 1 |
| Invisible mending | — | 1 | 1 |
| Jeweller | 2 | — | 2 |
| Knitting | 1 | — | 1 |
| Lace worker | — | 4 | 4 |
| Lacquer worker | — | 1 | 1 |
| Lampshade maker | — | 1 | 1 |
| Laundry | 41 | 63 | 104 |
| Machinist | — | 1 | 1 |
| Mantle maker | — | 5 | 5 |
| Milliner | — | 42 | 42 |
| Motor car repairer | — | 1 | 1 |
| Outfitter | 2 | 17 | 19 |
| Photographer | — | 13 | 13 |
| Pictorial advertisements | — | 1 | 1 |
| Pipe maker | 1 | — | 1 |
| Printer | 1 | — | 1 |
| Shirt maker | — | 1 | 1 |
| Tailor | 1 | 60 | 61 |
| Typist | — | 1 | 1 |
| Toy maker | — | 3 | 3 |
| Umbrella maker | — | 2 | 2 |
| Upholsterer | — | 14 | 14 |
| Weaving | — | 2 | 2 |
| Wire brush maker | — | 1 | 1 |
| Wig maker | — | 17 | 17 |
| Total | 63 | 574 | 637 |
Routine inspections of the workshops shown on the above list were carried out during the
year, and complaints from His Majesty's Inspectors or anonymous sources received immediate
attention.
Ventilation.—Additional means of ventilation were provided in six of the workrooms visited.
Whilst a very marked improvement in the ventilation of workshops has taken place, it is still
necessarv to serve notices in cases where premises become newly occupied as workshops.
Overcrowding.—Employers are provided by the Council with cards showing the maximum
number of workers allowed in each workroom and cases where the number is deliberately
exceeded are now of rare occurrence.
Cleanliness.—Thirty-four workrooms were cleansed and whitewashed after notice and twentysix
other sanitary defects were dealt with.
Sanitary Conveniences.—During the year defects in twenty-four sanitary conveniences in
factories or workshops were found and remedied.