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London County Council.
SANITARY CONDITION AND ADMINISTRATION OF
THE PARISH OF ST. LUKE.
Public Health Department,
Spring Gardens, S.W.,
November, 1897.
Report by the Medical Officer, submitting report by Dr. Young on the Sanitary
Condition and Administration of the Parish of St. Luke.
(Ordered by the Public Health Committee to be printed on Hud July, 1897.)
In presenting Dr. Young's report to the Committee, I would desire to refer to his conclusion
;hat the existing staff of sanitary inspectors is insufficient for the present requirements of the district.
Phis view I beg to endorse. It will be observed, moreover, that Dr. Young has found that the bylaws
of the vestry as to houses let in lodgings are so drawn as to exempt from their application
tenements which should be subject to them. His recommendation that the by-laws be revised in this
particular should be seriously considered by the vestry. It is undoubtedly important that these bylaws
should be enforced. Dr. Young's recommendations as to other matters are well deserving adoption
by the vestry.
Shirley F. Murphy,
Medical Officer of Health.
Dr. Young's Report.
The district under the jurisdiction of the Yestry of St. Luke is one of the smallest in area in
the county of London. It is situated in the central part of the metropolis and adjoins the City of
London, which forms its southern boundary. On the east and north it is bounded by Shoreditch and
Islington respectively, and on the west by Clerkenwell and the Charterhouse, while, for a short extent
of boundary at the south-western corner, it is in juxtaposition with the district under the jurisdiction
of the Holborn Board of Works.
Tho sanitary district of St. Luke corresponds with the civil parish of the same name.
The soil throughout the district is composed of gravel and sand overlying the London clay.
The area of the district is 237 acres including about three acres of water, which consists of
that portion of the City-road basin of the Regent's-canal situated in the northern part of St. Luke.
The rateable value of the parish in April, 1896, was £347,192. During the year April 1st, 1896, to
March 31st, 1897, the contribution of St. Luke to the equalisation of rates fund exceeded the grant
made from the fund by £286 3s. 4d.
For statistical purposes St. Luke forms part of the registration district of Holborn, which also
includes the whole of the sanitary district under the Vestry of Clerkenwell and the greater part of that
under the jurisdiction of the Holborn Board of Works. St. Luke is now divided into three sub-districts,
known as City-road, Whitecross-street and Finsbury, the first being the northern, the second the
south-western, and the third the sonth-eastern nart of tVin narish.

These figures show that during the interval since 1871 a marked decrease has been taking place
both in the population and in number of inhabited houses in the district, although the results of the
last census in 1896 point to a lessened rate of decrease, and in the City-road sub-district there
No. 251—Price 2d. Sold by E. Stanford, 26 and 27, Gockapur-street, Charing-crest, S.W. [2927—4185