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
St Pancras 1959
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Pancras, Metropolitan Borough]
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Table VI
In order to abate the overcrowding and to rehouse the families concerned on the basis of a sitting room for the family and a bedroom for each two individuals, separating sexes unless the couples are married or under ten years of age, the following accommodation would be required:-
| Ward No. | Totals | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | ||
| One bedroom unit | - | 5 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 42 |
| Two ,, ,, | 64 | 68 | 65 | 39 | 53 | 16 | 9 | 11 | 325 |
| Three ,, ,, | 78 | 63 | 79 | 43 | 43 | 20 | 12 | 31 | 369 |
| Pour ,, ,, | 14 | 11 | 10 | 12 | a | 9 | - | 4 | 68 |
| Five ,, ,, | 2 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | 2 | 18 |
| Six ,, ,, | - | - | 4 | - | - | 2 | - | 1 | 7 |
| Eight ,, ,, | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Totals | 158 | 149 | 179 | 99 | 115 | 48 | 30 | 57 | 830 6 |
Note 6 Nine units have been added to house married couples living with their
parents. One has been added to house a married woman (separated from her
husband) and her two children living with her parents
Table VII
Further reduction in number of cases of overcrowding
As previously mentioned. Wards 2, 3 and 5 were the first wards dealt with
They were surveyed during the first six months of 1958 The re visiting of the
cases of overcrowding in these wards revealed that of the 524 cases of overcrowding
discovered, 95 had been abated within about two months of the date of the survey
Before the preparation of this final and composite report, it was considered it would be of interest to ascertain whether any additional cases of overcrowding had been abated in these three wards Accordingly. all the remaining cases, namely, 429, were re visited during September and October 1959, i.e just over fifteen months from the date of the actual survey It was found that a further 172 cases of overcrowding had been remedied in the following manner-
| Ward 2 | Ward 3 | Ward 5 | Totals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number housed either by the London County Council or the Borough Council | 13 | 12 | 9 | 34 |
| Number who had moved elsewhere | 40 | 31 | 28 | 99 |
| ,, ,, ,, secured extra rooms | 12 | 5 | 3 | 20 |
| Number where one or more members of the family have gone to live elsewhere | 5 | 7 | 4 | 16 |
| Number who had emigrated | - | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Totals | 70 | 57 | 45 | 172 |
The information secured at the revisiting of the cases of overcrowding is
illuminating. It indicates there is a considerable movement of the population,
that many overcrowded families do not "sit tight", but, independently of the
local authority solve their own housing problems, and that the housing efforts
of the Borough Council and the London County Council have had a marked effect
in keeping overcrowding down to a low level.
59