London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Shoreditch 1894

Annual report on the health, sanitary condition, etc., etc., of the Parish of Saint Leonard, Shoreditch for the year 1894

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was considered by the Sanitary Committee of this parish; the reasons for the interruption
of the supply, which were set forth in the Engineer's Report, were not considered satisfactory,
and it was resolved to communicate with the London County Council with a
view to their demanding from the East London Water Company a constant supply of
water, or proceeding for penalties under the Metropolis Water Act, 1871.
BAKE-HOUSES.
On May, 22nd, 1894, a circular letter was directed by the Local Government
Board to the various London Sanitary Authorities, calling attention to their powers
and duties with regard to bake-houses.
Much importance was attached to the strict enforcement of the provisions of the
various Acts relating to bake-houses, and attention was specially drawn to Section 16
of the Factory and Workshops' Act, 1883, which provides that where a Court of
Summary Jurisdiction is satisfied on the prosecution of a Local Authority that any
bake-house is in such a state as to be, on sanitary grounds, unfit for use or occupation
as a bake-house, the occupier is liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not
exceeding forty shillings, and on a second or subsequent conviction, to a fine not
exceeding five pounds. The Court, in addition to or instead of inflicting such fine,
may order means to be adopted by the occupier within the time named in the order
for the purpose of removing the ground of complaint. If, after the expiration of the
time as originally named or enlarged by subsequent order, the order is not complied
with, the occupier is liable to a fine not exceeding one pound for every day that such
non-compliance continues.
Since 1863 legislation has been specially directed towards securing improvement
in the sanitary condition of the bake-houses in London. The Bake-house Regulation
Act, of 1863, made the local authorities responsible for the sanitary condition of the
bake-houses existing in their districts. This Act was repealed by the Factory and
Workshops Act, of 1878, and the duty of regulating the condition of bake-houses was
transferred from the local authorities to the Inspectors of Factories. By the Factory
and Workshops Act Amendment Act, 1883, the Medical Officer of Health of the
district became responsible for the satisfactory condition of the bake-houses (sect. 17,
sub. sect. 1 and 2.) This enactment was repealed by the Public Health (Lond.) Act,
1891, which makes it the duty of the sanitary authority of the district to exercise
supervision over the bake-houses, and to enforce sections 34, 35, and 81 of the Factory
and Workshops' Act, 1878, and sections 15 and 16 of the Factory and Workshop Act
Amendment Act, 1883 which relate to cleanliness, ventilation, and other sanitary
conditions (Public Health (Lond.) Act, 1891, sect. 26).
A "bake-house" is defined as "any place in which are baked bread, biscuits, or
confectionery, from the baking or selling of which a profit is derived," (Public Health
(Lond.) Act, 1891, sect. 141). The enactments in force for regulating the condition
of bake-houses are as follows