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213
In reference to the substitution of the Shoreditch w.c. for the troughs
previously in use in those schools, and specially with reference to those mentioned
in the last Annual Report as having been provided at St. Columba Church Schools,
Kingsland Road, the vicar, Rev. Christopher Bromby, wrote on April 28th,
desiring the Sanitary Committee to be informed that "Their construction was
highly approved by Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools at their recent visit,
remarks on the great improvement having been made in the report under the three
departments of the Schools."
NORFOLK BUILDINGS.
It will probably be of public interest to put on record the circumstances
attending the erection of these buildings, and the re-construction of the drainage
of the premises by order of the Vestry.
The site was occupied up to 1881 with a large number of ruinous cottages,
approached by several narrow courtwavs. After much effort by the Sanitary
Officers, the owner was induced to pull the whole of the cottages down, and the
land was sold as a building site, and in November of 1881 plans were submitted to
the Metropolitan Board of Works for the erection of the present buildings, which
were objected to by the Vestry. In March, 1882, a communication was received
from the Metropolitan Board of Works reporting receipt of amended plans and
asking if the Vestry had any suggestions to offer thereon. To that it was replied
that the Vestry's objection still remained. Nevertheless, the buildings were
erected in accordance with the plans objected to by the Vestry, and in several
respects in an insanitary manner, but not until 1891 was it discovered that the
drains were so defectively constructed that it had been necessary several times to
open up the floors of the basement rooms to remove stoppages, with the result that
the ground under the floors of several rooms used as day rooms and bedrooms was
soddened with foecal matters. These conditions being reported to the "Vestry, it
was ordered that notices be served on the owner requiring him to amend the drains.
The owner failing to comply with the notices, an order was made by the Vestry
under which a contractor was employed and the necessary works carried out at a
cost of £209 7s. 6d., for the recovery of which sum it became necessary to
summon the owner at Worship Street Police Court; much disputation took place
on the hearing of the case. Finally the Magistrate (Mr. Rose) gave judgment as
follows:—Mr. Pilbrow had set up the various pleas, that he was not the owner,
that the work done was altogether unnecessary, and that work was done that was
not specified in the notices. The case of the Vestry set forth that on inspection
they found the drains in bad order, and they served notices in November, 1891,
upon Mr. Pilbrow in person, requiring him to amend and re-construct the defective
drains, and in February, 1892, nothing having been done to amend the conditions
complained of, the Vestry entered upon the premises under the powers given by
the 85th Section of the Metropolis Local Management Act and work was done to