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
London County Council 1899
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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| Number of persons to a house in 1896. | Bangor-street. | Crescent-street. | St. Katharine'e-road. | William-street. | St. Clement's-roafl. south of Board School. | Total houses. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nos. 1 to 63. | No. 64 and upwards. | ||||||
| 10 roomed houses. | 8 roomed houses. | 7 or 8 roomed houses. | 5 roomed houses. | 5 or 6 roomed houses. | 7,8 or 9 roomed houses. | ||
| Under 10 person to a house | 2 | 4 | 6 | 41 | 28 | 15 | 96 |
| Between 10 and 15 persons to a house | 1 | 9 | 16 | 8 | 21 | 4 | 59 |
| Between 15 and 20 persons to a house | 4 | 12 | 22 | - | - | 9 | 47 |
| Between 20 and 25 persons to a | 10 | 2 | 16 | - | - | 2 | 30 |
| Between 25 and 150 persons to a house | 8 | 4 | 1 | - | - | 5 | 18 |
| 30 persons and upwards | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| Total | 28 | 31 | 61 | 49 | 49 | 35 | 253 |
The above statement takes no cognizance of common lodging-houses, which, to the number ot 23, are
registered and are under the control of the County Council, viz.—11 houses in Bangor-street, with
accommodation for 339 persons (31 to a house), in which it was stated that there were 252 persons at the
date of inquiry ; Crescent-street, eight houses for 249 persons (31 to a house), in which it was stated that
there were 238 persons; and in St. Clement's-road, four houses for 115 persons (29 to a house), in which
it was stated that there were 88 persons.
The average number of persons to a house at the 1891 census in the whole of Kensington
was 7.53.
In May and June of 1897 an inspection of houses in the "special area" other than lodginghouses
was made by inspectors Pettit and Steward, and from particulars obtained by them the following
summary was prepared, giving particulars as to the population and also as to defects observed in
the houses.
| Streets. | Numberof houses in strcet. | No. of houses let in lodgings. | Number of C. L. houses. | Number of houses not let in lodgiDgs. | No. of houses in which rooms are let in lodgings. | Registered lodging hous. s in which there is a resident keeper. | Population of houses other than C. L. houses.* | Defects observed. | No. of houses in respect of which notice is necessary. | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered. | Not registered. | Furnished rooms. | Unfurnished rooms. | Furnished and nn furnished rooms. | No. of families. | No. of persons. | No. of adults. | No. of children. | ltoofs defective in ; tructure or in drainage (guttering). | Walls defective, dirty, &c. | Drains not trapped from the sewer. | Insufficient w.e. accommodation. | Yards not properly paved. | Water supply from cistern, and not from rising main. | Other defects. | ||||||
| Bangor-street | 39 | 27 | l | 11 | - | 13 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 231 | 593 | 429 | 164 | 3 | 23 | l | - | 21 | 6 | - | 26 |
| Crescent-street | 39 | 17 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 18 | 7 | - | 8 | 175 | 461 | 341 | 120 | 6 | 19 | _ | 4 | 9 | 14 | - | 25 |
| Sirdar-road (part of), late St. Clement's-road | 41 | 21 | 1 | 4 | 15 | 8 | 12 | 2 | 6 | 161 | 483 | 317 | 166 | 12 | 15 | 10 | - | 9 | 9 | 3 | 21 |
| St. Katharine's-road | 111 | 92 | 7 | - | 12 | 54 | 40 | 5 | 52 | 489 | 1375 | 960 | 415 | 42 | 77 | 51 | 3 | 61 | 41 | 1 | 90 |
| Kenley-street, late William-street | 50 | 26 | 16 | - | 8 | 21 | 16 | 5 | 15 | 158 | 466 | 333 | 133 | 23 | 40 | 29 | 3 | 23 | 10 | - | 48 |
| Total | 280 | 183 | 33 | 23 | 41 | 114 | 84 | 18 | 90 | 1214 | 3378 | 2380 | 998 | 86 | 174 | 91 | 10 | 123 | 80 | 4 | 210 |
*The actual number of persons who slept at the 23 common lodging-houses on May 10th, 1897, was 622,
raising the population of the special area to 4,000.
Dr. Dudfield makes the following comment upon the particulars relating to population given in
the above table—
"The most interesting fact ascertained in the course of the inspection was that the population of
Notting Dale is becoming more dense. The census in March, 1896, showed an increase of 490 persons in
the five years since 1891, equivalent to 2.9 per cent. per annum. The rate of increase during the 15 months
commencing April, 1896, appears to have been, as nearly as may be, at the rate of 4 per cent. per annum,
the population now (i.e., May, 1897) being, in round numbers, 4,000." Dr. Dudfield pointed out the
importance of such increase if it should prove to be continuous, but explained that special temporary
causes appeared to be at work. He says, "Hitherto, however, the greater density has been brought
about mainly by the occupation of previously empty rooms. Many of the recent immigrants, more-