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 1930
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Holborn Borough]
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The following table gives details of the accommodation available in the common1 lodging houses in the Borough : —
| Ward. | No. of Lodgers for which licensed. | Total. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Males. | Females. | ||||
| Central St Giles | 7 & 11, Short's Gardens | William George Parker ... | 234 | — | 234 |
| Lincoln's Inn | Parker House, Parker Street | Frank Hunt (L.C.C.) | 349 | — | 349 |
| Lincoln's Inn | 1-7, Macklin Street | Leslie Campbell Ruttledge | | 79 | — | 79 |
| Lincoln's Inn | 2-8, Kennedy Court | John Samuel Walters | - | 78 | 78 |
| St. George-the-Martyr | 40, Eagle Street | Joseph Benton | 50 | — | 50 |
| St George the-Martyr | 35, Devonshire Street... | Ada Elizabeth Chesterton | 45 | 45 | |
Betterton House Housing Scheme.
The Betterton House Housing Scheme was completed during the year, the
second group of 15 flats (making 30 in all) being available for occupation in April,
1930. A very large number of applications for these flats was received, many
being from the head of families where hours of work necessitate residence in the
immediate locality or whose weekly income is too small to meet travelling expenses
incurred by residence in an outlying district.
Boswell Court Site.
The Housing of the Working Classes Committee again devoted much time
to the consideration of proposals for a housing scheme on land in Boswell Court.
Although for some years there has been no buildings on this land many difficulties,
including the very high value of land in Central London, have hindered its use for
housing purposes. Strenuous efforts were made by the Committee to overcome
all difficulty and provisional plans prepared by the Borough Engineer for the
construction of about 70 tenements were approved by the Council. Some modification
of the plans was subsequently made to bring the proposed dwellings into
conformity with the requirements of the Ministry of Health for houses to rank for
grant under the Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1924. At the date of the
preparation of this report provisional approval has been received from the Minister
of Health for the scheme to rank for contribution under the Housing (Financial
Provisions) Act, 1924, and the London County Council has sanctioned the necessary
loan.
Accommodation on L.C.C. Housing Estates.
In the year 1924 arrangements were made by the London County Council for
a certain number of houses on several of that Council's housing estates to bo
available for applicants nominated and recommended by the Metropolitan Borough
Councils. The arrangement was primarily to secure reduction in overcrowding,
that is, to provide housing accommodation for families residing more than 2 per
room. It was however, recognised that other cases of hardship existed and the
C