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ANNUAL REPORT
on
THE SANITARY CONDITION
of the
Parish of St. iBeorge the Martyr, Southuiarh,
FOR THE YEAR 1893,
by the
MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH.
To the vestry of the parish of St. george the MARTYR.
SECTION I—STATISTICAL.
Gentlemen,
My Second Annual Report, which I now have the honour to submit to you,
treats of the sanitary condition and environment, for the year 1893, of one of the
poorest and most densely populated districts in the whole of London.
The following summary of facts will be found useful in approaching the various
matters contained in this report.
Area.—St. George's, Southwark, covers 284-375 acres. The roads and streets,
as returned to the end of 1893, measure 19 miles, 5 furlongs, 14 poles.
Boundaries.—The parish, in shape somewhat like a hatchet, is surrounded by no
less than six other Sanitary Districts. It is bounded on the north by St. Saviour and
St. Olave, on the west by Lambeth, on the South by Newington and Camberwell,
and on the east by Bermondsey. (See Chart.) k*cc
Geological Formation.—The sub-soil of Southwark consists of porous made earth,
sand, and gravel, of a depth of fifteen to twenty-five feet, overlying the London
Clay. Saline Springs rise at times to the surface, and in certain excavated parts of
the parish—e.g., Theatre and Music Hall, necessitate the constant use of pumps,
worked by gas engines.
Elevation.—The district is low-lying and flat, and is situate at an average of half a
foot below the Trinity high water mark of the Thames, as against a mean elevation
for London of 47'5 feet above the same mark.