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Salvation Army supply a large quantity of food at low prices to the general public, and the former
body also provides some thousands of free meals every week. Of course, it is possible and probable
that much of this food goes to people of a different and perhaps less necessitous class than that
now under consideration.
As in previous years, some inquiry was made at the Church Army Tents with a view to
ascertaining the length of time the applicants for help had been in London, for it has been
frequently remarked that the facilities offered for obtaining free food and shelter attract men from
the country. Of course the figures obtained must be accepted with a considerable amount of
reserve, because, apart from the small number questioned as compared with the very large number
taking advantage of charity, the men may doubtless have reasons of their own for concealing the
locality from wbich they have come. It has been suggested, for instance, that it may be thought
that the questions are asked with a view to tracing men who have left wives and families chargeable
to the rates in other parishes. It is stated by the Church Army, moreover, that they take
great care in selecting men for assistance, and it is probable that if more extensive inquiries were
instituted amongst men helped by charities, who make little or no investigation into antecedents,
the results might be somewhat different. However, the results obtained are given for what they
are worth:—
Year.
No. of
men
questioned.
Length of stay in London.
Less than
1 month.
From 1 to 12
months.
No. No.
1905 100 30 —
1909 158 16 39
1910 (February) 2617 36
1910 (March) 984 12
I append the following tables summarising the information obtained on the night of the
18th February, 1910
Table I. shows the number of homeless persons and their distribution in certain localities.
Table II. shows the authorised accommodation in common lodging houses, the number of beds
occupied, and the number of beds vacant in the City of London and in each metropolitan
borough.
Table III. shows the free accommodation in shelters provided by philanthropic bodies, and licensed
by the Council, but does not include the beds in ordinary common 1 dging houses
occupied by persons on the night of the census whose accommodation was paid for by
charitable organisations.
Table IV. shows the accommodation in shelters not licensed as common lodging houses.
Table V. summarises the information contained in the third paragraph of the report, and shows
the total number of persons who might be regarded as homeless on the ground of
being unable to pay for a bed, but does not include persons permanently provided for
in public institutions.
(Signed) Shirley F, Murphy,
Medical Officer or Health.
17th March, 1910.