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
Hornsey 1950
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hornsey, Borough of]
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In order to show the number of rooms occupied by the 856 families
and the average number of occupants per room, the population figures
have been converted into units of population—two children counting as
one adult. Thus there are 2,411 adult units occupying 484 houses, flats
and business premises. Only 25 per cent of the houses are occupied by
one family.
The census revealed that 69 per cent of the 484 dwellings were sublet
the remainder consisting of business premises, self-contained flats or
houses too small for sub-letting.
The following table shows the number and percentage of the population occupying one to seven rooms, and the average number of persons per room.
| Number and percentage of population occupying 484 dwellings. | No. of rooms occupied | Average numbers of persons per room |
|---|---|---|
| 92 (3.8%) | One | 1.8 per room |
| 416 (17.3%) | Two | 1.04 „ „ |
| 681 (28.3%) | Three | .84 „ „ |
| 446½ (18.5%) | Four | .81 „ ” |
| 427 (17.7%) | Five | .76 „ „ |
| 197½ (8.2%) | Six | .68 „ „ |
| 151 (6.2%) | Seven and Over | .63 ,, „ |
Of the 856 families 5.9% occupied one room, 23.5% two rooms,
31.8% three rooms, 16.0% four rooms, 13.2% five rooms, 5.6% six
rooms, and 4.0% seven and more rooms. Congestion therefore was in the
one, two and three room accommodation, due not to the size of the
families but to the degree to which rooms were sublet by the principal
occupiers who reserve the larger proportion of accommodation for their
own families.
Useful information was obtained for long term planning of the area
and emphasised the trend towards smaller families and the increase in the
age of the population. Twenty-eight families or 3.3% were overcrowded
under the present standard of the Housing Act 1936 but 12.6% were
overcrowded by the Council's standard. Rent paid varies from four
shillings per week to one of two pounds ten shillings per week, the average
rent being about sixteen shillings and fivepence.
There were few verminous houses discovered during the census and
with the co-operation of the tenant and modern methods of disinfestation
such cases were effectively dealt with.
Many families are living under conditions of stress without the provision
of essential conveniences and reasonable amenities, some in a dark damp
environment. The majority despite great difficulties maintain a high standard
of cleanliness and make the best of their accommodation and the
following table shows how difficult this is especially so far as the housewife
is concerned. The table shows the absence of suitable food accommodation,
absence of bathrooms, the lack of suitable cooking and washing
facilities and the communal use of water-closets.
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