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None of these houses have been constructed for the purpose of a common lodging-houses, but all
are ordinary dwelling houses, certain alterations having been made in a few. The registered houses
generally in this district are old. The first, which was originally two cottages, is an especially old
house, said to be the oldest in Woolwich. The second was originally a public-house. The third
consists of two adjoining houses, with a back yard common to both. The fourth and fifth each consist
of a single house with a cottage in the back yard. The sixth is a single house which shares the backyard
of the two next houses, the latter being used as a common lodging-house for men. In all other
respects the premises are separate. The seventh consists of two houses having a back yard common to
both. The eighth consists of two houses, but having one entrance and a common back yard. The ninth
has two numbers in the street, but is practically one house, and a part extends over a third house which
is a public-house. The tenth consists of two houses having a common back yard. The eleventh
consists of two houses having but one entrance and a common back j'ard.
The female inmates were said to include hawkers, laundresses, and the men in the doubles were
said to be hawkers, or to work in the docks, or be employed as tailors or shoemakers. The houses
generally, though not always, are fullest in winter, the lodgers finding occupation in the country in
summer. Children when accompanied by parents are not infrequently received, but it did not appear
there was much demand for accommodation by people having children. In one house a single bed in
the same room with two doubles was specially recognised as intended for children. One keeper, who
let seven furnished rooms at a charge of 4s. 6d. and 5s. per week, told me they were always occupied.
Another, who let furnished rooms at 4s. per week, told me that people with children rarely applied for
them.
In the first house all the rooms are occupied by single men, except one, which contains two
doubles and an odd bed for children. In the second the doubles are on the first floor and the single men
are on both the ground and first floors. In the third, consisting of two houses, one house has single
women only, and the other contains doubles and single men and single women. In the fourth the
back rooms of the front house are used for single women, and the front rooms for single men or
doubles, the cottage in the rear being used for single men and doubles. In the fifth, the front house
is used for single women and doubles, and the cottage in the rear for single men. In the sixth, the
first and second floors are occupied by doubles, and the attic by single women. In the seventh there
are single men and doubles in each of the two houses. In the eighth, one of the two houses is occupied
by single men, the other by doubles. In the ninth there is no special arrangement of the rooms used
by single men and single women. In the tenth, one house is used by doubles and the other by single
men. In the eleventh, one house is occupied by doubles and the other by doubles, single women
and single men.
The bedsteads are in almost all cases iron, with the usual shaving mattresses and flock beds.
Kitchens.—In the first and second houses there is a kitchen on the ground floor, used in common by
both sexes. In the third house there are two kitchens on the ground floor but not used separately by the
two sexes. In the fourth house there is one kitchen below the street level, but on the level of the
back-yard, used in common by both sexes. In the fifth there is one kitchen in the front basement.
In the sixth, the kitchen is below the level of the street in front but in a level with the back
yard, and is used in common by both sexes. In the seventh there are two kitchens similar to the
preceding, and each used by doubles and single men. In the eighth there are two kitchens on the
ground floor, one used by doubles, the other by single men. A notice is exhibited in the single men's
kitchen to the effect that no women are allowed in it. In the ninth there is one kitchen on the
ground floor used by doubles and single women. In the tenth there are two kitchens on the ground
floor, the one for doubles, the other for single men ; the usual entrance to the house occupied by
married couples is through the single men's kitchen. In the eleventh the kitchen is a separate building
in the back yard, and is used by the doubles, single men and single women.
Water-closets.—In each house the water-closets are situated in the back yard. In the eighth
house, which has a double back yard, one water-closet for single men is situated in one yard and two for
married couples in another. In the tenth house one of the two water-closets is intended for use by
men. In the other houses there appeared to be no special use of the water-closets.
Washliouses.—In the first house there is a small back room with a sink, but the inmates
usually wash in the back yard. The second house has a large room on the ground floor with three
fixed basins and cold water laid on, used in common by both sexes. In the third house there are two
washhouses, each with three fixed basins and cold water laid on, under roofs in the back yard : each is
used in common by both sexes. In the fourth house there is one similar washhouse with four fixed
basins used in the same manner. In the fifth there are two washhouses, the one with three loose
basins and cold water laid on under a roof in the yard for the single men, the other, in the back
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