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102
The Strand Division.—The area of the Strand Union consists of
St. Martin's, St. Clement Danes, St. Mary-le-Strand, and St. Paul's
Parishes, the Liberty of the Rolls and the Precinct of the Savoy.
Since the amalgamation of these parishes in the City they have been
redivided into wards, one of which—Covent Garden—was partly in the
old Strand District and partly in St. Martin's. There was, moreover,
an interchange of property with St. Giles, which varied the area of the
Strand and Covent Garden Wards. In order to maintain the continuity
of the statistics, I have recast the figures for the two old divisions of
the Strand Union, viz., St. Martin's and the other parishes.
St. Martin-in-the-Fields shows an improving rate, but the Strand
Parishes do not do so; the tendency is rather towards higher rates. This
is due to the extensive clearances which have taken place, whereby many
persons went into the workhouse, and those who are left are, in large
proportion, inmates of common lodging-houses, and others of a migratory
type. The common lodging-houses in this Union had accommodation
for 647 persons, 170 of that number being in St. Martin's, the rest in
the Strand. There were 9 deaths in the former, 30 in the latter. Of
the 99 deaths from phthisis in the Strand District, only 8 occurred in
houses which are not included in the Clare Market or Holborn to
Strand Scheme. In the future, therefore, the tubercular rate in the
Strand Parishes will decrease considerably.
Charing Cross Ward has a low rate and does not call for remarks.
Covent Garden Ward (comprising areas 1 to 6, part of 7, and
St. Paul's No. 10) has a higher but improving rate. This improvement
is due to the removal of insanitary houses, and the erection of other
more suitable ones. The ward contains two common lodging-houses,
170 beds, with 9 deaths in the three years.
The Strand Ward.—Although much of the population has disappeared
from this ward, the number of tubercular deaths is the same
in each of the last three years, the explanation being that it is largely
the class who recruit the tuberculous ranks who have been left behind.
Thus from the common lodging-houses, 8, 11, and 9 deaths occurred in
1901, 1902, and 1903 respectively. With few exceptions the deaths
from tuberculosis occurred in connection with houses which were
included in the Clare Market insanitary area or in the streets adjoining
the houses which have been during the last three years, or will shortly
be, pulled down. When I moved the County Council to deal with this
area in 1894, by a representation under the Housing of the Working
Classes Act, I was able to show that the phthisis and tubercular disease
rate was equal to 650 per 100,000 in the five preceding years. Subsequently,
in 1898 and 1899, I pointed out that persons who were being
displaced were finding accommodation in adjoining houses, which were