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with back-addition washhouses. They are in a slightly better condition than those in Providence-place.
Union-place contains five small two-storeyed cottages, which, however, have no back yards at all.
Their w.c.'s are in their forecourts. Osborn-place, is only six feet wide; the ground floors of the houses
are below the level of the pavement, and the houses are in a very bad state of repair. Dickerson'splace
is a cul-de-sac about ten feet wide. The houses are on one side only, and are of two storeys with
yards only about six feet deep. These yards contain a washhouse. Union-street contains houses of a
somewhat better character on the west side, but on the east side the yards are very confined, and in
most cases the third room is over the washhouse on the ground floor.
Union-court comprises also two-storeyed cottages. Three have no back yards, and the yards to the
other two are very small. The water-closets for the use of the inmates are in the court. The houses
in Ashton-street and Woolmore-street are of a somewhat better character than those on the area
generally, but they are all old and in indifferent repair.
The population of the represented area, as above described, amounts to 411 persons, and the
mean death-rate from all causes in the period 1895-99 works out at 33 6 per 1,000, as compared with 21'3
for the Poplar district, and 18'7 for the whole of London.
The chief defect of the area, however, is its arrangement. Having regard, therefore, to the whole
of the circumstances, we have come to the conclusion that it is an area such as can only be satisfactorily
dealt with by way of a scheme. We have had such a scheme prepared and we now submit it for the
approval of the Council. The scheme, prepared by the officers, omits from the area to be dealt with the
houses in Union-street and Ashton-street, and, after full consideration, we have decided that this
course is justified. The scheme therefore includes on the east of Union-street only the five houses in
Union-court. On the west of Union-street, however, it is desirable to include as neighbouring lands
three more houses, Nos. 2, 3 and 4, Union-street. By this means a more convenient site will be secured
for the erection of dwellings. The number of persons of the working class who will be displaced is 277,
and accommodation can be provided on the cleared land for about 400 persons. It will therefore be
possible to comply with the Council's resolution of 29th November, 1898, without acquiring any
additional land.
The scheme also provides for the carrying of Union-street through to Woolmore-street, and for its
widening for a portion of its length on its west side. It is hoped that it may ultimately be possible
to make arrangements by which it can be widened to 40 feet throughout.
The estimated gross cost of acquiring the property proposed to be taken amounts to £17,000 ; the
cost of paving works is estimated at £l, 600; while the estimated housing value of the cleared land is
£1,500; leaving the net cost £17,000. We have forwarded a gross estimate of £18,000 to the Finance
Committee, who will submit the same in due course.
A small area in King-street, Poplar, consisting of two small courts and the houses frontiug
King-street between them, had also been represented by the medical officer of health of Poplar.
The committee were of opinion that the borough council should deal with this area under Part II.
of the Act.
Schemes undertaken by the County Council under Part 1. of the Act.
On the 12th February the Council authorised an advertisement for tenders for the erection
of dwellings on the Duke's-court site, Drury-lane, for the accommodation of 610 persons, to be
displaced by the carrying out of the Clare Market (Strand) scheme, and on the 26th March the
Council accepted a tender amounting to £23,600 for the erection of Sheridan, Beaumont and
Fletcher Buildings, the dwellings to consist of three blocks of five storey buildings, providing
accommodation for 610 persons in 130 tenements, 10 of one room, 75 of two rooms, 35 of three
rooms, and 10 of four rooms, 120 of these tenements to be self-contained, and the remaining 10
to have private water-closets, but sculleries common to two tenements.
In February the erection of Wellesley-buildings on the Churchway (St. Pancras) area,
providing accommodation for 360 persons in 60 two-room and 20 three-room tenements, was
completed. On the 25th June the Council approved the working drawings, specifications and bills
of quantities and the architect's estimate of £22,567 10s. 2d., in respect of Seymour and
Somerset-buildings, to be erected on this area, and referred them to the manager of the
Works department to be carried out by the Council without the intervention of a contractor.
The buildings are to be five storeys in height, and will provide accommodation for 472 persons
in 2 tenements of one room, 64 tenements of two rooms, 30 tenements of three rooms, and 4
tenements of four rooms.
Schemes undertaken by the County Council under Part II. of the Act.
On the 18th June the Council resolved to issue an advertisement inviting tenders for the
erection of Sydney and Melbourne buildings to be erected on the Ann-street, Poplar, area.
These buildings will provide accommodation far 440 persons, in 65 tenements of two rooms
and 30 tenements of three rooms. The Council on the 30th July accepted a tender for the erection
of these buildings at a cost of £15,674 12s. 4d.
On the 17th December the Council approved the working drawings, specification, bills
of quantities and the architect's estimate of £51,500 for the erection of a lodging-house on the
Mill-lane site by the Council, without the intervention of a contractor, and referred them to
the manager of the Works department for that purpose. This lodging-house will provide accommodation
for 804 lodgers. The following account of the plan is contained in the report of the
Housing of the Working Classes Committee to the Council: "The entrance is central and gives
access to the dining-room on the right and to the smoking and reading rooms on the left. The
office commands the entrance for lodgers and for the staff and is arranged close to the superintendent's
quarters. The dining-room is planned with a long hot-plate chamber in the centre,
with lodgers' sculleries. It is well lighted from side and roof. The hot-plate chamber is
ventilated by two fans driven by electricity, and this arrangement helps the ventilation of the
dining-room. Immediately adjoining the dining-Toom is the lodgers' crockery room. The shop
for sale of hot and cold viands is placed in a convenient position with a direct servery thereto,
and with easy communication to the kitchen in the rear. The smoking-room is arranged on
the Mill-lane frontage. It is well lighted and has good ventilation. The reading-room is
approached from two of the main corridors; it is of a suitable shape and is well lighted by side
and top lights. This room also will have cross-ventilation." The superficial area in square